Music Therapists’ Perspectives on how Self-Awareness Impacts their Work with Adolescents

A significant body of research indicates that self-awareness is recognized as a vital aspect in a therapist’s career. In a music therapy setting, self-awareness is also identified as a crucial aspect for music therapists who work with the adolescent population. However, studies have not yet established how music therapists’ self-awareness impacts their sessions when working with adolescents. Using a modified grounded theory method, this research investigated music therapists’ perspectives on how self-awareness impacts their work with adolescents. It comprised interviews of four board certified music therapists working with adolescents in the medical and/or mental health settings. Interview transcriptions were coded using methods from Hesse-Biber (2011). Comparisons were made of participants’ perceptions of self-awareness, reactions when self-aware, and influence of self-awareness during music therapy sessions with adolescents. Results indicated that music therapists address self-awareness personally and in regards to clients in order to adjust in the moment. Further research is recommended in order to explore self-awareness practices among music therapists and its complexity in greater detail. It is the researcher’s hope that music therapists utilize the findings of this research study to expand on and become more aware in their practice with specific populations of adolescents