« the real crisis | Main | On the Train »
January 24, 2008
Lie on the sofa and listen
Yes, Mr Bojangles and Anna. When to be silent, and when to say/do something?
This question was very present at work today. In the music therapy group I help facilitate for teenagers with mental health problems, the musical improvisation was quiet. Surprisingly quiet, considering the extremely turbulent week the young people had experienced in the unit. Often the music in this group is deafeningly loud, but this time the young people seemed to want to play gently, or even just to be played to by the therapist.
As therapist, I felt the temptation to intervene musically, to change the quiet and rather tired mood, perhaps by playing something loud and discordant, to see if there would be any response. But as I played the piano, I was trying to 'tune in' to the feelings in the room and as I did so, felt that nothing more dramatic or interventionist than quiet music was required.
It takes a bit of nerve to do this: these teenagers, whose lives are in chaos, might think the music is boring; they might walk out, as they are free to do. But they didn't leave, and it was clear during our discussion afterwards that the music within the session was 'right' for them.
Sometimes people just need our quietness, our non-pushyness, and to feel it's OK to lie on the sofa and simply 'be'.
Posted by Angela at January 24, 2008 11:17 PM