Music at a Time Like This

Abstract

Ten individuals, recruited from hospital and community cancer facilities, participated in eight weekly music therapy support group sessions from May to June, 2004. Participants talked about feeling lonely and isolated as cancer patients. They experienced the music therapy support group as profound, nonverbal connection to themselves, to each other, and connection to something larger—the music—that was beyond themselves. The experience of improvised music-making in music therapy support groups was particularly empowering and provided feelings of control during a time of loss-of-control inflicted by the disease and its experience as illness.