History
It is widely accepted that scientific music therapy originated
in ancient Greece. Ancient Greeks used a process which was the precursor
of contemporary music therapy. The Greek philosophers/scientists
discovered and used music as therapy (both physical and mental)
based exclusively on clinical observation and rational thought,
free from any kind of mysticism. The contributions of Pythagoras,
Plato and Aristoteles are recognised as those that shaped music
therapy conceptually and provided in rational basis.
In recent times, there is about 25 years that m/t starts to be
developed again as a concept and a practical method. 25 years ago
people interested and involved in m/t in Greece were medical, paramedical
or music professionals or musicians who have been attracted to music
therapy through their own personal experiences.
Actually, people involved in m/t in Greece come mainly from the
following specialities :
- Physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists and other paramedics
who have incorporated m/t training program at the recognised Hellenic
m/t training program or at other training program courses, into
their post-graduate training.
- Professionals in m/t trained at the official Hellenic m/t training
program or at other similar schools.
Each professional music therapist in Greece is free to follow his
own models and be referred to the theory of his choice.
In 1992 the "Hellenic Music Therapy and Creative Expression
Society" has been created. It is mainly a professional society
composed by officially trained music therapists (although many of
them have also a second medical, paramedical or artistic profession).
But there is also room, in a different category in the frame of
the society for people not yet fully trained in m/t.
The philosophy is to be involved, all people interested together,
in the frame of a larger common space of communication.
Training programs
In 1994 the first Music Therapy training program has been created.
This program named :
"Hellenic Music Therapy and Creative Expression training program
- Music/Art in therapy, pedagogy and prevention" is officially
recognised from the Town Hall of the Municipality of Athens and
it is also effectuated in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
It is mainly a post graduated training program for professionals
from the scientific or the artistic areas with a good experience,
both, in human relations.
This program is not related to a special m/t school or model or
theory. It is open to all theories, models or m/t schools, and gives
a global knowledge of the field of Music Therapy around the world
and through temporal areas. It is also open to the field relating
Music Therapy to the other forms of expression, presented by guests
professors from different schools around the world.
It is considered that the students of this program are mature enough
to be capable to receive all these information and take their own
decisions in the field of practice of their profession.
It is a three years program composed by:
- theoretical courses and courses of personal implication
- practical experience (in collaboration with the Ministry of Education)
- Supervision
- Composition presented at the diploma
The students of the program are chosen in the base of their personality,
maturity, sensitivity, flexibility and knowledge.
But there are also some other elementary courses for people who
are not at the post graduated level.
In Thessaloniki, there is a private m/t training program, which
is related specifically to the Nordoff Robbins School at the New
York University Music Therapy Department.
Music therapy as a lesson is taught in different schools, Universities,
etc
First Hellenic m/t Congress : 1993
Second Hellenic m/t Congress: 2001
The third Hellenic m/t Congress will be realised in October 2003
related in the World Congress "Soma and Psyche" which
will take place in Athens, giving an important space to m/t and
its psychical and somatic expressions all over the world.
Literature
Journal: The first Hellenic Music Therapy magazine has been
published in Greece in March 2001. It is a Multilanguage magazine.
Books: from Hellenic and international music therapy and
musical researches literature, starting from ancient Greek philosophers
researches in the field of the influence of sounds in the psyche
and the body to actual Greek m/t books, but also the international
literature
Delegate:
Lianna Polychroniadou, Psychologist, Music therapist, philologist,
President of the Hellenic Music Therapy and Creative Expression
Society,
Director of the Music Therapy and Creative Expression program. Music/art
in therapy, pedagogy, prevention.
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