Images of Emotion: The Role of Emotion in Guided Imagery and Music
Goldberg, Frances Smith - Volume: 1
The emotional element of music is a primary factor in the Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] experience. With reference to current literature on music, music therapy, emotion, and imagery, the author proposes theories and concepts regarding tbe affective response to music and the complex role of emotion in the GIM process. The implications for management of GIM therapy are discussed in relation to clinical and general populations.
Tape Analysis: Creativity I
Dutcher, Jo - Volume: 1
This paper is a musical analysis of a selection of classical music for use in Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] sessions. The methodology, which includes semantics, syntatics and ontological considerations, examines the listener's reactions to the music, the technical elements of the music, and how the period in which it was written is reflected in the piece. The paper also discusses how the musical elements effect the psychodynamics of the therapeutic process.
Wounded Woman: The Use of Guided Imagery and Music in Recovery from Mastectomy
Hale, Susan Elizabeth - Volume: 1
Using 26 GIM sessions over a period of a year and a half, for physical and emotional recovery from a mastectomy, a mid-life woman explored the wounds to her psyche and to her physical body. She struggled successfully to develop a positive self-image, build an ability to trust herself and others, and to manage her fear. She experienced a major healing on this journey.
Perspectives on Growth with a Victim of Abuse: A GIM Case Study
Borling, James E. - Volume: 1
This case describes how GIM helped a 36-year-old woman begin to confront psychotherapy issues and strong feelings of fear, anger, and disgust, related to physical and sexual abuse as a child. The author presents her case from three rerspectives: Bradshaw's, Inner Child; Groffs, Perinatal Matrices; and Kellogg s, Mandala Assessment.
Music as Co-Therapist: Creative Resource for Change
Skaggs, Ruth - Volume: 1
Individuals stuck in unhealthy patterns of thinking and behaving often benefit from a creative approach to psychotherapy which uses symbolic language. The familiar language of words, in its routine nature, often contributes to habitual self-defeating behavior. The symbolic language of music has the ability to disorganize rigidly imbedded thought and behavior patterns and to reorganize them in a healthier, more growthproducing manner. Music as a structured system, provides a safe containment for changes to occur.This article discusses the use of music as co-therapist for the purpose of initiating creative insights and fresh perspectives from the imaginal realm.
Letting the Sound Depths Arise
Stokes, Sara Jane - Volume: 1
Guided Imagery and Music [GIMl is presented as a music-centered transformational psychotherapy. An overview of the genesis and evolution of GIM by Helen L. Bonny and other pioneers in the field of consciousness is reviewed, including an emphasis upon the development of the music tapes. A short case study is presented demonstrating imagery content, psychodynamic implications, and sample guiding interventions. A discussion of music as the "co-therapist" follows, concluding with a client's journal entry describing a breakthrough session.
Guided Imagery and Music with a Dually Diagnosed Woman Having Multiple Addictions
Pickett, Eugenia - Volume: 1
This case describes how GIM helped a 35-year-old woman who had a dual diagnosis of major depression and addictions to food and alcohol. In the course of therapy, the woman identified and worked with various parts of her self, until she could coordinate and integrate their roles in her recovery process.
Music: The Aesthetic Elixir
Summer, Lisa - Volume: 1
This article utilizes both psychoanalytic and musical theories as a basis for explaining the aesthetic experience of music as a stimulus for therapy. Winnicott's theories support the author's definition of the therapeutic relationship [therapist/client dyad J as a reenactment of the healthy parent/child dyad and help explain the music therapist's goals of using improvised, popular, familiar, New Age, and client-preferred music in therapy. This approach is contrasted with utilizing classical music for therapy. Classical music, and specifically the Guided Imagery and Music method, is used as an "evocative
musical space" in order to explore personal and transpersonal phenomena. The author identifies, within the process of musical composition itself, how classical music contains the structure which allows the GIM client access to the realm of the personal and/or transpersonal unconscious.
Dreams, Mandalas, and Music Imagery: Therapeutic Uses in a Case Study
Bush, Carol - Volume: 1
This paper explores the use of dreams, Guided Imagery and Music, and the Mandala Card Test as three primary modalities in the treatment of a 35-year-old female. A combination of these methods assisted the therapist in accessing the dynamics of this client at several levels of consciousness.
Music, Affect, and Imagery: A Cross-Cultural Exploration
Hanks, Karlyn Johnson - Volume: 1
I will discuss how certain theories and methods of Jung and Kohut are linked with The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Mus ic. When combined, the resultant integrated approach can promote understanding of defense mechanisms, coping skills and response to cross-cultural experience; it can facilitate personal growth and integration of clinical, symbolic and spiritual work. I will conclude by summan:dng a phenomenological cross-cultural study of responses in imagery and affect to classical music of the West and of China. The study demonstrates that the psyche has a propensity to respond in patterns, including archetypal content, to the widely disparate music of two very different cultures.
Integrating Guided Imagery and Music with Verbal Psychotherapy: A Case Study
Walker, Virginia R. - Volume: 2
This case study presents portions of five Guided Imagery and Music sessions with a depressed and depersonalized female client who was struggling with symptoms of low self-esteem, lethargy, difficulty making decisions, and feelings of being hopelessly trapped in an unhappy life. Imagery was generated which speeded up her psychotherapy process by clarifying her good/bad conflicts, assisted her in beginning a resolution of them, improved her self-esteem, and put her in touch with her deeper more spiritual nature.
The Case of Therese: Multidimensional Growth Through Guided Imagery and Music
McKinney, Cathy H. - Volume: 2
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music provides the opportunity to address several dimensions of the client's being simultaneously. This paper describes a portion of one young woman's journey as she experienced such growth in the areas of relationships, self·esteem, physical self-image, and spirituality.
Using Guided Imagery and Music to Clarify and Support Relationship Changes: A Case Study
Lewis, Kirstie - Volume: 2
The following case study illustrates how a short series of individual Guided bnagery and Music sessions can be used to clarify issues and support significant change in a client's primary relationships. It is suggested that the format of this case study could be a useful one for students. It is assumed that readers have familiarity with the GIM method. If not there are many short descriptions of it in the Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery, Volume I, 1992.
GIM During Pregnancy Anticipation and Resolution
Short, Alison E. - Volume: 2
The present study focuses on an 8-session Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] series with one client over a period of 13 weeks prior to childbirth. This multigravida nulliparous woman used GIM to enhance relaxation, adjust to her pregnancy, promote bonding with her unborn child, and to resolve grief issues from a previous ectopic pregnancy. Imagery and music as related to these goals is discussed and
interpreted.Through music-generated imagery, the client was able to grieve the loss of the previous "child" and bond with the new baby she was carrying.
Guided Imagery and Music: A Music Therapy Approach to Multiple Personality Disorder
Pickett, Eugenia & Sonnen, Carolyn - Volume: 2
Case material is used to demonstrate how Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] can be used therapeutically to treat MuJtiple Personality Disordered clients. With carefully selected music and a trained therapist, a client can be led safely to deeper levels of the psyche and work through issues and experiences previously out of conscious awareness. Techniques for establishing co-consciousness and for developing new thought patterns, affects, attitudes and behaviors are explained.
Beginning the Healing of Incest Through Guided Imagery and Music: A Jungian Perspective
Tasney, Karen - Volume: 2
Guided Imagery and Music is offered, in a case study format, as a useful psychotherapeutic technique for identifying and beginning to work through the after-effects of father-daughter incest. The theoretical framework for healing is presented from a Jungian perspective, and explores the archetypes of the shadow, the hero and the animus.
GIM Applied to the 50-Minute Hour
Ritchey Vaux, Diane - Volume: 2
Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] applied to the practice of psychotherapy within a 50-minute hour session requires a shorter program of music and abbreviated processing. Even within these constraints the technique remains a powerful method for clients; a case example is provided. The author discusses the power of GIM in deepening the emotional work of therapy, recommends practical considerations for adapting a psychotherapy practice to its use, and makes suggestions for preparing clients to work therapeutically with the method. A list of suitable music selections, excerpted from the GIM taped programs, is provided.
The Healing Link: Guided Imagery and Music and the Body/Mind Connection
Merritt, Stephanie - Volume: 2
A case study illustrates how Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] was instrumental in bringing about the remission of a 44-year...old man's crippling progressive arthritic
condition called Ankylosing Spondilitis. Through the release of repressed memories and emotions, combined with the unleashing of powerful archetypal imagery, the course of his
psychophysiological disease was altered. Case material demonstrates how GIM, in creating a kinesthetic response to music, brought equilibrium and healing to his body by
transforming thought processes embedded in the cells.
Body Listening: A New Way to Review the GIM Tapes
Bonny, Helen Lindquist - Volume: 2
Adequate assessment of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] session music is gained from both cognitive and experiential modes of learning. The Affective-Intuitive listening mode is described as an approach to increasing experiential, right brain facilitation and understanding of the taped music programs. The method is illustrated through the use ofa body improvisation exercise to the program of taped music entitled "Imagery," which was specifically created for the GIM process.
