Textbooks

Over the past two weeks, as I have been on Fall Break, I have been cleaning my residence. One of the benefits of cleaning, at least to my music therapy side of life, is a reminder of all of the books that I have about music therapy.

I have lots of books about music therapy. You know that part of my life is a tendency towards being a packrat, so just imagine what I have available to me on the topic of music therapy. I even started my music therapy education before Davis, Gfeller, and Thaut published their first edition of Introduction to Music Therapy, so I have the articles used before textbooks! Can you imagine??

I enjoy looking at the texts that I have in my library. One of my treasures is an original copy of Music in Therapy edited by E. Thayer Gaston. It was part of the professional library at my facility when I started. When they disbanded the library, I asked if I could have the book. The administration granted my request, and now I have a good copy. Now, most of the information that is presented in the book is severely out-of-date, but for a history buff, such as myself, it is a treasure trove of history.

I have two editions of Defining Music Therapy by Kenneth Bruscia. The first edition was my text for my senior year in music therapy school. The second edition came out when I was teaching the same senior class as a graduate student. I am pleased to have both editions as they illustrate the philosophical and practical changes that Dr. Bruscia went through in writing the texts. He occasionally makes statements about why things have changed between the two editions - I find his discussions fascinating, and very affirming to me as an ever-evolving music therapist. If Ken Bruscia can change his mind about the role of music in therapy and as therapy, then so can I!

I think I will try to read a chapter of a music therapy text each week. I also think I will start with Models of Music Therapy Interventions in School Settings, edited by Brian Wilson. I've had this text for many years, yet it still seems brand new. I will start to read and then continue to evolve.

Happy reading!!

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