In Brief
Supportive Music and Imagery
Supportive music and imagery (SMI), is a short-term music psychotherapy method that focuses on a positive resource of the client, relates that feeling to a piece of music and contains it within the therapeutic interaction to focus and deepen the quality of the positive feeling.
No musical or artistic skill is required in the experiencing of an SMI session.
SMI can be suitable for adolescents and adults, and offers help for those dealing with emotional difficulties, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, grief, personal loss, stress.
Background
Involving listening to music while making art, SMI developed as a shortened/contained therapeutic experience, derived from the broader field of music and imagery, particularly The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM).
"The Bonny methods of Guided Imagery through Music (GIM) is a therapeutic method of assisting clients reach a deeper layer of their psyche and bring the material to conscious awareness for understanding and integration. It was developed by Helen Bonny following her work with Stanislav Groff and Walter Pahnke of searching for methods of internal explorations in the early 1970s"
Bonny Helen (2002) Music & Consciousness: The Evolution of Guided Imagery and Music, Barcelona Publishers
Experience
An SMI session is broken down into five parts;
A prelude: A general discussion with the therapist of the client's experience and drawing out of positive feelings
Transition: An image and piece of music to associate with that feeling is ascertained and focused upon.
A bridge to music: The client is invited to focus their mind/body to the feeling of the imagery/music. This differs to GIM in that it is not a full relaxation/altered state of mind.
Music/Imagery: As the music begins the client is invited to express the feeling in art making, whilst listening to the piece of music repeatedly.
Postlude: The client is invited to explore the feeling of the music/imagery, not to analyse but to deepen the quality of the feeling experienced.
