A Musical Chronology and the Emerging Life Song

Abstract

Listening to music often evokes in individuals cognitive and affective memories of important life events and significant losses. The authors have observed that music and lyrics significantly contribute to individuals’ creation of relationship narratives that restrict their ability to form and/or maintain intimacy. By connecting music with past relationship experiences, individuals’ perceptions of the viability of loving relationships are often affected. This connection may serve to support or impede their ability to engage in or commit to a love relationship. The authors present a method, the musical chronology, that can assist clients in identifying and reauthoring restrictive relationship narratives. A case example that demonstrates the method’s application is included.

The Use of Expressive Techniques in Counseling

“…Music has been used with a variety of populations and in a variety of settings (Duffey, 2005a(Duffey, , 2005bDuffey, Lumadue, & Woods, 2001;Oostuizen, Fouche, & Torrance, 2007;Rainey-Perry, 2003). The music listening technique described below is effective with children, adolescents, and adults.…”

“…In more recent times, such expressive techniques as art Sassen, Spencer, & Curtin, 2005;Somody & Hobbs, 2006/2007, cinema (Ber & Alroy, 2002;Edwards, 2006;Hyde & Fife, 2005;Marshall, 2003;May, 2007), drama (Scholl & Smith-Adcock, 2006/2007Stahler, 2005); dream work (Daire, Casado-Kahoe, & Len, 2005;Freeman & Vogel, 2005), music (Buser, Flannery, Bentley, & Gladding, 2005;Duffey, 2005aDuffey, , 2005bDuffey, Somody, & Clifford, 2006/ 2007Freeman & Vogel, 2005;Gladding, 2005;Hendricks, Bradley, Robinson, & Davis, 1997;Rosenthal, 2001), storytelling (Pehrsson, 2005a), and writing (Pehrsson, 2005b;Valadez & Evans, 2005) have been used in teaching counseling concepts to help clients better express their concerns and issues. For example, expressive techniques have been used in teaching such concepts as diversity (Gerster & Ziogar, 2006;Molina, Monteiro-Leitner, Garrett, & Gladding, 2005;Pinteritis & Atkinson, 1998;Tyler & Guth, 1999), ethics (Baldwin & Olivarez, 1993;Berger & Pratt, 1998;Bradley, Jones, Parr, Hendricks, & Whiting, in press;Butchart, 2006;Champoux, 2006;Izzo, Langford, & Vitell, 2006;Kahana, 2005;…”

“…For example, expressive techniques have been used in teaching such concepts as diversity (Gerster & Ziogar, 2006;Molina, Monteiro-Leitner, Garrett, & Gladding, 2005;Pinteritis & Atkinson, 1998;Tyler & Guth, 1999), ethics (Baldwin & Olivarez, 1993;Berger & Pratt, 1998;Bradley, Jones, Parr, Hendricks, & Whiting, in press;Butchart, 2006;Champoux, 2006;Izzo, Langford, & Vitell, 2006;Kahana, 2005;Marshall, 2003;van Es, 2003), family systems (Connolly, 2005;Edwards, 2006;Hudock, Warden, & Gallagher, 2001), grief and loss (Bissler, 2005;Brown, 2005;Duffey, 2005aDuffey, , 2005bHaberstroh, 2005;Scofield, 2005;Thompson, 2003), and peer relationships (Tyler & Guth, 1999;Wedding, Boyd, & Niemiec, 2006;Welfel, 1998).…”

Enhancing Self-Awareness Through Creative Experiential-Learning Play-Based Activities

“…Additionally, the students participated in creating a personal music collage as a major assignment of the course (Duffey, Lumadue, & Woods, 2001). The goal of creating a music collage was to allow students a way to represent memories of their life through music (Duffey et al, 2001). The objective of the music collage was to enhance self-awareness through connecting music to a reflection of their life experiences.…”

“…Mornings began with a 5-min to 10-min music selection played by the instructor, followed by a 5-min music reflection time. Additionally, the students participated in creating a personal music collage as a major assignment of the course (Duffey, Lumadue, & Woods, 2001). The goal of creating a music collage was to allow students a way to represent memories of their life through music (Duffey et al, 2001).…”