Awareness of Body Sensations and Physical Movement as Part of the GIM Experience
Pickett, Eugenia - Volume: 3
A developmental series of movement exercises, specifically compiled for group and individual Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] sessions are presented. Recommendations are made
for their use as either pre-session inductions or for post-session processing of psychological material. Suggestions about how to select and apply these structured exercises to classical music
are given.
Learning Through Mistakes: GIM with a Student in a Hypomanic Episode
Clarkson, Ginger - Volume: 3
The beneficial effects of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] with a 19-year-old sophomore male college student suffering from a manic episode are described in a case study. In a series of eleven sessions, the sophomore improved and, the author learned both from making errors and from supervision.
Conversations: An Analysis of the Music Program
Skaggs, Ruth - Volume: 3
An analysis of a music program compiled for use in Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] sessions to facilitate inner dialogue is presented in both a subjective and theoretical manner. Each musical selection is analyzed separately and discussed with regard to its relationship to the whole program, with references made to the metaphorical language of music. The article includes an in depth analysis of the second selection in the program, Ravel's Concerto For Piano and Orchestra, G Major, adagio assai.
Guided Imagery and Music in Spiritual Retreat
Holligan, Florence - Volume: 3
Guided Imagery and Music was used by a young man preparing for ordination to the Catholic priesthood. He spent seven days in Retreat, using Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] as the primary modality to facilitate growth. This paper attempts to define the essential nature of a GIM Retreat, and traces his progress through six GIM sessions.
Accessing the Inner Family Through Guided Imagery and Music
Weiss, Joanne - Volume: 3
Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] is used with other expressive psychotherapeutic modalities, within the theoretical context of a parts paradigm. The notion of the Inner Child is expanded to the Inner Family to emphasize a broader understanding of the complexities of the human psyche. Case material emphasizes the importance of using GIM accessed psychological material as a starting point for ongoing Inner Work.
Psychoanalysis and Guided Imagery and Music: A Comparison
Wrangsjö, Björn - Volume: 3
Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] is compared with psychoanalysis from theoretical, methodological and technical points of view. Similarities include using the couch to explore the dream level of mental experience, using transference and countertransference phenomena, confronting resistance and defenses, and appreciating the holding process. Technical differences for handling these similarities include the use of music and less emphasis upon the development and interpretation of the transference. GIM evokes and manages a wider span of material, promotes encounters with deep emotional conflict and stimulates deep inner healing and mental integration.
The Bonny Method of GIM: An Individual & Group Treatment in a Short-Term Acute Psychiatric Hospital
Goldberg, Frances Smith - Volume: 3
A modification of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM], was used in short-term inpatient hospital treatment as a useful intervention in the care of acute psychiatric inpatients. The author discusses how to select and use music and how to structure the session for safe and effective treatment with all but the most paranoid and disorganized of patients. She discusses the usefulness of this method in helping patients to [ 1] experience a here and now focus, [2] engage empathetically and supportively with each other, [3] deal with a wide range of individual issues, and [ 4] address issues on the unit.
Vietnam Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Findings from a Music and Imagery Project
Blake, Roberta - Volume: 3
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM], a non-directive and spontaneous process which promotes the exploration of levels of consciousness, and Directed Imagery and Music [DIM], a modification of GIM designed to access memory ofspecific trauma, were introduced to eight Vietnam veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] at a Department of Veterans Mfairs National Center for PTSD. Adding music and imagery to treatment assisted the veterans in exploring their inner lives, and helped them to reconnect with associated emotions in a safe and controlled manner. GIM was effective in expanding the veterans' capacities to relax, feel emotions, share experiences and increase self-understanding. DIM proved effective in facilitating memories of trauma on visual, sensory and emotional levels.
Adapting a Guided Imagery and Music Series for a Nonverbal Man with Autism
Clarkson, Ginger - Volume: 4
This clinical case study describes a series of nineteen Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] sessions adapted for a nonverbal man with autism. Adaptations include using briefer-than-usual musical selections and communicating through typing with Facilitated Communication before and after music sessions.
GIM and Collective Grief: Facing the Shadow of the Holocaust
Merritt, Stephanie & Schulberg, Cecilia - Volume: 4
The devastating effects of the Nazi Holocaust are subconsciously transmitted to second generation. Jews and Germans through the silent shame of their parents . . These adult children carry the unexpressed grief and guilt of their parents, which results in repressed feelings that manifest as dysfunctional patterns of behavior. This article shows how GIM is able to help both a child of a Holocaust survivor and a child of a German soldier to not only confront their shadows, process their grief, and release much of their guilt, but to rise above cultural enmity and come together in an experience of unity consciousness.
Guided Imagery and Music: A Technique for Healing Trauma
Pickett, Eugenia - Volume: 4
Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] was used to access and work through traumatic childhood experiences and free a young man of a delayed Post 'll'aumatic Stress Disorder. During the course of twelve sessions he became more productive at work, his sexual relationship with his significant other improved and he stopped self-medicating with alcohol.
Guided Imagery and Music as a Psychotherapeutic Method in Psychiatry
Wrangsjö, Björn & Körlin, Dag - Volume: 4
The effects of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] were investigated in fourteen clients who were treated by therapists in advanced GIM training. This pre-post study investigated and measured psychiatric symptoms, interpersonal relationship issues and inner resources on the Hopkins Symptom Check List (HSCL-90) and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (liP); results showed decreases in most symptoms, and a significant decrease in interpersonal problems. A significant increase in the experience of life as more meaningful and manageable was measured by the Sense of Cohesion (SC) scale. While the small size and absence of a control group warrant caution in the interpretations of the findings, the results of GIM treatment for psychiatric patients seem promisi~g.
The Effects of Guided Imagery and Music on Depression and Beta-Endorphin Levels
McKinney, Cathy H., Antoni, Michael H., Kumar, Adarsh, & Kumar, Mahendra - Volume: 4
This pilot study explored the effects of a serieS of six weekly Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] sessions on mood state and plasma B-endorphin in healthy subjects. Eight healthy adults (21-45 years old) randomly assigned to control and experimental conditions completed the Profile of Mood States and donated a 10 ml blood sample before and after an 8-week GIM intervention period. There were no group differences in potential confounding variables such as age, physical activity levels, drug use, restful sleep, imaging ability, health locus of control subscale scores, or hassles intensity at baseline and the two groups showed no pre-treatment differences in anxiety, depression, or beta-endorphin (all Jl'S > .10). After the intervention we found that, controlling for individual differences in se}f..:..report bias (Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale), experimental subjects were significantly less depressed (E 1 5 = 6.34, 2 < .05) though not significantly different from controls on B-endorphin levels (.E.'< 1.0). These preliminary findings suggest that a time-limited GIM intervention may affect depression levels in healthy individuals.
The Hero’s Myth in GIM Therapy
Clark, Marilyn - Volume: 4
This article discusses the occurrence of the Hero's Journey myth as it appears spontaneously and programmatically in the therapeutic process evoked by Guided Imagery and Music. It takes a broad look at the role of myth in the journey towards wholeness and a more specific look at how GIM provides a fertile ground for the thematic development of the Hero's Journey myth. The article describes an evocative music program designed around the pattern of the myth cycle as researched by Joseph Campbell, and gives examples of Hero's Journeys experienced by persons listening to this music program in GIM settings.
Melding Musical and Psychological Processes: The Therapeutic Musical Space
Summer, Lisa - Volume: 4
The concept of choosing a "correct" music program for a GIM session is rejected in favor of a theory which entails providing a "good-enough" musical space for each individual client's session. A description of the Pachelbel Canon in D and an excerpt from the Mozart K331 Piano Sonata shows how the development of musical material defines the musical space of a GIM session. The study of musical elements and theoretical concepts in this article serve as an argument against a simple or prescriptive approach to choosing music for GIM sessions.
Manifestations of Transference in Guided Imagery and Music
Bruscia, Kenneth E. - Volume: 4
This is the second article in a two-part series dealing with transference phenomena in GIM. The first gives an overview of the construct itself. The purpose of this article is to examine specific ways in which a transference dynamic can be activated, configured, and expressed in GIM psychotherapy. Clinical examples are used as a basis for discussion.
The Many Dimensions of Transference
Bruscia, Kenneth E. - Volume: 4
This is the first article in a two-part series aimed at exploring how the psychodynamic concept of transference can illuminate the myriad of interactions and relationships that emerge in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). This, the first article provides a definition of transference and then examines the many different dimensions attributed to it in the literature. Each dimension provides a continuum for describing individual manifestations of transference. The second article explores the specific ways in which transferences are evoked, perceived and expressed in GIM psychotherapy.
Guided Imagery and Music in Head Trauma Rehabilitation
Pickett, Eugenia - Volume: 5
Imagery, because it bypasses usual defense mechanisms and because it can be used to generate adaptive behavior, is useful for "working through" the losses which result from head trauma and to create new emotional, cognitive and behavioral patterns. Carefully selected music will promote this process. This author uses case material to demonstrate how The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] can be used as a psychotherapy in head trauma recovery.
