Music as Support and Challenge –

Group Music and Imagery with Psychiatric Outpatients

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This exploratory study documents core elements in ongoing Group Music and Imagery (GrpMI) therapy with relatively well functioning psychiatric outpatients (defined as a score above 41 on the Global Assessment of Function (GAF) Scale). The patients have different diagnoses, but all have social anxiety as an important problem area. Psychiatric outpatients (n=10) participated in small groups (2–4 participants) receiving 10 weekly 90 minutes sessions. An initial verbal dialogue focusing on participant’s needs and concerns here and now led to the therapist’s choice of a piece of classical music (duration 4'–12') with a mixed supportive-challenging intensity profile. After a relaxation induction and unguided music listening participants made an individual (mandala) drawing. The session was concluded with a short discussion of the meaning and relevance of the music listening experience and the drawings. The project had a mixed methods design, documenting both process and effect, however this article focuses on qualitative analyses of the relationship between therapeutic focus – music selection – reported imagery (in drawings and verbal reports) and interpretations. The article outlines the theoretical basis for metaphoric music listening with imagery understood as a metaphorical verbal report on experiences in other sensory modalities (Bonde 2000, 2005, 2007). The concept of a“mixed supportive/challenging intensity profile” of music selections is explained and exemplified. The analysis has focus on the relationship between music and imagery in the screening procedure (assessment of patients for the GMI groups) and is exemplified by one participant.

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