Session Resources S085: “”Music is my way of coping” – Using music to connect everyday life, therapy and recovery in adolescent mental health.”

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By September 8, 2015 No Comments

Authors: Carmen Cheong-Clinch

Year: 2015

Event: 2015 TheMHS Conference

Subject: Creativity and Recovery

Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers

Abstract: There is a growing body of studies (e.g. Krause, North & Hewitt, 2015; Skanlan, 2010) investigating the use of music as a technology of health (Ruud, 2002). Findings from recent Australian studies (Cheong-Clinch, 2013; Hense, McFerran & McGorry, 2015; McFerran & Saarikallio, 2014) report that young people across the health continuum listen to music to identify and manage their emotions and environments on a daily basis.
This presentation will focus on the importance of music for young people with mental illness. Examples from clinical work and doctoral research will be used to illustrate the ways these young people engage with music in their everyday life, and in therapy during an admission to an acute psychiatric facility. The key concepts identified have implications to use music to support young people’s recovery and ongoing mental health care in both acute care and community engagement. This is particularly relevant as they are often disengaged socially and academically (SANE, 2005).
I will also discuss the relevance of music therapy as a youth- and recovery- oriented approach to facilitate engagement, participation and empowerment for young people with mental illness. In light of current mental health strategies, such collaboration with young people themselves is a much needed and appropriate mental health approach to the developmental needs of adolescents, in particular supporting the “emerging adult”.

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