Music Therapy in Acute Psychiatry: Our Experience of Working as Co-Therapists with a Group for Patients from Two Neighbouring Wards

Abstract

This paper is an account of our work at Fulbourn Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Cambridge, running an open group once a week for a year, and of our experience of working as co-therapists. To a lesser extent, we also draw on our experience as music therapists in other settings.

We have a particular interest in co-therapy. It is unusual in music therapy, in this country at least, for two music therapists to work together; it is a little more frequent in group analysis, and much of our thinking draws on that tradition. We will look at some examples of clinical material and consider the potential value of running a group of this kind. We will also examine the relationship of the group with the institution, particularly in its more recent history, as well as the dynamics of our continuing relationship as co-therapists.

At times throughout the paper we refer to ourselves by our initials: A (Alison) and E (Eleanor).