Therapy for the Therapist
Villaincourt, Guillaine - Volume: 5
The author rendered an international survey of 67 graduates and advanced trainees in The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM]. She discusses survey responses which point to the importance of having been in GIM therapy in order to become a skillful GIM therapist.
Literature Review: The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Toomey, Lisbeth - Volume: 5
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GlM] is a music centred, transformational therapy which uses specifically programmed classical music to stimulate and support a dynamic unfolding of inner experiences in service of physical, psychological and spiritual wholeness. [Adopted by the Association for Music and Imagery, June 1990].
Guided Imagery and Music Group Experiences with Adolescent Girls in a High School Setting
Weiss, Mary Roy - Volume: 5
This study explores the reactions of.high school Sophomores to the use of The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music in the classroom. The logistics of using GIM in the classroom is 'discussed; the personal process of one student is described in depth; and teacher assessment of four other student sessions are presented.
Jungian Archetypes in GIM Therapy: Approaching the Client’s Fairytale
Short, Alison E.\ - Volume: 5
In a single session of therapy working with the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM], client material exhibited classic archetypal imagery. Interpreted from a Jungian point of view, in tenns of the fairytale, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves", a client's imagery is explored and discussed. At key points in the client's imagery, there were adaptations of the original fairy tale. These changes are shown to be related to the client's therapeutic process. The author asserts that an understanding of archetypal material in the fonn of fairy tales is valuable for both the client and the therapist in understanding and interpreting the imagery process as it may occur in GIM.
Listening with Open Ears
Beck, Donna Marie - Volume: 5
Positing that Western culture is living with "blocked ears", this paper stresses the importance of listening to music with "open ears", and suggests a therapeutic approach to this means. Using Guided Imagery and Music [GIM], the author focuses on opening "blocked ears", in order to facilitate the emergence of a genuine inner "I". The inter-relationship, between the ear and the I, fosters a deep integration with the "affective heart" that can transcend maladaptive modes of relating (to self and others) and promote an authenticity which is is personally empowering.
Uncovering and Healing Hidden Wounds: Using GIM to Resolve Complicated and Disenfranchised Grief
Smith, Barbara J. - Volume: 5
Clients come to therapy with a variety of presenting problems and symptoms; the author maintains that unresolved grief is at the root of most. This paper defines grief in such a
manner that psychotherapists can more easily identify and facilitate its expression and uncover the loss which may have been hidden or obscured by less obvious symptoms and problems. Case
examples are provided to illustrate how The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] can be used to facilitate the resolution of this complicated grief.
Heroic Journeys” Experiences of a Maori Group with the Bonny Method
McIvor, Millicent - Volume: 6
A small group of Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, met for four music sessions and an evaluation. After listening to extracts of classical music selected from the recognized discography of The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), they processed their experience each time, through drawing and discussion. Their words were taped and transcribed, and are summarized in this paper. Myths and traditions from the Maori culture, which relate to the archetypal significance of their experience, are introduced.
The Spiritual Insights of a GIM Client with Autism
Clarkson, Ginger - Volume: 6
This clinical case study is one of three from the author's book I Dreamed I Was Normnal: A Music Therapist's Journey Into the Realms of Autism [Clarkson, 1998]. It describes the spiritual revelations of a nonverbal adult with autism in a series of adapted GIM sessions that spanned three years. Jerry's case study in Volume 4 of the AMI Journal [1995] is a precursor to this paper.
The Bonny Method of GIM: Matrix for Transpersonal Experience
Lewis, Kirstie - Volume: 6
This article explores the potential of the Bonny Method to evoke and support trans personal experiences. Based on Ken Wilber's Spectrum of Consciousness model, which places transpersonal experience in a developmental framework, 128 Bonny Method sessions were analyzed as to the frequency and nature of transpersonal experience occurring in the sessions. The study was also able to determine those Bonny Method music programs which seemed to stimulate a greater frequency and variety of transpersonal experience. It was concluded that the Bonny Method can assist individuals in having ecperiences that are unitive, mystical, transcendent and transpersonal in nature and that these experiences may be integrated into their lives.
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music and Spiritual Development
Clark, Marilyn - Volume: 6
An exploration of transpersonal therapy, spiritual development and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. Spiritual development is suggested in the models of Ken Wilber's Spectrum of Consciousness and James Fowler's Stages of Faith. The Bonny Method, a trnnspersonal therapy, enables unique internal experiences engendered by carefully chosen music which contributes to spiritual development not only within the client, but also within the facilitator of the method.
GIM at the End of Life: Case Studies in Palliative Care
Marr, Jennifer - Volume: 6
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) was used as part of a music therapy program in both in-patient and home-based hospices for patients with a tenninal illness. It was found that sessions using either the standard Bonny Method of OIM or an adapted
variation were effective in assisting two patients in their personal and spiritual preparations for their final journey. Each patient received much in the way of personal insight and integration so that they could move forward without fear of what was to come. It is proposed and demonstrated
that, under the right conditions, GIM can be a valid and effective therapy as part of a palliative care program. This paper discusses how to detennine when GIM is appropriate and how to modify the process to be most effective with hospice patients.
The Paradise Program: A New Music Program for Guided Imagery and Music
Booth, Joanna M. - Volume: 6
This paper presents a new music program, Paradise, for the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. The development and aims of the program are described, and essential musical features are presented. Testing the program was undertaken in GIM dyads and in a Community Drawing Study. From the results, the author concludes that the Paradise Program is a viable addition to the GIM repertoire.
Music, Jung, and Making Meaning
Wesley, Susan B. - Volume: 6
Music, with its innate therapeutic qualities, was an art form about which Jung rarely spoke. Because of an experience with music therapist Margaret Tilly, Jung encountered an engagement with music which caused him to comment on its power to reach archetypal material. Through case material and its discussion, this author shows how the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music [GIM] can provide a music-based process for accessing the archetypal experience of the Hero's or Heroine's Journey.
Anima Manifestations of Men Using Guided Imagery and Music: A Case Study
Brooks, Darlene M. - Volume: 7
This article discusses the Jungian archetype, the "anima." Specifically, it will address the anima as it relates to the efforts toward individuation that occur in a man's process. The article will present reactions and emotions accompanying the unintegrated anima along with the positive responses occurring when the anima is in the process of integration. Using the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) the article will present a specific method for examining this construct in GIM sessions, using the actual imagery expt:rience, and the pre- and postsession dialogue as the main sources for anima material. A case example will be provided, showing various anima manifestations as the man works toward individuation.
Transformational Processes in Guided Imagery and Music
Bunt, Leslie G. K. - Volume: 7
Processes of transformation are integra/to the music-centered therapy Guided Imagery and Music (GiM). A complex matrix of transformations continually takes place through the changes in consciousness, changes in the images, and changes in the structural aspects of the music. The main contentions of this article are that clients seek out these transformational processes in coming to GIM and that these various changes often develop into a pattern unique to each person's journey through therapy. The article includes an example from one particular client's process. Reference is made to Ovid's Metamorphoses in connecting the nature of transformation in GIM with deep and collective processes
at the root of our hwnanity.
The Effect of Classical Music on Absorption and Control of Mental Imagery
Burns, Debra - Volume: 7
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of classical music on the absorption and control of mental imagery. Absorption and control refor to the client's ability to become engaged in the imagery experience and manipulate the imagery as needed. Four conditions (music imagery, music listening, silent imagery, and control) were randomly assigned to four groups of volunteers with a total of 58 participants. The Tellegen Absorption Scale and the Gordon Test of Visual Imagery Control served as pre- and posttests for all groups and
were compared for group changes. There were no statistically significant difforences among the three experimental groups in absorption scores. There were, however, significant differences in absorption among the three experimental groups and the control group. There were no differences in imagery control, although the silent imagery group demonstrated the most change from pre- to posttest. These results may suggest that classical music a.ffocts the likelihood of a person becoming involved in spontaneous imagery experiences, but not a person's ability to manipulate or control imagery.
The Validity and Reliability of the GIM Responsiveness Scale – Anthony Meadows 8 The Effect of Cla
Meadows, Anthony - Volume: 7
A series of three studies examined the validity and reliability of the Guided Imagery and Music Responsiveness Scale (GIMR), a new measure in the field. In the first study, a literature review, the dimensions of the GIMR are examined in relation to self-report inventories of imagery experience. Analysis suggests that while the G/MR is different in its purpose and scope, it accounts for the major dimensions of imagery previously examined In the second study, 30 participants (m=6; f=24) aged 19 to 57 years (X=42.2 years) were rated on their responsiveness to a single GIM session using the GIMR In addition, each participant completed the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) (Antonovsky, 1988) and Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI) (Gieser & Ihilevich, 1969). Relationships between scores on the GIMR and these other measures were analyzed. One variable, responsiveness to guide, may have had confounding effects. In the third study, the reliability of the GIMR was examined Nine GIM sessions were rated by multiple observers. Of the 532 ratings compared, 92.4 percent were identical or within one rating, suggesting that the Gl1vfR has a satisfactory level of interrater reliability.
