Music, Music Therapy and Trauma: International Perspectives

Music communicates where words fail, and music therapy has been proven to connect with those who were thought to be unreachable, making it an ideal medium for working with those who have suffered psychological trauma. This volume addresses the need for an exploration of current thinking on music and trauma. With chapters written by specialists in this area, music and trauma is approached from a wide range of perspectives, with contributions on the following: the neurology of trauma and music; music and trauma in general; social and cultural perspectives on trauma; contextualizing contemporary classical music and conflict; music and trauma in areas where there is war, community unrest and violence (Northern Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and South Africa); and music, trauma and early development. Including specific examples and case studies, the text addresses the growing interest in the effects of trauma and how music therapy can provide a way through this complex process.