Music Imagery

Music Evoked Imagery


IT AIN’T:
Telling somebody to imagine themselves on a desert island... Planting suggestions in the mind of a hypnotized subject so they will be more likely to do, be or act in a certain way later. For everyone (although it has been used with autistic, substance abuse, chronic pain, terminally ill, artists/creative folks)

Brief history:
Grew out of research in the 70s on the conscious mind. Initially the research employed the use of drugs (hallucinogens) to evoke an altered state of consciousness. Control problems - not in the control of the subject, once the drugs were given, the experience was not under the control of the researcher, - could not be regulated to provide specific types of stimuli with a therapeutic ambiance, and the drugs appeared to contribute to the experience in very negative ways. It was found that music and deep relaxation could produce the same deep exploration of consciousness, without the uncontrollable features.

General description:
MEI is a therapeutic tool to be used in getting to the inner-world of the client. The inner-world holds that information which:has not before been available to the conscious mind, may be nonverbal or preverbal (prior to adequate language)would be interpreted, analyzed or rationalized by the conscious mind to the point that it is no longer reflective of the emotional truth of the event.Knowledge comes in many forms – pictures or visual imagery (remember the color of your favorite t-shirt or toy)body sensations or kinesthetic imagery (remember a time you were cold)a sense of gut-level understanding or intuitive imagery (that “aha” that comes out of the blue)You may experience some or all of these in a session. Take what you get. It is your inner self talking to you. If it seems “strange” you may be discovering a new side to yourself, or a new level of yourself.In a 1:1 session - there are two critical parts to Music Evoked Imagery. The music as the co-therapistMusic is unlike any other art form in that it is dynamic and each moment leads into another, different moment. Art and poetry, although capable of expressing deep emotion, express it in a static way. They are moments in time, not leading to or resolving of any prior moment.Because of the dynamic, flowing movement, music acts as a carrier to the “traveler”, moving the person into, through and out of experiential events. The movement of the music prevents the traveler from becoming stuck or mired in events, unlike conventional talk therapies which can either leave a person in muck or to which the person can respond with the usual repertoire of defenses, with the business-as-usual outcome, remaining stuck.The features of the music serve to shape the traveler’s experience with regard to movement and resolution. Music creates a container which provides a safe and structured environment in which to experience the full expression of the inner world.Interestingly though, the interpretation of the music is decidedly individual - it is a projective screen for the traveler. Just like the Rorschach, each image is personalized, however, the movement of the music evokes not only scenes but movement, relational interactions, emotive expressions, beginnings, middles, and ends. The therapist as guide and witnessIn a 1:1 session, the therapist in MEI is essentially a witness and scribe, a companion for sense of security and safety, and a lens to help focus the traveler in as an event unfolds. The term “guide” is not literal, in that the therapist does not strive to shape the journey, but rather invites the traveler to explore, deepen the experience, assess and at times, physically confront the experience. MEI is about as nondirective and "noninvasive" as a therapy process can get, however the forces and movement of the music prevents the traveler from just “lolling around”. Because the traveler is experiencing this journey in an altered state of consciousness, it is frequent that the traveler does not readily:recall all the information they have sharedrecall the order in which events unfoldedretain all the significant awareness (memory is not strong at all in this state)The therapist writes down the information shared by the traveler verbatim and logs the points in the music program when it occurred, so that the entire journey can be recreated for the conscious mind in post-session processing.Process:Pre-session : traveler focuses his intention, so as to narrow the focus of the search as he enters the altered state of consciousness. Because of the vastness of the unconscious (oh! them wide open spaces...) it is far more effective and efficient to clearly define the purpose the journey. Induction: leads the traveler into an altered state of consciousness using a variety of relaxation techniques.
Music: short session today – 5-7 minutes. In a 1:1 session, the music lasts from 10 – 50 minutes, depending on the purpose and the focus of the session.Post- session: In a 1:1 session, the guide and the traveler review the imagery and content of the session and the traveler looks to see how this relates to the intention or the focus of the session. Processing doesn’t end when you walk out the door – depending on the depth of the material, the processing may last hours to weeks. You have opened a door within, and over time, that open door can change your life.While the material usually needs further processing in the conscious state, the emotional triggers have been released or reduced, and often there is an intuitive understanding and acceptance which immediately changes the intrapersonal status or response on the issue.