Scale for Assessing Responsiveness to Guided Imagery and Music
Bruscia, Kenneth E. - Volume: 7
This article presents an inventory for assessing the traveler's responses to the Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) experience. Using a five-point scale, the guide rates the traveler's responsiveness in each of the following areas: relaxation, imagery, music, guiding, verbal processing, and general. The scale was designed for use in GIM practice and research.
Metaphor and Narrative in Guided Imagery and Music
Bonde, Lars Ole - Volume: 7
This article suggests a hermeneutical framework for the understanding of the imagery in GIM based on theories of narrative expression and understanding. It discusses how the four phases of the GIM session have specific metaphorical tasks and identifies three levels within the therapeutic narrative of GIM: 1) the basic level of the core metaphor, the discovery of hidden meaning through the imagery; 2) the level of metaphors of ego and self, the discovery of the client's personal voice; and 3) the narrative level of joined metaphors, the discovery of plots and other configurations in the client's imagery and life story. The three levels are illustrated by clinical examples and references to the GIM literature
GIM Guide as Spiritual Director
Beck, Donna Marie - Volume: 8
This article explores the special relationship between the guide and the traveler during a Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) session and draws parallels between it and the relationship between the director and directee in a Spiritual Direction session. Both of these processes are unique ways of becoming more deeply aware of self in relationship to the
world in which we live. Both processes require listening as a means to discovering the truth of the moment. It is within this context that both the GIM guide and the spiritual director grow as they interact and tend to the mystery of the GIM traveler and the directee in the spiritual journey. A phenomenological view of the dualism of being in the world in a calculative,
functional way as opposed to being in the world in a meditative or reflective way will be explored by examining both of these processes.
The Efficacy of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Jacobi, Elizabeth M., & Eisenberg, Gerald M. - Volume: 8
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) on biological and functional articular measures, pain, depression and psychological symptoms in 27 persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Biological and functional markers of disease states were CReactive Protein, Rheumatoid Factor, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, 50-foot walking speed, morning stiffness, and joint count. The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), the Long-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), and Center for
Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale were used to assess psychological status. All measurements were collected at the initial interview session, at the 6th GIM treatment session, 2 weeks after the last GIM treatment session, and 8 weeks after the last GIM treatment session. Results from the study showed significant decrease in the level of psychological distress as measured by the SCL-90-R and the subjective experience of pain as measured by the Long-Form of the MPQ. Significant improvements in physical measures as assessed by the 50-foot walking speed and joint counts were recorded despite no change in disease activity as assessed by biochemical indicators. As a treatment approach, integrating health, mental imagery and music with emotional expression, GIM appears to be effective in reducing pain and psychological symptoms, improving physical functioning, and, ultimately, in improving the quality of life for those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Kundalini and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Carlsson, Marie - Volume: 8
In this article, the phenomenon of kundalini is related to the process of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). The influence of the GIM method on the energy field and the kundalini force of the traveler are explored. General conditions that may increase the risk of a premature awakening of the kundalini are presented, as well as suggestions for how to recognize and facilitate such a process as a therapist. It was concluded that the kundalini energy of the traveler can be released during the GIM journey, and that this force may play a role in the transformational process of GIM.
The Influence of Selected Music and Inductions on Mental Imagery: Implications for Practitioners
Band, Jennie P., Quilter, Shawn M., & Miller, Gary M. - Volume: 8
This study examined the influence of two contrasting selections of classical music and structured and unstructured inductions on the mental imagery of students during a group Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) experience (Bonny, 2002). Participants were 317 undergraduate students enrolled in six sections of a music appreciation class at a large university in the southeastern United States. Each class was randomly assigned to one of six experimental or control conditions, which involved a brief progressive relaxation procedure, instructions for imagery, a structured or unstructured induction, and music or silence. At the end of each treatment intervention the participants used Visual Analogue Scales and an Imagery Content Questionnaire to describe their imagery experience in terms of vividness, control, absorption, tension/anxiety, vigor/activity, and depression/dejection. A 2x3 factorial design was utilized to examine any interaction between music and induction, as well as any main effects. The analysis of the data indicated significant differences in vividness of imagery, absorption, and vigor/activity during the imagery due to a music main effect. The music also significantly increased visual details, bright colors, sensations of movement, emotions, and experiences of past times. The results of this study support the effectiveness of using music to enhance several aspects of mental imagery.
Awareness Meditation Practice: Applications to Guiding and Supervising GIM Sessions
Clarkson, Ginger - Volume: 8
This paper reviews the practice of awareness meditation and proposes various applications of it in guiding and supervising sessions of Guided Imagery and Music.
Guided Imagery and Music in Supervision: Applications of GIM for Supervision
Mårtenson-Blom, Katarina - Volume: 9
This study explored the application of group Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) within group supervision. Group GIM was used in a series of eight sessions with an ongoing supervisory group of experienced, professional social workers to examine how and if the application of GIM could deepen the learning process, expand capacity for containing difficult feelings, develop relational knowing and the professional self, and nourish the group cohesion and working climate for the group. GIM was found to expand the group’s capacity for containing difficult feelings as well as nourish its working climate. GIM also highlighted the connections between private and professional issues for several group members.
Audio Divina: Introducing a Contemplative Practice for Contemporary Times
Rankin, Mary Terry - Volume: 9
This article introduces Audio Divina (sacred listening), a contemplative practice created in response to the needs and desires of contemporary spiritual seekers. The quality of a contemplative silence can be influenced by the sounds that lead into it and the sounds that lead out of it. This music listening experience effortlessly guides listeners into a silence that is inviting yet well contained. Audio Divina has been developed by integrating knowledge from two sources that address interior states of consciousness. Lectio Divina, an ancient Christian prayer form that includes contemplative silence, provides the basic structure. The use of classical music developed in the Bonny Method of GIM is the foundation for creating Audio Divina musical sequences that incorporate periods of silence. Audio Divina has the potential to initiate interest in a regular prayer or meditation practice by providing an easily accessible experience of deep silence.
“New Grown With Pleasant Pain” (Keats): Recovering from Sexual Abuse with the Bonny Method & Poetry
Moffitt, Liz & Hall, Alison - Volume: 9
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) was used to assist Alison to work through the long-lasting effects of extensive sexual abuse from both her mother and father. Her story is of a long, difficult, and transformative journey. This client used her connection with, and deep love of poetry to extend and heighten the effects of the music and imaging experiences of each session to create on-going healing associations for herself. Her own reflections and poetry choices are woven into this account of her process, which have been responsible in part for significant improvements in the quality of her personal and professional life. Considerations regarding the use of the Bonny Method of GIM with clients with a history of repeated abuse are addressed.
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Hahna, Nicole & Borling, Jim - Volume: 9
The purpose of this study was to determine if the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) is used in the field of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), identify clinical impressions of BMGIM therapists, and increase awareness of IPV. Of 62 BMGIM therapists who responded to a survey, 52%, reported having worked with a client who had experienced IPV. Ten areas related to BMGIM and IPV were addressed in the survey. The results of this study imply that clear standards of practice have yet to evolve. Instead, BMGIM therapists largely use an individualized, client-based approach for the use of BMGIM in the field of IPV.
Navigation Within Consciousness: Insights from Four Decades of Psychotherapy Research with Imagery,
Richards, William A. - Volume: 9
The author’s participation in early (1963-1964) research with music, imagery, and entheogens with Hanscarl Leuner and Walter Pahnke at the University of Göttingen is described, along with the subsequent contributions of Helen Bonny and the development of Guided Affective Imagery (GAI) into Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). Guidelines for effective work with imagery and music are discussed with reference to the entelechy of the interpersonally-grounded psyche, the paradox of ego strength and ego transcendence, and the importance of accepting the experiential content manifesting in the present moment. Reflections are offered on the potential value of transcendental experiences.
Musical Choices: An Interview with Helen Lindquist Bonny
Cohen, Nicki S. - Volume: 9
This article reports a two-day interview which took place in May, 2000 with Helen Bonny, creator of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). The focus of the interview was to explore how Helen chose the recorded music for her 18 original music programs. In the interview Helen talks about various factors that may have influenced her musical choices, such as musical elements, musical preferences, expressive qualities of the music, and her background. Dr. Bonny also reviews the process by which she built each music program and what she considered to be “the heart of the program.”
Cultural Dimensions of Music and Imagery: Archetype and Ethnicity in GIM Practice
Short, Alison E. - Volume: 10
Culture and ethnicity are increasingly reflected in multicultural societies worldwide. Many therapeutic modalities are now addressing issues related to cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence within the therapeutic context. This paper uses an heuristic approach to explore issues of culture applied to the use of music and imagery in the context of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM). It integrates reflective therapist perceptions, relevant practice knowledge from literature, and theoretical perspectives with a pilot investigation of client-derived semiotically-oriented thematic data. Results from this retrospective qualitative analysis suggest five areas of concern in BMGIM practice, which are 1) language & expression, 2) relationship and context, 3) cultural connotations and icons, 4) cultural values and spirituality, and 5) the role of music and culture. Final recommendations include the recommendation for BMGIM clinicians to embrace cultural sensitivity and cultural competence in order to better meet the needs of clients and facilitate the therapeutic process.
