Musical Encounters with Dying

This book explores the supportive role music therapy can play in the end-of-life care. Through real-life accounts, it looks at how to create a therapeutic relationship, help patients to reach final goals, work within cultural contexts and deal with difficult emotions. It also considers how best to support the families of the dying.

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Music therapy can be a profound physical, emotional and spiritual support at the end of life. This book looks at a wide variety of cases, explaining how music therapy can be used effectively. It highlights particular components of working with this group, such as creating a therapeutic relationship, helping patients to reach final goals, working within cultural contexts and dealing with difficult emotions, all within the parameters of the musical experience. It also explores the unique needs of people with disabilities or mental illness, and how to support the families of the dying. Therapeutic and philosophical insights related to the dying process are included.

This will be a supportive and insightful guide for anyone working with people who are at the end of life, especially music therapists and other complementary therapists, caregivers, hospice workers and medical professionals.