The music therapist's experience of conflicting approaches in the workplace

This thesis aimed to explore the lived experiences of music therapists who practice from a different approach than the behavioral setting in which they work. I was interested in whether other music therapists experienced a dissonance that stemmed from conflicting approaches in their workplace, as I experienced this dissonance as a new music therapist. After completing an initial interest and demographic survey, nine participants were selected to participate in interviews, where they were asked predetermined questions about their approach to treatment, their facility's approach to treatment, and how they experienced and navigated this conflict. After coding, themes were organized using ATLAS.ti. Five themes emerged: 1) relationships, 2) power dynamics, 3) perceptions, 4) feelings, and 5) bridging approaches. Interpretations of the findings were provided, as well as recommendations for future research and implications for music therapy practice.