Music Therapy Commons^™

Reading Exercise (You Are The Hero): Dedicated To The Providence River Under The Mall, 02.17.2026, Deborah Fischer

Masters Theses

This play uses the performative potential of guilt, forgiveness, and self-help techniques as a catalyst for a new dynamic, one in which the pursuit of a false narrative, along with the structures it generates, becomes more real than reality itself. It employs “bad acting” and the practice of cold reading to stage a series of acts that function as an entry point into one’s own psyche, leveraging the peripheral space around familiar actions to allow chance, free will, and the experience of “real time” to temporarily come into effect. PLAYER 1: The bad actor is the most utopian one. CLOWN: …

Reclaiming The Narrative: Integrating Narrative Therapy And Songwriting For Children And Adolescents Living Through Adverse Childhood Experiences, Emma Smith

Expressive Therapies Theses

Children and adolescents tend to lack agency and power in their lives with their status as minors. Lack of agency can be exacerbated if they are experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Narrative songwriting is an approach with emerging methods that may support liberation, agency, and ownership for this population. Although there is a plethora of trauma-informed songwriting methods in music therapy literature focusing on young populations, there is sparse research about using narrative songwriting with this population. In this thesis, literature from both music therapy and narrative therapy with young populations experiencing ACEs was located and analyzed using a qualitative …

A Music Therapist’S Clinical Improvised Songwriting To Explore Countertransference In The Therapeutic Relationship For An Individual With Multiple Disabilities, Isabella Sances

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This qualitative and arts-based capstone thesis discusses working with individuals with multiple disabilities, songwriting in music therapy, intersubjective communication and theory, and countertransference in music therapy, by sharing the literature and presenting a method of how a music therapist’s own clinical improvised songwriting explores countertransference in the therapeutic relationship for an individual with multiple disabilities. Music therapy is used to treat individuals with multiple disabilities. The literature demonstrates that music therapy and improvisation can support communication development in clients with multiple disabilities. However, there is little research regarding countertransference and reflections by music therapists. This thesis explored post-session improvised songwriting …

Music Therapy Techniques In The Commercial Music Industry, Sarah Heath

Senior Honors Theses

Despite the fact that music is commonly described as free therapy with easily accessible content in the modern age of streaming, most people do not realize that music they already listen to contains many legitimate, psychologically tested therapy. This creative artistic research study examines the role that music therapy processes and techniques play in affecting the form, songwriting and creative processes of the modern music industry. These foundational aspects of songs elicit neurological responses, the emotional effect of which is discussed and incorporated through creative research and implementation through a creative artifact. This study explores songwriting techniques found in various …

Effectiveness Of A Nurse-Led Songwriting Intervention On Quality Of Life For Individuals With Chronic Pain, Marcia Henry

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract

Chronic pain affects 20% of the U.S. and global population. With the worsening opioid crisis there is a growing need for alternative therapies. Individuals with chronic pain often experience depression, stress, and poor quality of life. The Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms guided this prospective cohort design project in a pilot study (N = 13) examining the effectiveness of songwriting to improve quality of life in this population. A master’s prepared nurse and experienced songwriter administered 6 weekly songwriting sessions in an online chronic pain support group. Chronic pain (Graded Chronic Pain Scale-Revised & Pain Enjoyment General Activities subscale), depression …

Lyric Analysis And Songwriting With Adolescent’S Processing Complex Trauma, Peyton Mayzel

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This study examines how lyric analysis and songwriting can aid adolescents processing complex developmental traumas. The use of music, lyric analysis, and songwriting can provide a space for adolescents to express themselves and process their struggles they have encountered in their lives. Music, lyric analysis, and songwriting can also be used as a way for adolescents to build their self-identity and help them to make important life decisions. These concepts are all related to the attachment, self-regulation, and competency (ARC) model created by Blaustein & Kinniburgh in 2005. This model is used in treatment with children and adolescents who have …

Structured Songwriting In Special Education Group Music Therapy From A Humanistic Lens: Development Of A Method, Katherine Marsh

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis project explored a method of structured group songwriting through a humanistic approach. While there was compelling research of songwriting with various populations in music therapy there was noticeably less documentation of work with developmental disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) populations (Baker, Wigram, Stott, McFerrin 2008). There was also limited research available on specific songwriting process elements and the theoretical framework behind such music therapy interventions (Stewart, 2016). More data on this topic would be beneficial to music therapists, particularly young professionals, who frequently use songwriting as an intervention with this population. Based on research and experiences, …

The Experience Of Songwriting In Music Therapy For Adults With Intellectual Disability, Jasper Lewis

Theses & Dissertations

This research study investigated the lived experience of adults with Intellectual Disability (ID) in a music therapy songwriting session. Three study participants, referred to here as Emma, Anne, and Abdoul, took part in individual songwriting music therapy sessions. The participants each completed an original song in collaboration with a board certified music therapist. The songs were recorded and the lyrics of the song were transcribed. After the songwriting experience was complete a 10-20 minute semi-structured interview was conducted to gather data about the participants’ subjective experiences. This data was analyzed according to the interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) framework. Themes were …

The Effect Of A Single-Session Group Songwriting Intervention On Grief Processing In Hospice Clinicians, Melissa Deaton

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a single-session group music therapy songwriting session on grief processing in hospice clinicians. The study design was quasi-experimental. Participants were cluster randomized into a control group and a treatment group. The researcher led a 50-minute songwriting session focused on sharing and processing experiences of grief-related stress and burnout in hospice work. Grief processing was measured using a self-report survey for n=25. Overall differences between control and treatment groups were not found to be statistically significant. Significant differences were also not found in treatment score differences for type of …

Practices And Perceptions Of Music Therapists Using Songwriting Interventions With Clients Who Are Grieving, Erin Aubrey Batkiewicz

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapists use songwriting interventions to address a variety of goals with several populations. Nevertheless, limited research exists regarding the use of songwriting interventions with individuals who are grieving. The purpose of this study was to examine practices and perceptions of board-certified music therapists working with clients who are grieving, specifically: (a) common interventions used to address grief (b) use of songwriting intervention; (c) perceived effectiveness of songwriting; and (d) music therapists’ comfort levels and training in implementing songwriting interventions. An online survey was sent to 6,292 board-certified music therapists, 324 of whom completed the survey. Participants reported that they …