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The preliminary results of a six-month online survey of over 3000 people and 69 different nationalities were presented at this week’s British Association Festival of Science in Liverpool. So is music really a prompt for your long-forgotten memories? And is it a good thing or bad thing? Read More
loud music
i have noticed that as i listen to the same song using better a loudspeaker i feel as it i am enjoying it more, even if i was already bored from that song
imagination
I think it is interesting that "Imagine" is linked with John Lennon in that my feelings related to the Beatles are mainly based in imagination. I think often times when we listen to music we have rich sensory daydreams and these are brought back into recollection when we again hear a particular song. I was born in 1978 so my direct experience with Beatle mania is non-existant, however, I have powerful feelings about the 60's and 70's somehow generating a deep sense of connection to an era I was not a part of. I wonder if many music recollections are journey's back to a state of imagination rather than direct experiences.
Sensory Memories
Hi Becky,
You bring up something that I keep coming back to in my work with traumatized individuals' memories-- sensory or implicit memory. Unlike declarative [explicit] memories that are about chronological events, implicit memory is just as real, but is often visual, auditory or other senses like sound, taste, and smell. I believe that the arts capitalize on our sensory memories and that these memories are extremely important in retrieval, but we cannot define them in the same way as explicit memories. It's really interesting to think about!
Cathy Malchiodi
Sensory memories
Cathy and Becky,
You've piqued my interest - thanks!
I work with clients whose presenting issues are either suicidal or homicidal ideation. Among the host of issues they may have, most also have a hx of sexual and/or physical abuse. A few of these clients experienced their abuse prior to age 4, and are now various ages, 5 through 18. Although all are in different stages of treatment, I wonder if utilizing music in a controlled, thoughtful way might help with the recovery process. One client in particular, a 15-y/o female, is highly resistant to tx. She all but refuses to create art in session, and when she does, it is with little effort (in my clinical opinion). My thought is that she has implicit memories related to the setting (i.e. radio, television) where the abuse took place.
Should I go there?
music and trauma
Jill,
I also work with abuse victims and I think it's great you want to incooperate music into the healing process. I am not an expert in the art therapy field so I can't offer many specifics on how to proceed, rather only give an example of one way I have effectively used music with my own clients.
I often have clients practice positive imagery and relaxation to a particular music piece. Later, when the client listens to the piece of music I believe it is easier for them to get back to a positive mind state and offers some protection when they embark on the world away from my office. I have yet to explore if softly playing this music during the retrieval of negative memories could take some of the power away from such traumas as they are linked with an already established safe sensory experience. Definetly interesting to think about.
Best of luck and bless the great work you do.
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