MUSIC THERAPY FROM STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

We have met again at the turn of the season as the leaves are falling. In our previous issue, Prof. Melissa Mercadal Brotons, the President of WFMT, shared with us her observations when she visited our country. In this issue, we give the floor to the other side of the spectrum, namely, two bachelor's degree students, who have just completed the Introduction to Music Therapy course: Özgür Salur, MA - MT

I am a senior student at the Department of Psychology at Özyeğin University. I want to specialize in psychotherapy after I complete my undergraduate studies and then my graduate studies in clinical psychology.

For the academic year of 2018-2019, I enrolled in "Introduction to Music Therapy" course lectured by music therapist Özgür Salur. The course was offered for the first time from our school. Therapy was always a field of interest for me and now I feel really motivated as this approach involves music as well. Even when music and therapy are considered as two seperate disciplines, each of them plays a significant role in responding to one's psychological, physical, social and mental requirements. When the two disciplines are united, responding to those requirements becomes much easier. Since communication is one of the most important elements in therapy and music holds a great space as an effective and powerful means of communication in our lives, music has so much to offer in therapy. I am personally very happy to have witnessed to these contributions thanks to that course.

The most interesting part of the course during the entire term was the workshop week. Music therapist Danny Lundmark attended one of the workshops at the school's Music Club room. Each of us took up a different instrument by turns and participated in couple of group interventions. Techniques of music therapy that we learned at courses were applied by us as proactive participants. The workshop was just for ourselves, so the pleasure and output was directly proportional. We made a song with the words we randomly thought of. We set the tone, speed and melody of the music and the result was an amazingly genuine piece. I observed that everybody seemed comfortable and was smiling during the workshop activity. That was the moment I realized that music was undeniably relaxing, unifying and it had a power of driving the creativity.

During the theoretical courses, we talked about what is music therapy, who were eligible for it, and what methods were to be applied and all. Obviously individuals of all ages are fit and eligible for music therapy but I was amazed to learn that it could also be applied to new-born babies and to individuals at the end of their life. It is fascinating that music has a soothing and calming effect on recipients from the two opposite ends. I have thought a lot about starting one's life with music and ending it with music.

I was utterly impressed by the healing power of music. I am more than happy to have had the chance to experience this in theory and in practice. I hope that everyone is lucky enough to experience music not only through ears but through all senses…

"If I need a therapy, why should I go for music therapy instead of another treatment method?"

Hatice Kübra Alban

I am studying towards a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Product Design at the Department of Fine Arts in Marmara University. Even though I am studying at a school that basically offers visual art studies I have long been thinking that art is a uniform phenomenon. To me, art has always been inseperable feelings, states of beings and methods.

I once asked to myself: "If I need a therapy, why should I go for music therapy instead of another treatment method?"

Here is my answer to myself;

First of all, it is not boring at all. Yes, to call it music therapy, a trained professional music therapist should apply music therapy by using evidenced-based musical therapeutic interventions in a therapeutic relationship towards clinical goals. Only this time, we do not face a person in scrubs who performs a set of tests and writes a prescription according to test results, or somebody who says "Go on, tell me…". Words may become even unnecessary when you face the person you trust and you can make music with.

When making music, one can get out of its current state of being and establish a spiritual relationship with the therapist. As far as I see, this music-based relationship is very powerful. One senses the moment of deepening and healing.

If I had not taken this course "by chance", I would most probably have no better opinion than misguided thoughts about music therapy in our country.

I hope that more people will be interested in music therapy and be informed about it...