نامگذاری غیرقابل نامگذاری و ارتباط ادراک و فهم: تأملاتی در ترکیب موسیقی درمانی/برنامه مددکاری اجتماعی

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is the sudden onset of a traumatic disabling condition. It impacts on people with SCI physiologically, psychologically and socially. People face major life changes and the lifelong challenges of disabilities that affect every aspect of their lives. This paper is a reflection on the impact of individual music therapy sessions and combined social work and music therapy group sessions, the music therapy program (MTP), on adjustment to SCI. Reflections focused on data drawn from group discussions, semi-structured satisfaction interviews of 13 men with SCI, who had undergone primary rehabilitation in the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, Melbourne, Australia; findings from an independent evaluation of MTP; and practitioner perceptions. Three themes were identified during this reflection. These were: Music as a conduit; Music and the body; and Music as a connector. Reflections identify a number of benefits of incorporating the MTP in rehabilitation programs for men with SCI.

This paper is a reflection on the music therapy program (MTP) at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre (RTRC) in Melbourne, Australia and its capacity to assist men to adjust to spinal cord injury (SCI). The program utilises a combined music therapy/social work approach. The inspiration for the MTP came from a young man with a recently acquired brain injury (ABI) who was undergoing inpatient rehabilitation at RTRC. He was a musician and member of a band that toured Australia. His friendship circle included a music therapist who suggested that music therapy would greatly assist him with the adjustment difficulties he was experiencing. Using skills and confidence gained in twice-weekly individualised music therapy sessions delivered by a qualified music therapist, he was eventually able to perform with his band again on a regular basis. As credited by him, music therapy significantly contributed to his physical and cognitive recovery, engagement in rehabilitation, emotional adjustment and self-expression. Music therapy sessions were subsequently provided to a second person with an ABI. Following considerable interest by the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team in the impact of music therapy on these two young men, the integration of music therapy into rehabilitation practice was supported. The MTP became an established program within the Social Work Department. It was incorporated into the comprehensive RTRC therapy program provided to five clinical units: SCI, ABI, amputation, neurology and orthopaedics. The funding provided for an independent evaluation of the MTP (Montague, 2005). As Bernstein (1976, p. 140), musician, composer, conductor and author, said: ‘[Music] can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable’ and, as argued in this paper, a sentiment highly relevant to the role of music as a therapy for men recovering from acquired disabilities.