Christine Wilhelmsen: Music therapy with young people with traumatic experiences

Field of study: Music Therapy

Children and young people who live under traumatising conditions in early childhood have a greater risk of developing mental and physical health problems than others. Research has shown that music therapy plays an essential role in the development and recovery process for this group. Still, few of these projects include perspectives from recent trauma research.

Using qualitative research interviews with young people living with trauma, this study explores collaborative songwriting as a therapeutic method and if and how this approach can function as processing and coping. In addition, the project will investigate how this group uses music in and outside the therapy room - both constructively and destructively.