Music, Drawing, and Narrative: An Adaptation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Booth, Joanna M. - Volume: 10
Music, Drawing and Narrative (MDN) is a modality that arose from and is closely aligned with the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM). This article describes the development of MDN, as well as the therapeutic procedure. Examples from sessions illustrate some of the ways in which imagery emerges and evolves through MDN. This modality is deemed a useful adaptation of and complement to BMGIM.
Recapturing a Vision to Become Fully Human: The Bonny Method as a Servant Source
Beck, Donna Marie - Volume: 10
This paper addresses the traumatic impact that sexual abuse had upon a young male and his spiritual formation. Through the use of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM), the music facilitated a movement in transcendent selfpresence. The movement toward self transcendence is discussed within the context of a journey in authentic self discovery.
Enhancing Bonny Method Sessions with Subtle Energy Healing
Clarkson, Ginger - Volume: 10
A subtle energy healing technique called “chelation” can enhance the efficacy of sessions of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). The author presents a description of the chelation process, followed by suggestions for integrating it into GIM sessions. Case studies of three GIM clients illustrate how chelations can increase mental clarity and heighten sensitivity to imagery and music.
Dying Well: The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music at the end of Life
Cadrin, Louise - Volume: 10
This case study demonstrates the role of The Bonny Method in addressing psychosocial, spiritual, and existential issues particular to end of life, and in the subsequent peaceful death experience of a 47 year old palliative cancer patient. In reviewing her final 8 months of life, the case study demonstrates the patient’s willingness to explore her emotions of shame related to having cancer, fears of the cancer metastasizing, and the grief and sadness common to anticipatory grief and to a traumatic incident that she experienced as a youth. It
demonstrates how she was able to reconcile relationships with family members prior to death, as well as acknowledge her part in this conflict. It shows how she drew insight from the sessions to direct her own course of treatment, resulting in an increased sense of control. Lastly, this case study demonstrates both archetypal imagery and imagery that reflects the dying process, augmented by poetry written by the patient as a further means of expressing and understanding her experience.
An Adaptation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music for Public Schools
Powell, Linda T. - Volume: 11
This article presents an adaptation of The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) that was developed by a music educator for use with children, ages eight through twelve, in seven schools in the Atlanta Public School System. Over a span of nine years involving hundreds of children, small groups and classrooms of students were introduced to, and experienced imagery during short pieces of classical music. Issues explored through this method included finding a safe place, dealing with emotions, managing interpersonal relationships, focusing attention, decreasing performance anxiety, and allowing creative expression. The paper includes an in-depth description of this BMGIM adaptation including preparation, inductions, music, and children’s responses.
Individual Differences in Response to the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Scott, Diana - Volume: 11
This research examined the extent to which individual differences impacted people’s responses to the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) in individual sessions for a sample of 30 adults. Differentiating participants’ coping styles based on scores on the Manifest Anxiety Scale and Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, participants were identified as Repressors (n = 10), Sensitizers (n = 10), or Controls (n = 10), each participant was provided with a single BMGIM session. Repressors described less negative affect and recalled fewer personal memories than either Sensitizers or Controls, and Repressors and Sensitizers had lower levels of integration than Controls. However, 70% of Sensitizers and Repressors reached a reasonable degree of integration related to issues arising in the session. State anxiety levels were lower at the end of the session than at the beginning, confirming and extending findings for GIM in groups.
Music Breathing: Breath Grounding and Modulation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Körlin, Dag - Volume: 11
This article presents theory, method, music, and consecutive case material describing Music Breathing (MB), an adaptation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM). MB is developed for patients with complex post traumatic stress disorder, dissociation, and other trauma related disorders. It fosters the self regulation of autonomic states of activation through integration of music listening, imagery, and meditative breathing. The article describes the four components of MB and the purpose of each. MB requires the client to practice daily at home, learning to meditate in both silence and music and later to manage traumatic re-experiences and continue integration after the end of therapy. Consistent practice is proposed to promote plasticity of neurons in integrative central nervous system structures.
Suffering and the Sublime: A Case Study of Music, Metaphor, and Meaning
Kirkland, Kevin - Volume: 11
This case study presents a brief, eight-session series using the Bonny Method of Guided of Imagery and Music (a music-centered depth method in therapeutic work) with a client suffering with the grief process after her daughter’s sudden death. Core content is highlighted through a retrospective lens that offers further analysis and insight into the metaphors that emerged. Bonde’s concept of GIM as a metaphor-based therapy is explicated and applied to the case content, examining 3 levels of metaphoric expression redefined here as metaphor, mastery, and mythopoesis. This single subject case study demonstrates that Guided Imagery and Music can be an effective avenue for the expression and resolution of significantly painful material that is often unspeakable in day-to-day contexts.
Facilitating Guided Imagery and Music: What Therapists Intend, Experience, and Do
Abbott, Elaine A. - Volume: 11
The published literature on the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) provides revealing but inconsistent descriptions of therapists’ experiences during BMGIM sessions. In order to learn more about them, six therapists were videotaped while guiding a client through a BMGIM session. They were then interviewed about their moment-to-moment actions, experiences, and rationales for their actions and experiences while they watched the videotape. Narratives of the
therapists’ interviews were analyzed using phenomenological research techniques. Thematic clinical intentions were identified, as well as the interplays of action and experience in which the therapists were involved relative to those intentions. The findings of this qualitative study reveal that the therapists’ clinical intentions gave form and purpose to, but did not define the client’s therapeutic work. It was concluded that the therapists’ clinical intentions were key to their skillful use of their experiences and actions to guide a client through a BMGIM session.
Holotropic Breathwork and the Bonny Method: The Co-Evolution of Two Transpersonal Modalities
Ryan, Mark B. - Volume: 12
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, created by Helen Lindquist Bonny, and Holotropic Breathwork, created by Stanislav and Christina Grof, have a common provenance: both grew out of the experience at the MarylandPsychiatric Research Center, where Stan Grof was principal investigator and Bonny was the staff music therapist. In addition to their historical roots, the two techniques bear many similarities, operating with a common philosophical foundation and purview of consciousness, utilizing music as a vehicle for inner exploration, and employing common strategies to initiate, promote, and integrate the client’s journey. Despite their shared origins and approach, there is little in the literature that provides a comparative account of the two methods. The purpose of this article is to explain their genesis and theoretical foundations, and to review the fundamental similarities and differences in their practice.
Mandala Analysis in a Clinical Case Study
Clarkson, Ginger - Volume: 12
This case study confirms the utility of including mandala artwork in the clinical context of a Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) series. The aim of this paper is to show how periodic MARI tests and an analysis of mandalas
drawn by a client during a three-year series of GIM sessions provided clinical focus and helped to facilitate her emergence from depression and her growth in self-esteem and motivation.
Am I a Shaman? Transformation of a Korean GIM Fellow’s and a Traditional Healer’s Consciousness
Bae, Mi Hyun - Volume: 12
The author discusses the transformation of consciousness through music, while making cross-cultural analogies between her own experience in The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music and the experience of the Korean female shaman in the traditional healing ritual from three perspectives: archetypal, musical, and socio-anthropological. Through a reflection on the author’s ongoing GIM process and the investigation of Korean shamanism, she finds a better
understanding of her work and life and proposes the recognition of traditional healers as a critical task for contemporary GIM fellows.
Journey Beyond Abuse: Healing Through Music and Imagery
Hearns, Maureen - Volume: 12
Music and imagery experiences can be successfully implemented in supportive and re-educative music therapy sessions to foster the transformative process through insight. This paper presents a case study framed within a larger qualitative research project designed to investigate the viability of music therapy and other creative/expressive arts interventions with women victims of domestic violence. This client’s experiences and creative output associated with music imagery and mandalas were a healing journey beyond her abuse associated with domestic violence.
Body Listening as a Method of Understanding a Music Program Used in the Bonny Method
Viega, Michael - Volume: 12
This first-person study investigates the imagery potential of a music program (Mostly Bach) used in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music by using body listening to explore my own affective-intuitive responses of the music. Data were collected from three separate experiential encounters I had with the music including (a) experiencing the music with a dance/movement therapist, (b) experiencing the music alone while, and (c) traveling to Mostly Bach in a traditional Bonny Method session. Data were analyzed focusing on the following research questions, “What can body listening tell me about the imagery potential of the Mostly Bach program?” and “How does my affective-intuitive relationship to
Mostly Bach change as a result of experiencing body listening?” Interrogation, interpretation, and triangulation methods of qualitative analysis were used in order for the findings of my research questions to emerge. This study concludes that body listening as a method of analysis can enhance affective-intuitive understanding of music programs for Bonny Method trainees and practitioners, as well as offer new insight for the imagery potential of the music used in the Bonny Method. Findings also consider that Mostly Bach contains expansive vertical and horizontal dimensions within the music, which provide a multi-dimensional space for the body to explore and experience intense emotions and healing space within oneself.
