Any form of therapy utilizes communication to assist in the flow of the sessions and help the clients reach their goals. Music therapy is unique because it can use music as communication, but can it still be effective through a language barrier? Language barrier refers to “music therapists who conduct music therapy sessions in a language that is not their native tongue” (Mori, 2021).
There are two main ways to facilitate music in music therapy: music in therapy and music as therapy. Music in therapy refers to when music is used as a tool to enhance existing treatment. Music as therapy refers to when the music has a direct impact on the client and is the primary tool for growth (Zanders, 2018). When a music therapist uses music as therapy, “music is the essential medium of communication and interaction to build a therapeutic relationship” (Mori, 2021). Four other methods of facilitating music therapy have been presented by Bruscia (2013). His methods are the receptive method, the re-creative method, the improvising method, and the compositional method. Mori (2021) describes these methods precisely as:
In the receptive method, clients listen to music and respond to it verbally or in different modalities. In the re-creative method, clients sing and play instruments through precomposed music or reproduce music forms. In the improvisational method, clients create a melody, rhythm, and instrumental piece with the therapists’ support. In the compositional method, the therapists assist clients in writing music and lyrics.
Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy (NR-MT) is a prime example of music therapy that is effective in a language barrier due to its techniques of improvisational music making as the primary form of communication. An interview conducted by D. M. Kim (2010) revealed that therapists who worked through a language barrier preferred NR-MT over other music therapy methods. They appreciated NR-MT because it enabled both them and their clients to express themselves fully through music without the need for verbal communication (Towards musical individuation).
When practicing music therapy with a present language barrier, it is important to maintain a music as therapy model and rely on the music to communicate with the client. Research shows that the most important factors in building rapport in a second language include being honest, understanding facial expressions and body language, authenticity, and empathy (Mori, 2021). Mori’s (2021) study resulted in three significant findings: “English [for non-native English speakers] is not necessarily a language barrier; the respondents use music interventions depending on the clients’ goals; and the respondents are sensitive to the clients’ cues (e.g., body language, facial expressions), rather than depending only on verbal cues to facilitate the therapeutic process.”
-Janelle Lockney, Music Therapy Intern
References:
Kim, D. (2010). Towards musical individuation: Korean female music therapists’ experiences in the nordoff-robbins music therapy certification training. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 37, 353-362.
Mori, K. (2021). The influence of language barriers in music therapy (Publication No. 107) [Master’s thesis, Molloy College]. Lila D. Bunch Library.
Zanders, M. (2018). Music as therapy versus music in therapy. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 50(4), 218-219.
