Music and Imagery sessions
As well as psychodynamic music therapy, I can also offer Supportive Music & Imagery therapy sessions. Please read on to find out more about this unique and insightful method.
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What is SMI?
Supportive Music & Imagery is part of the continuum of MI methods, also including Re-educative Music & Imagery and The Bonny Method of GIM (Guided Imagery and music).
However, SMI is also a stand-alone psychotherapeutic method which focusses on the client's inner resources and is thus a strengths-based therapy. It can be useful in helping people to build up their own strategies to improve their general every-day wellbeing.
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Please click the button below for more information about the Integrative GIM and MI spectrum:
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How might sessions look?
The basic structure of a session is as follows:
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the therapist helps the client identify an everyday supportive experience to work on
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the client is helped to select suitable music, whether from their own or the therapist’s collection
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breathing awareness reduces tension and establishes internal focus
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the client engages in mark/art-making (or in other expressive arts such as dancing or creative writing) whilst listening to the music so as to deepen the connection with, and integrate their chosen supportive experience and the associated feelings.
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the client is encouraged to access their inner resources in daily living, making use of their music collection to support this. Where possible, clients learn to carry out SMI at home as a complement to meditation or journaling practices, for example.
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In discussion with the client, SMI is usually offered in a series of 6-10 sessions, with clear goals agreed on beforehand. Sessions are 60 minutes each and can be delivered weekly or fortnightly. If you choose to undertake SMI online from the comfort of your home, you will need to provide your own paper and art materials. If you opt for in-person SMI sessions, all materials will be provided for you. A short report containing a summary of your process will be given to you at the end of your series, if you wish.
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How can this method bring about therapeutic change?
The idea and intention behind SMI is that the client is supported in learning to recognise, focus on and enhance their inner resources and inner strength. In this way, the client is empowered to use this method in their own day to day life once they end the SMI process. This method is particularly useful when clients have struggled to find the time and headspace to focus on their own self-care or in identifying what is going well in their lives and where they can draw sources of support, strength and happiness.
This method is not suitable for clients who are currently undergoing major life transitions or have recently experienced a traumatic event. For these clients, traditional music therapy may be more suitable. SMI is suggested when clients are in a more stable life situation and are keen to build up their resilience.
Some examples of images created during SMI sessions
