Odell-Miller, H. & Richards, E. (Eds). Supervision of music therapy--A theoretical and practical handbook.
Kennelly, Jeanette
Odell-Miller, H. & Richards, E. (Eds). Supervision of music
therapy--A theoretical and practical handbook. New York, NY: Routledge.
198 pages. ISBN 978-0-415-41126-4.
Supervision of Music Therapy is a long awaited text describing the
important professional area of supervision for music therapists. This
topic has not been widely explored in the music therapy literature since
the publication of the well known and used edited text by Michele
Forinash, Music Therapy Supervision (2001). This new release edited by
well known British music therapists Helen Odell-Miller and Eleanor
Richards forms part of a five volume series of handbooks on the topic of
supervision entitled Supervision in the Arts Therapies (Series Editor
Joy Schaverien).
This book presents a clinical, theoretical and also academic
perspective on the many facets of the supervisory process, drawing
mainly upon practice carried out in the United Kingdom and also that of
several European music therapists. The editors begin with an
introduction which includes a description of the difference between this
text and that of Forinash (2001) and present a brief summary of each
subsequent chapter. The nine chapters address a variety of topics and
issues concerning the practice and understandings behind supervision in
an array of different clinical contexts. The final tenth chapter
describes the supervision of music therapy research from an academic
perspective.
As described by Odell-Miller and Richards in the Introduction, this
book "provides a case-focused approach whereby the supervision
process is described from the point of view of the context" (p. 1).
Clinical areas described in subsequent chapters include adult and
forensic psychiatry, learning disabilities, children and families and
the school setting. Chapter 1 presents the reader with an historical
background of supervision in music therapy particularly with reference
to the practice in the UK together with definitions of supervision and a
revised literature review.
It was exciting to read of the breadth of music therapy supervision
practice in both individual and group work presented through many and
varied rich case descriptions, role plays, vignettes, reflections and
narratives from supervisor and supervisee, and in particular the more
internal reflective stance of exploring the growth of the therapist
(John, chapter 5) The focus of the student as supervisee versus the
newly graduated music therapist and the more experienced music therapist
are explored in varying depths, particularly in chapter 3 (Pedersen),
chapter 7 (Brown) and chapter 8 (Oldfield). The scope of the supervisory
process is also explored through suggested frameworks and models of
supervision (chapter 3 by Pedersen; chapter 4 by Glyn; chapter 7 by
Brown) thus prompting the reader to further enhance their knowledge of
different theories which may inform our practice. One chapter of
particular interest is chapter 7 by Brown which gives an updated version
of her 1997 publication in the British Journal of Music Therapy (Brown,
1997); a refreshed picture on her previous views of supervision. Davies
and Sloboda (chapter 9) provide an insightful look at the issue of
boundaries in supervision, both "visible and invisible" (p.
153) and their impact on the process.
Other authors also remind us of the issue of transference,
counter-transference and parallel processes that may occur in
supervision and how addressing and working through these phenomena may
assist and transform the supervisory process (chapter 3 by Pedersen and
chapter 9 by Davies & Sloboda). The final chapter by Wigram (chapter
10) provides an interesting overview of the supervisory relationship in
doctoral research, highlighting the important factors involved in
creating a successful collaborative partnership. This book is certainly
aimed towards the music therapy profession, be they student in training,
newly qualified or experienced practitioner but also may be of interest
to other health care professionals who too are faced with the
multifaceted, all encompassing dimensions of the supervisory
relationship. I would have liked to have seen more focus on supervision
of the experienced music therapist with particular reference to
vignettes or reflections from music therapists receiving supervision
from non-music therapists. A further extension on the issue of
boundaries involved in multi-role relationships between supervisor and
supervisee would also have been interesting to include in this book.
I would encourage music therapists, regardless of their level of
experience to read this text and motivate their interest in a topic that
has not received much attention since Forinash (2001). Odell-Miller and
Richards have compiled a rich account of stories, dialogues and
reflections that will hopefully prompt readers, particularly Australian
music therapists to pause, think and reflect on what supervision
potentially offers for each practitioner.
References
Brown, S. (1997). Supervision in context: A balancing act. British
Journal of Music Therapy, 77(1), 4-12.
Forinash. M. (2001). Music therapy supervision. Philadelphia:
Barcelona.
Jeanette Kennelly, RMT PhD candidate
The University of Queensland
