Music Therapy: Models and Interventions

This chapter takes as its point of departure a descriptive theoretical model (Bonde 2011) to give an overview of the field of health musicking, in order to discuss the position and rationale of music therapy (and music medicine) in a wider context. Bonde (2011) suggests that ‘health musicking’ can be understood as the common core of any use of music experiences to regulate emotional or relational states or to promote wellbeing, be it therapeutic or not, professionally assisted or self-made. The chapter begins with a section defining music therapy and music medicine. A number of internationally well-known models of music therapy are then described in succession and placed in the model, based on an interpretation of their theoretical foundations and practical procedures. The discussion is in part focused on recent developments within the models and their current relationship to each other and to ‘health musicking’ as a field in development. In addition, there is an elaboration on music therapy as a multilayered phenomenon, which allows for a variety of experiences at different levels.