What an I Doing Here?

Abstract

This paper draws upon a dissertation for a Master of Music Therapy undertaken at the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre, London. Music therapy is not currently an established part of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) care for paediatric patients in Britain and consequently little research has emerged in this area of clinical work in the UK. This study explores the psychosocial needs of children and their families during BMT, and demonstrates how music-centred co-improvisatory music therapy can address these needs. It is written from the point of view of the therapist.

Drawing from interviews with patients, families and staff who have experience of music therapy within the area of BMT, and clinical vignettes from the first author's music therapy practice¹, this paper highlights four areas of psychosocial needs that music therapy can address: a sense of agency, pleasure, cultural identity and normality. Each of these is discussed in relation to both the child and the family.

The study suggests that the use of a music-centred, co-improvisatory approach to music therapy appears to be especially flexible in meeting and supporting the variety of psychosocial needs experienced by both children undergoing a bone marrow transplantation and their families.