Exploring the Rucksack of Sadness: Focused, Time-Limited Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Trondalen, Gro - Volume: 12
This article addresses focused, time-limited Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) in a private music therapy practice with a female executive in her late thirties. The music therapy process was informed by a focal issue, a key metaphor brought forward by the client in her first session. She wanted to explore her “rucksack of sadness.” During the initial stage of the therapy process the therapist and the client agreed upon a focused, time-limited GIM series consisting of five sessions over 4 months, The GIM therapist also included elements from coaching techniques, introduced as homework. The research approach is a qualitative case study, while the clinical theory is informed by developments in relational psychology, highlighting an intersubjective perspective. Through the focused time-limited GIM process, the female seized personal strength and increased self-efficacy, which supported professional and personal development i.e. a renewed identity.
Music Mirroring the Sounds of the Soul: A Listening Source for Self-Appraisal
Beck, Donna Marie - Volume: 13
In today’s technological society, we place emphasis upon the functional aspects of our existence. This kind of milieu may contribute to a gradual erosion of social presence. An authentic social presence may be eroded in this kind of climate. Listening attentively to people, events, and things is a key element in a therapist’s effectiveness. A deep music listening process drawn from the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music may be utilized to create an opportunity for the therapist’s self-appraisal of his/her mode of listening. Through the use of this method, the therapist may become more “in tune” with self and others, thereby becoming a more authentic social presence.
Group Guided Imagery and Music Therapy for Inpatients with Substance Abuse Disorder
Moe, Torben - Volume: 13
This study focused on a group adaptation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) with patients suffering from substance abuse disorders, one of the first areas within which Helen Bonny worked after developing the Method. In this study, 15 men and 3 women diagnosed with substance abuse disorders according to the ICD-10 participated in a cognitive therapy program that included GIM therapy in a small group setting. The participants completed pre- and posttests using Antonovsky's 29-item Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29) and on a semistructured interview conducted after the participants completed the ten GIM therapy sessions. The results showed significant increase in sense of coherence, and all participants found that the group GIM treatment was an important psychotherapeutic extension of the cognitive behavioral milieu therapy. A majority of the clients stated that participation in the GIM therapy group was a valuable part of their recovery process and that the specific images, symbols, and emotions from the GIM setting had a therapeutic impact on them.
Dreamwork in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music: GIM as a Dreamwork Vessel
Ilcheva, Yoana-Magdalena - Volume: 13
The article explores dreamwork done in the context of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). It opens with an outline of the phenomenon of dreams, the psychological function of dreaming, and existing approaches to working with dreams with a special reference to C. G. Jung’s ideas. The text then focuses on dreamwork within GIM by reviewing the existing GIM literature on this topic. The author continues with a working list of considerations about the dream material presented in GIM sessions, which can inform the therapist’s choice of the appropriate approach to dreamwork: verbal, imagery (including GIM), or closure/containment of the dream material. The paper closes with a list of dreamwork techniques that can be applied within, as well as between, the GIM sessions.
The Bonny Method and Shamanic Journeying: Pathways to Living with Higher Consciousness
Davis, Barbara H. - Volume: 13
The intention of this article is to focus on the similarities between The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) and shamanism, specifically GIM journeys and shamanic journeys. Through exploration of these two portals to the personal unconscious, the collective unconscious and the world of spirit, GIM practitioners and students from different cultures may deepen their awareness and understanding of these realms. The article emphasizes the importance of balancing perceptions of inner and outer realities in order to promote healing, wholeness, and living with higher consciousness.
Integration Process in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Perilli, Gabriella Giordanella - Volume: 13
This article presents a new music program, Integration, proposed as a tool for helping experienced clients in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music during traumatic and stressful moments. It draws connections among neurophysiological phenomena, metaphorical processes, emotional responses, and musical experiences during the use of the Bonny Method as an individual form of music psychotherapy. One aspect of neurophysiology is the mirror neuron system in the motor cortex, which is stimulated by music. Music may thus be considered an auditory, metaphoric representation of human motion and emotion with the potential for evoking emotions in the listener. The article describes a rationale for the choice of the eight musical pieces included in the new program and associates the music to neuropsychological theories. A clinical case illustrates a patient’s experience with Integration.
Separation and Mourning: A GIM Case Study
Torres Serna, Esperanza - Volume: 13
This case study presents a series of 10 Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) sessions and shows the improvement brought by GIM therapy to a 54-year-old client who was working with mourning due to separation, as well as becoming more aware of her inner emotions and her inner resources. During the 10 GIM sessions, the client went through different stages of mourning, and she gained inner strength, as well as the capacity to face situations using her
resources, while at the same time becoming aware of some aspects of her emotional dependence. She also became more conscious of her emotions and was able to integrate them through a greater knowledge of herself and connecting with her spiritual values. The music provided care, strength, and energy, allowing her increasingly to feel and reflect during the process. The powerful metaphoric images that held individual and collective symbolic significance for the client are presented, using a mental map framework.
The Integration of the Bonny Method of GIM and Client-Centered Verbal Psychotherapy
Yawney, Ruta - Volume: 14
This case study integrates the use of client-centered verbal psychotherapy with The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) with a 48-year-old male client with alcohol use disorder across nine sessions. The pairing of these two approaches empowered him towards being an active participant in his own healing and assisted him in experiencing his life from a new perspective. The imagery from his GIM sessions was used as a vehicle for discussion and self-expression, putting him in touch with his innate sense of spirituality so that he could begin to relate to himself and to others with compassion and acceptance, which is an essential part of the healing journey in recovery. In addition, he began the process towards resolution of issues from his childhood of loss and trauma. The paper concludes with a recommendation that GIM and client-centered verbal therapy be integrated into the multidisciplinary approach in the field of addiction recovery.
Keywords: Music, imagination, substance use disorder, Bonny Method of GIM
The Music of Paradox: Harmonizing Shadow and Light
Stokes-Stearns, Sierra - Volume: 14
This article introduces an advanced GIM Program entitled Paradox, developed in 2002 by the author. The program Paradox addresses the particular work of exploring one’s shadow and reconciling opposing forces within the psyche. The author discusses the nature of paradox from a Jungian perspective and its relevance to GIM practice. The diverse musical elements within Paradox include primal voices and strong rhythms, which offer an immediacy of connection, especially within the body. The author explains the program’s design and discusses the psychological influence of the music upon the traveler. In addition, she presents commentary by the composers and artists, as well as case material. The article concludes with a feedback summary from GIM therapists who have used Paradox in their clinical practice.
Keywords: Music, Bonny Method of GIM, alchemy, shadow, Jung
The Depiction of a Hero’s Journey in Bonny Method of GIM Sessions
Nadata, Atsuko - Volume: 14
This article examines a client’s psychological transformation through Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) sessions based on a developmental pattern of the archetypes in myths called the Hero’s Journey. Story patterns of myths and fairy tales represent the universal aspect of psychological development of human beings. The main character in the story often goes through the typical journey patterns such as hearing the call to adventure, leaving his hometown, fighting with enemies, achieving a treasure, and retaining his own kingdom at the end. GIM clients symbolically go through these stages. The client’s images of herself in this article transformed from a helpless orphan to a magician who has a miraculous ability to transform harmful creatures to harmless ones whom she then embraced. Viewing an individual GIM process through the lens of the Hero’s Journey’s structure may give a deeper understanding of the client’s process of movement toward individuation.
Keywords: Hero’s Journey, Joseph Campbell, myth, symbols, Bonny Method of GIM
Breaking Free: Healing Physical, Verbal, and Sexual Abuse Through the Bonny Method
Clements-Cortes, Amy - Volume: 14
The following case study is of Mary, a 29 year old female, and her Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) process covering ten sessions spanning over one year. Several concerns from Mary’s past surfaced in the GIM sessions, and Mary chose GIM to help her move past her issues of abuse. This paper provides background information on several subjects that were central to Mary's therapeutic process including adoption and consequent identity, and physical and sexual abuse. GIM sessions offered Mary the opportunity to break free from anger and resentment, and through the healing process she was able to grieve and prepare for the next transition in her life.
Keywords: Sexual abuse, Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, GIM
Seeking the Inner Father: Integrating Grief Through GIM
Clarkson, Ginger - Volume: 14
How can the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) facilitate the process of grieving the loss of a parent? A qualitative case study reviews excerpts from 34 GIM sessions with a 55-year-old man who confronted his own mortality while integrating grief and ambivalence about his father’s death. During the GIM series, the client differentiated himself from his parent and, with new spiritual maturity, discovered a capacity to father his inner child compassionately.
