Appendix 3.08 Music in music therapy dissertations 2002- 2008
MT 12. Helen Odell-Miller (2007) The practice of music therapy for adults with mental health
problems: The relationship between diagnosis and clinical method.
Helen Odell-Miller has investigated different approaches and techniques in music therapy related
to adult psychiatry. She provides a list of music therapy techniques, as reported by the participants
in the study:
- Singing composed songs
- Free improvisation with minimal talking
- Free improvisation and talking/interpretation
- Free improvisation with structures such as turn taking or play rules
- Theme-based improvisation
- Activity-based music therapy
- Song writing
- Musical role play / Musical psychodrama / Art and psychodynamic movement
- Receptive music using live music
- Receptive music using recorded music
- Guided imagery and music
- Music for relaxation as part of a music therapy programme.
MT 13. Randi Rolvsjord (2007) Blackbirds Singing. An Explorational study of resource-
oriented music therapy in mental health care. Book publication:
Randi Rolvsjord (2010) Resource-oriented music therapy in mental health care.
Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
In two case studies, Randi Rolvsjord reports the use of pre-composed songs and songs created
with the client.
Songs sung with Maria (pp. 93-95):
Angel (Sarah McLachlan).
A Place Nearby (Lene Marlin)
That’s What Friends Are For (Sager & Bacharach).
Yesterday (Lennon & McCartney)
Your Song (Elton John)
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? (Walt Disney soundtrack)
Dancing Toward Spring (Rolf Løvland)
I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)
Songs sung with Emma:
Pop, musical and gospel, including
I Will Light a Thousand Candles (p. 128)
Blackbird (p. 141)
Streets of London (p. 163)
Rolvsjord has created 32 songs on the basis of Emma’s lyrics (p. 149).
11 of these songs, all in major/minor tonality, are notated in an appendix (pp. 263-282).