Catherine Somody

Conversations with My Father: Adapting A Musical Chronology and the Emerging Life Song With Older Adults

ABSTRACT This article provides a brief review of the literature describing successful aging life tasks, such as reminiscence, meaning-making, and forming substantive connections. Using Relational-Cultural Theory as a base, the article addresses the need for connection and ways that connections can be developed and sustained in later life. Through a personal account, the authors also illustrate how grown children can use music to connect with their parents. Finally, the authors adapt A Musical Chronology and the Emerging Life Song, an intervention that uses music and memories, for use with older adults.

Musical Relationship Metaphors: Using A Musical Chronology and the Emerging Life Song With Couples

The authors use the metaphor of music for helping couples identify and describe formulative events in their relationship. A seven-step process for creating a couples musical chronology is suggested. Couples link their relational history to specific music, a process that encourages them to deepen their connection and rekindle feelings that once brought them together. Other relationship metaphors are identified. Applications of musical metaphors as a creative problem-solving process conclude the article.

Evaluating Effectiveness in a Hispanic-Serving Counselor Training Clinic

ABSTRACT Counselor training clinics provide a valuable resource for low- or no-cost counseling for the community. The purpose of this study was to conduct a single group program evaluation. Participants included 79 clients who attended at least 5 consecutive sessions. Paired sample t tests compared pretest and posttest mean scores of the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) and Session Rating Scale (SRS). One-way analyses of variance assessed for changes in the ORS scores based on client ethnicity or gender. Results included a statistically significant change in ORS and SRS scores after a minimum of 5 counseling sessions. Implications for counselor educators and clinic directors are further discussed.