Keywords: Bonny Method of GIM, Grief, Integration
A New Synthesis Model of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Clark, Marilyn F. - Volume: 14
This article examines and expands Helen Bonny’s Cut Log Diagrams of states of consciousness with consideration given to Bush and Goldberg diagrams of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) that evolved from Bonny’s Cut Log diagrams. The new model presented in this article clarifies certain aspects of previous models as well as represents ever-evolving understandings of the complex workings of GIM. Specific attention is given to the ego-Self relationship in the GIM process, states of consciousness and the paradox of inward expansion, interrelated effects of music-guide-traveler, and the process of GIM.
Keywords: Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, GIM, States of Consciousness, Self, Ego
Development of the Responsiveness to Guided Imagery and Music Scale
Laurel Young - Volume: 15
To determine if GIM is a safe and appropriate intervention for a potential client, GIM therapists must conduct an assessment. Prior to the current study, Bruscia’s Guided Imagery and Music Responsiveness (GIMR) scale was the only existing assessment tool, indigenous to GIM, designed to provide a quantifiable means of assessing client responsiveness. The Responsiveness to Guided Imagery and Music scale (RGIM) was designed to address identified limitations of the GIMR. Data were gathered from 60 individuals, each of whom participated in one group GIM experience. Exploratory factor analyses revealed that the RGIM contained five factors, each one addressing a distinct area of responsiveness to GIM. Although limitations of the present study must be considered, the current RGIM scale contributes to our understanding of responsiveness in GIM and has laid the groundwork for further development of indigenous GIM assessment tools.
Key words: GIM, assessment
Group Guided Imagery and Music for Adults in Addiction Treatment: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Tria
Kathleen M Murphy and Douglas M. Ziedonis - Volume: 15
This randomized control trial assessed the feasibility of adding a Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) group into a residential addiction treatment facility. Either group GIM or an unstructured leisure condition was assigned to 42 adult participants. The study found that adding Group GIM to a structured treatment program was feasible and well received by participants and staff. Assessments included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), and Importance, Confidence, Readiness (ICR) motivational ruler. There were reductions in BDI and SOC scores for both groups and the ICR motivational level scores remained essentially the same. Retention in treatment was better for the experimental group. The study findings support the feasibility of integrating music therapy into inpatient treatment for addictions.
Key Words: Group GIM, Addiction, residential treatment
Using Music and Imagery to Explore Bullying Behavior in Elementary School Children
Jennie P. Band - Volume: 15
This qualitative, phenomenological study reports the use of an adaptation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM; Bonny, 1978) to explore the bullying behavior of elementary school children. The child perpetrators of bullying behavior listened to a short selection of music in a relaxed, focused state and then wrote original stories about bullying. The researcher analyzed the children’s stories, as well as their comments about how the music “told” them about bullying for meaning and described the common clusters of themes in an attempt to understand the essence of the bullying experience for children who engage in this behavior. Adaptations of the Bonny Method of GIM may provide an assessment and effective treatment intervention for children who engage in bullying behavior, as it allows them to explore the power differential inherent in bullying and encourages them to develop empathy for the target of their behavior.
Key Words: Bullying, music and imagery, children
Perspectives on the Real, the Imaginary, and the Music in GIM
Martin Lawes - Volume: 15
This article focuses on the traveler’s experience in GIM being real and imaginary at the same time. Clinical material is drawn on to illustrate the theme as it relates to narrative transformation, defensive maneuvers, and working with trauma in GIM. The article includes an in-depth exploration of the role of the music in the process, where it often seems to provide just what the traveler needs when he needs it. This is not only of central importance therapeutically but is also highly paradoxical, part of the real-illusion of the traveller’s experience in GIM as the author describes it. The author develops a theoretical meta-perspective drawing on psychoanalytic, transpersonal, and other thinking and proposes that in opening deeply to the music, the traveler’s needs are met through his personal process becoming aligned with a universal process of being and becoming in which he and all things partake and are ultimately one.
Key words: Guided Imagery and Music, trauma, defensive maneuvers, real-illusion, trans-subjective-participation.
Guided Imagery and Music for Music Performance Dysfunction: A Case Study
Micaela Nathan - Volume: 15
This case study explores music performance dysfunction in one professional musician (Mandy) using a modified form of the method of Guided Imagery and Music. The modified form is structured into a set program of ten themed sessions regarding being a musician and music performance dysfunction. This paper focuses on the mandalas and their relationship to the themes, imagery, and Mandy’s symptoms. Repeated symbolic representations of color and form show Mandy’s experience is dependent upon her unresolved emotional responses to past trauma in significant interpersonal relationships. The program gave Mandy the courage to resolve her past and find release from the emotional restrictions that underpin her music performance dysfunction.
Key words: music performance; anxiety; dysfunction; Guided Imagery and Music; mandala
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery & Music for Medical Populations: Evidence & Vision for the Future
Cathy H. McKinney & Denise E. Grocke - Volume: 16
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) and modifications derived from it are potent and flexible for addressing a variety of psychological and physical concerns in both clinical and nonclinical adult populations. This paper summarizes the existing evidence relevant to medical populations with a focus on mental and physical health. . . . GIM is effective for ameliorating symptoms and improving quality of life for a variety of medical populations.
Keywords: Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, GIM, mental health, physical health, music imagery
Re-Experiencing the Past Through the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Nan Bok Lee - Volume: 16
This article focuses on how Bonny Method of GIM clients can live positive lives by re-experiencing and recalling the past in relation to the emotional memories that exert negative influences on their lives. It describes the relationships between the GIM music program, emotional memory and the brain functions in charge of memory and presents cases of re-experiencing the past and the comments of clients. It demonstrates the role of music in instances where the clients meet with wounded, rejected, and forgotten memories, deal with them, and transform themselves positively through re-experiencing and recalling the past. The recalling experience that calls forth a memory buried deep within for a long period of time is a therapeutic work that allows the present self to stand again and provides a moment of hope in the client’s life that offers them a new future.
Keywords: Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, GIM, trauma, emotional memory
An Introduction to the GIM Music Program “Guilt”
Isabelle Frohne-Hagemann - Volume: 16
Guilt is an uncomfortable phenomenon; however, it forms our conscience, our ethical-moral development, and our identity. This article presents a GIM program that focusses on guilt, the capacity for guilt, and the conceptualization for and design of the GIM Guilt program. A case example is presented that describes how the image potential of the music influences the client’s imagery and brings the process forward.
Key words: guilt, Bonny Method of GIM, music program
Cosmic Travel in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music: Conscious Evolution for Our World
Barbe Creagh & Louise Dimiceli-Mitran - Volume: 16
Helen Bonny discussed cosmic travel in GIM trainings but never included it in her writings. In this article we will define characteristics and provide theoretical components of cosmic travel in GIM as a subset of transpersonal experiences, provide session examples, and discuss music programs that have evoked these types of experiences. Also included are considerations for guiding as well as self-care suggestions for those facilitating cosmic sessions.
Exploration of the Depth of GIM with Medical Patients
Yoshihara, Nami - Volume: 17
Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) is a form of music psychotherapy known for its in-depth capacity. GIM has been applied to various medical patients; however, literature shows that patients in medical
settings have physical limitations related to receiving GIM. The current research study asked why therapists use GIM with medical patients, how they perceive the depth of GIM, how limitations influence the therapists’ choice of the depth of GIM, and how therapists know the appropriate depth for medical patients. Modified grounded theory was used to analyze semistructured interviews with four GIM therapists. Five main categories emerged: Medical GIM, Past-present-future, Limitations, Competency, and Depth. The findings illustrated that the depth of GIM was understood through
a delicate balance among patients’ needs, limitations, and therapists’ competency.
Therapists’’ Processes of Selecting Music for Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music Sessions
Abbott, Elaine A - Volume: 17
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music is a musiccentered therapy, and the therapist’s selection of music is central to the therapeutic process. With the purpose of supporting, negating, or
expanding on ideas in the literature about therapists’ music selection processes, six therapists’ experiences of selecting music were analyzed using existential phenomenological methods. The therapists considered several factors throughout a multi-step process when selecting music. They considered factors related to the client, the therapist, the session context and the client-therapist relationship. The steps they took included bringing music to mind, checking the fit of music, rejecting programs or pieces, dealing with personal reactions, making a final decision, and listening for fit. Rich description of both factors and steps is provided in the results. Many factors and steps identified through data analysis were in alignment with those described in the literature.
GIM During Active Treatment for Cancer: Considerations for Clinical Practice
Papanikolaou, Evangelia - Volume: 17
Some attempts have been made to use modifications of GIM in various stages of cancer care for individuals or groups. No attempt has been made so far to use the classical model of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) by Helen Bonny involving spontaneous imagery and interactive dialogue during the music in individual sessions concurrent with active treatment of cancer, mainly chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment. This paper describes the process and aspects of working with GIM with patients during the period of active treatment for gynecologic and breast cancer. This paper is based on qualitative results of a research study at Aalborg University, combined with the author’s experience as a clinician in cancer care over the years.
