Susan Hadley

Exploring Relationships Between Mary Priestley's Life and Work

Abstract Analytical Music Therapy pioneer, Mary Priestley, has made a substantial contribution to the development of music therapy. Her writings have provided an insightful synthesis of the theories of Freud, Jung and Klein, and have formed a crucial bridge between psychoanalytic theory and music therapy. Priestley created ways of interpreting unconscious processes as manifested through musical improvisation, which have influenced music therapists throughout the world whether or not they strictly adhere to the Analytical Music Therapy approach. The purpose of this paper was to examine the life and work of Mary Priestley and to explore the relationships between them. In this paper I argued that biography mediates and influences theory construction and clinical practice and that this influence is reciprocal. Furthermore, it was suggested that this type of research has implications for music therapists in terms of making them more conscious of how their own personal context impacts theory, clinical practice, education, training and research. Keywords: Analytical Music Therapy – Biography – Epistemological standpoint – Feminism – Mary Priestley

Book Reviews And Summaries

Professional Communication Aigen, Ken (2003). A Guide to Writing & Presenting in Music Therapy. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona, Publishers (122 pages). Supportive Eclectic Music Therapy for Grief and Loss Bright, Ruth (2002). Supportive Eclectic Music Therapy for Grief and Loss. A Practical Handbook for Professionals. St. Louis: MMB Music, Inc. Receptive Music Therapy Frohne-Hagemann, Isabelle (Ed.) (2004). Rezeptive Musiktherapie: Theorie und Praxis [Receptive Music Therapy: Theory and Practice]. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag - Zeitpunkt Musik Psychiatric Music Therapy in the Community McGuire, Michael G. (Ed.) (2004). Psychiatric Music Therapy in the Community: The Legacy of Florence Tyson. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers. Therapy in Music for Handicapped Children Nordoff, P. & Robbins, C. (2004). Therapy in Music for Handicapped Children. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers. 199 pages, (re-issue). ISBN 1-891278-19-3 Groups in Music Pavlicevic, Mercedes (2003). Groups in Music. Strategies from Music Therapy. London and New York: Jessica Kingsley publishers. 252 pages, ISBN 1843100819 Tiefenpsychologisch orientierte Musiktherapie Timmermann, Tonius (2004). Tiefenpsychologisch orientierte Musiktherapie: Bausteine fiir eine Lehre [Psychoanalytically oriented music therapy: Elements for education]. Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag.