Philippine E-Journals

Music Therapy as a Healing Process among Sexually Abused Teenagers in New Beginnings- Create Responsive Infant by Sharing (C.R.I.B.S.) Foundation

Alvin Jacob Iii | May Jennifer Daet | Shaira Audrey Diaz | Lovelyn Trajano

Discipline: Social Science, Health

 

Abstract:

Music has been part of everyday lives of each human being. It can affect our thoughts, moods, emotions and feelings and this is considered to be therapeutic. Music has been also a medium for conveying messages that are too hard to just simply tell. Sexual abuse of teenagers and children has been a problem for decades including here in the Philippines. There is little evidence that preventive measures are working effectively. It is also contemptible to note that the study of the music therapy here in the Philippines are very scarce.

 

This research paper discusses music therapy, along with other interventions such as letter writing during each session. The focus of this study is the sexually abused teenagers. The researchers conducted the study to three female teenagers, being their respondents and termed as “co-researchers”, in Create Responsive Infant By Sharing (C.R.I.B.S.) Foundation in Marikina City who are currently undergoing music therapy. The purpose of this study is to know how music therapy aids on the healing process of sexually abused teenagers. The researchers chose the qualitative type of study using phenomenological method in order to know the life experiences of each respondent and how music therapy has been effective on the healing process. This method helped the researchers to identify deeper the inner drama of each respondent of this study. This method also helped the researchers to understand what the co-researchers went through.

 

This study was able to find out that a teenager who experienced sexual abuse and was devastated at her core by early relational trauma, music when used with clinical perception, may empower a teenager and help her achieve a sense of healing and forgiveness.