Focused Music Imagery (FMI): Pathway Through the Psyche
Dimiceli-Mitran, Louise - Volume: 17
Focused Music Imagery (FMI) has emerged as a unique modification of The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music that provides a safer, more contained imagery experience. Its hallmark is the use
of a focus that is mutually agreed upon by therapist and client and spoken over the music via a talkover to hold the client’s concentration on the topic. The history of FMI, elements of the session, music selection, procedure and concepts are discussed as well as case examples of supportive and reeducative sessions with mandalas.
Finding Movement After a Stroke: A Case Study
Christenbury, K. - Volume: 17
The author describes the process of a young woman who had a stroke, which she attributed to taking the drug known as “ecstasy.” Five years later, after receiving supportive music therapy and psychiatric services to treat her depression, she turned to Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) as an avenue for healing. The illustrative case study offers a brief history of the young woman’s background and an account of the most striking of the 21 sessions in her GIM series. A chart lists all the selected music programs as well as the client’s insights and recurring symbolic imagery.
Music, Imagery, and Fibromyalgia: A Client’s Experience of the Bonny Method of GIM
Fox, Erin I. - Volume: 17
This article describes the therapeutic process of a client, Marie, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia shortly after her first of 10 GIM sessions. In GIM therapy facilitated by a board-certified music therapist who was in advanced GIM training, she explored and processed her feelings about the diagnosis, experience of symptoms, and stress related to how her life was impacted, while also handling the termination of an emotionally abusive relationship. This examination of her case took place several years after the conclusion of her therapy process, and the themes in her imagery and the role of the music were explored with a retrospective lens by the now-experienced GIM therapist. Also, Marie was consulted and she provided a reflection on her experience and the lasting effects of GIM in her
life.
MUSIC IN PSYCHEDELIC RESEARCH: THE CONTINUING LEGACY OF HELEN BONNY
William A. Richards - Volume: 18
This invited keynote lecture was presented to the attendees of the 2021 conference of the Association for Music and Imagery. Based on his critically acclaimed book, Sacred Knowledge, this lecture explored the science and art of using music as a dynamic presence during psychedelic psychotherapy sessions. It described some of the early history of explorations of the use of music and psychedelic drug experiences for psychotherapeutic purposes, a history which GIM shares. It also described playlists developed for the 7-hour psychedelic experience and the qualities of music chosen for them.
Keywords: Music, psychedelic psychotherapy, Helen Bonny
ALTERED STATES OF DESCRIPTION: BONNY’S APPROACHES TO THE CUT LOG DIAGRAM, 1973–1978
Stephen Lett - Volume: 18
This article offers commentary and historical context for the first chapter of Helen L. Bonny’s 1978 monograph, The Role of Tape Music Programs in the GIM Process: Theory and Product. In particular, I explore how her approach to the Cut Log Diagram in this text relates to alternative approaches in earlier texts. Drawing on materials in the Archives for Guided Imagery and Music, I demonstrate that this diagram began as a guided imagery practice that only later developed into the written diagram we know today. Alongside this shift in form, I show how Bonny’s discourse changes from experiential to didactic during this period. To conclude I propose that in reading Bonny’s more didactic texts, we remain cognizant of her experiential investments.
Keywords: Cut Log Diagram, Experiential, Didactic, Theory, Consciousness
THE BONNY METHOD IN THE TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION A MULTI-SITE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED FEASIBILITY STUDY
Timothy J. Honig, Cathy H. McKinney, Niels Hannibal - Volume: 18
A multi-site randomized controlled feasibility study using a parallel design was conducted to determine the feasibility of the trial design and to provide preliminary evidence for whether the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) has an effect on depression, anxiety, stress, and mental wellbeing in persons with depression. Participants (N = 14) with depression were randomly allocated to either receive a series of 10 biweekly individual GIM sessions or a waitlist period followed by a series of group GIM sessions. Participants completed the Inventory of Depressive Symptomotology–Self-Report; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales; and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale at pretest, midpoint, posttest, and 6-week followup. After onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, recruitment was terminated early and sessions were shifted to telehealth. Results indicate that the design is feasible with minor adjustments, and that the GIM condition had high safety, tolerability, and acceptability. Treatment outcome analyses are also reported.
Keywords: Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM); Depression; Feasibility Study; Randomized Controlled Trial
LGBTQ-AFFIRMING GIM PRACTICE
Alexander E. Swanson - Volume: 18
The Association for Music and Imagery Code of Ethical Conduct subscribes to the common ethical principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence, as well as stating that Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) practitioners should “strive to be of benefit to those with whom I work.” As many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) people seek out therapy, it is imperative that GIM practitioners understand the unique clinical needs of this population, as well as how to create an LGBTQ-affirming GIM practice, in order to provide culturally competent care. This paper covers clinical competency areas, such as basic vocabulary, cultural symbols, DSM diagnosis, inclusive language, and unique assessment needs. Additionally, specific applications for creating LGBTQ-affirming GIM sessions are discussed.
Keywords: Guided Imagery and Music, LGBTQ, Cultural Competence
THE BONNY METHOD FOR CHILDREN: ADAPTING THE METHOD, SELECTING THE MUSIC
Mary Reher - Volume: 18
This article outlines examples from some of the many practitioners who utilize GIM with children and youth. The adapted forms for this population can include structural changes (e.g., shortened duration of music and induction) or a greater variety of processing methods (e.g., sand play or musical improvisation). After describing some of my own experiences with adapting GIM to the needs of children, I include a list of musical selections that are appropriate for sessions with young listeners.
Keywords: The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, Adaptations, Music Therapy for Children and Youth, Music Choice
Mythology in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM): Practitioners’ Views on the Use of Myth in GIM
Marianna Katopi Greek School of Bucharest “Athena,” Romania - Volume: 19
This research explores therapists’ perception about the use of myth in GIM, based on clients’ experiences and how myths occur during the GIM process. Six GIM practitioners were interviewed through Skype and phone conversations using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that practitioners experience myth as a bridge for the unexpressed to be expressed. The clients give meaning to myth through their journey in the form of private myth. Based on the practitioners’ view, there is something from the collective in each client’s myth, and the path of healing depends on the client’s personal development. The therapists work together with clients, showing cultural sensitivity, and music unfolds like a story, containing all the qualities of myth (intensity and education).
Keywords: Mythology, Guided Imagery and Music, Practitioner’s views, Myth
Katopi, M. (2022). Mythology in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery, 19, 85–101.
A Music Therapist’s Grief Process Through the GIM During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study
Sara V. Breyfogle - Volume: 19
The following case study depicts the process of a 14-session Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) series with Constance, a 37-year-old music therapist. Constance began individual sessions as a client in the summer of 2020 and continued the course of therapy for nearly a year. This case study examines the client’s grief process for her deceased father as well as the significance of several recurrent images in the client’s imagery experiences. The GIM sessions described in this case study were conducted electronically using Zoom software and occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The author examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Constance’s grief process.
GIM Training Supervision as Personal Growth and Development Process: A Heuristic Self-Inquiry
Ben Nicholson - Volume: 19
Little research exists to date concerning Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) advanced trainees' experiences of supervision. This study seeks to fill a gap in the literature by presenting a thorough heuristic self-inquiry into the researcher's experiences of personal growth and development related to GIM advanced training supervision. Three primary themes are identified and discussed: Knowing, Willfulness, and Relationality/Voice. Creative syntheses in the form of a poem and a music program are presented to further explore and express the researcher's experiences at symbolic and archetypal levels.
Somatic and Kinesthetic Imagery in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music: A Qualitative Study
Karen Caldwell - Volume: 19
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) facilitates symbolic and metaphorical imagery in many sensory modalities including somatic/kinesthetic imagery, but there is little written in the extant literature about the significance of this type of imagery and suggestions for guiding this imagery. The purpose of this qualitative study was to address this gap in the literature. GIM Fellows and Advanced Trainees (N = 19) were interviewed regarding their personal experiences of somatic and kinesthetic imagery, the significance of these types of imagery, and suggestions for guiding. A consistent theme in participants’ own personal sessions was that their somatic and kinesthetic imagery involved, on occasion, profoundly healing experiences. Suggestions for guiding included the importance of knowing one’s own biases, maintaining sensitivity to the effects of trauma, and methods for deepening engagement in somatic and kinesthetic imagery. Future research is needed to determine the prevalence of somatic/kinesthetic imagery, therapeutic processes that support this type of imagery, and the generalizability of the results of this study.
Introducing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music
Hannah H. Lingafelt - Volume: 19
The Bonny method guided imagery and music (GIM) is a depth approach to therapy that uses music to support letting go of cognitive control to explore different levels of consciousness. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a third-wave behavior therapy focusing on using mindfulness, acceptance, and spirituality to support clients in increasing psychological flexibility. While on the surface the two approaches may appear very different, when used in conjunction, they can synergistically work together to amplify the other’s effects. This paper provides background information on both modalities as well as a case study illustrating how ACT was used to guide the GIM process of a male client learning how to let go of control.