0000000000235519
AUTHOR
Nerdinga Letulė
Enhancing the efficacy of integrative improvisational music therapy in the treatment of depression : study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Abstract Background Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Not all people with depression respond adequately to standard treatments. An innovative therapy that has shown promising results in controlled trials is music therapy. Based on a previous trial that suggested beneficial effects of integrative improvisational music therapy (IIMT) on short and medium-term depression symptoms as well as anxiety and functioning, this trial aims to determine potential mechanisms of and improvements in its effects by examining specific variations of IIMT. Methods/design A 2 × 2 factorial randomised controlled trial will be carried out at a single centre in Finland involving 68 adu…
An overview of the music therapy professional recognition in the EU
This article documents the development of the professional recognition of music therapy in the EU. First, a brief history of the origins of modern music therapy in Europe is presented, followed by more detailed analysis of the establishment of training courses and professional associations across Europe. Second, the stages in the professionalization process according to Ridder, Lerner and Suvini (2015) are discussed. Third, the importance of the European Music Therapy Confederation in promoting music therapy recognition in the EU is highlighted.
Favouring emotional processing in improvisational music therapy through resonance frequency breathing: a single-case experimental study with a healthy client
Resonance frequency breathing (RFB) is a form of slow breathing at around six breaths/min, whose immediate effects are to substantially increase heart rate variability (HRV) and to reduce stress levels. Since RFB has already been successfully used on its own to treat various emotional disorders, we wanted to evaluate its effect on emotional processing when used as a preparatory intervention in improvisational music therapy. To do so, we performed a single-subject experimental study with a healthy participant. We hypothesised that RFB would serve both as an emotional catalyst and emotional regulator, the actual outcome depending on the client’s current issues and needs. The study consisted o…