Tim Lee is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and Certified Music Therapist in Ontario, offering in-person and online sessions in downtown Toronto.
Interviewer: How does music therapy differ from traditional talk therapy?
Tim: Music Therapy, particularly in this context as Music Psychotherapy, involves using music to address emotional, social, and cognitive needs within a therapeutic setting. Depending on the client’s goals, music therapy can take many forms. For instance, we might write or compose music and lyrics together to process complex feelings and experiences. We might actively make music together to express ourselves non-verbally or to facilitate insights into the client’s emotions. We can also listen to and reflect on music chosen by either the client or therapist, which can evoke memories and emotions.
While music is central, we may also engage in verbal discussions to interpret experiences and gain insight into your inner psyche.
Interviewer: What types of issues or conditions can Music Therapy effectively treat?
Tim: Music Psychotherapy is part of the broader field of Music Therapy, which can be used with various populations across the lifespan and for different issues beyond psychotherapy. From a psychotherapy perspective, it can address issues related to:
- Emotional and Mood Disorders: Many people use music to modulate, validate, or express their moods. In Music Psychotherapy, we intentionally use music to express and process emotions and modulate mood. It can also promote relaxation and help manage stress and anxiety.
- Grief and Loss: Many artists use music to express their loss and grief. In Music Psychotherapy, clients work with a Music Therapist to explore complex emotions around loss and process their bereavement.
- Self-Esteem and Identity Issues: Music can be an effective way to process life transitions and explore themes of empowerment, identity, creativity, and self-worth.
- Trauma and PTSD: Music can provide a safe way to access and process traumatic events. Sometimes, articulating traumatic memories in words is difficult, so music offers another avenue for expression.
This list is not exhaustive, but it offers a snapshot of how Music Therapy has been utilized in psychotherapy.
Interviewer: Do I need experience with musical instruments or experience related to music to benefit from Music Therapy?
Tim: Absolutely not! No musical skills or experience are required. Many people in Music Therapy are not musicians and have little to no experience with music performance.
Interviewer: What are some examples of music interventions used in therapy?
Tim: There are four main ways we may engage with music in Music Psychotherapy:
- Composition or Recreative Music: We may create original compositions or alter existing music to reflect personal thoughts and feelings.
- Improvisation: We might use an instrument or our voices to create spontaneous music, sometimes with or without structure, as a way to explore and express emotions or role-play different perspectives.
- Listening to Music: We may listen to music and then discuss the thoughts and emotions it evokes. We can analyze lyrics that resonate with the client to discuss personal experiences and identify themes and patterns of behaviour.
Interviewer: How do you integrate music therapy with other forms of psychotherapy?
Tim: Music Psychotherapy can be practiced alongside various modalities of talk therapy. For example, in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, clients can use songwriting to identify and reframe negative thoughts. In Psychodynamic Therapy, music improvisation can help explore unconscious thoughts and feelings. In Dialectical Behavior Therapy, music can facilitate emotional grounding and mindfulness, emotional regulation, and self-soothing. In Internal Family Systems, clients may use music to project thoughts and feelings of different parts to gain insight into their internal conflicts. In Narrative Therapy, music can help reshape or rewrite experiences.
Interviewer: What outcomes can clients expect from working with you in Music Therapy?
Tim: Clients can expect a co-created space where we safely explore their behaviours, feelings, and thoughts, as well as their goals and needs. My hope is that clients will have the opportunity to build resilience, enhance their ability to navigate life’s challenges, deepen self-understanding, and develop coping strategies.
Interviewer: What inspired you to specialize in this modality?
Tim: I was inspired to specialize in Music Therapy through my own musical journey and my interest in mental health and wellness. I discovered that music is a powerful way to foster connections and build communities, and it serves as an excellent means for emotional reflection and expression. It is a privilege to work with people for whom music can be a significant aspect of growth, healing, and support.
