Mad Music Therapists

This study aims to develop an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of mad music therapists. The term “Mad” is employed throughout this study in the fashion of activists and academics alike as it pertains to the areas of Mad Studies and Mad Pride. The usage of this term to describe the participants in this study seeks to pitch a wide tent to encompass the shared interests of individuals with lived experiences consistent with what in may be referred to as “mental illness,” “neurological disorder,” or “mental difference.” Semi-structured interviews were conducted with professional music therapists (N=6). Transcribed interviews were coded with Atlas.ti software to generate themes. An interpretive phenomenological analysis was conducted to explore the potential impact of mad identity on the perception of stigma, self-disclosure, therapeutic relationship, and clinical efficacy. Seven themes and 51 subthemes appeared in the data: 1) navigating authenticity, 2) construction of self, 3) professional implications, 4) dimensions of the therapeutic relationship, 5) access to support, 6) sanism, and 7) ecological perspectives. Findings further understanding of the strengths and challenges particular to the experiences of music therapists who identify in this way.