Culturally and Trauma-Informed Music Therapy: Approaches for School Settings Illustrated Through Descriptive Cases from Norway, the United States and South Africa

Kathleen Murphy¹Viggo Krüger^2*Karyn Stuart-Rohm¹Colton Thorn¹Sarah Berry¹

• ¹SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, United States
• ²University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Abstract The authors describe how music-based wellness programs can serve as a mechanism to promote youth development and psychosocial support in school settings. We constructed case examples to illustrate how from Norway, the United States and South Africa were informed by sociocultural learning theory and trauma-informed educational practices. Each case example illustrates how co-created music experiences facilitated emotional expression, identity formation, and peer connection among youth navigating diverse sociocultural and structural challenges. We constructed case examples based on our observation to explore how sociocultural and trauma-informed frameworks informed music therapy practices in school and hospital-based wellness programs for adolescents across three international settings. Co-creation and collaboration between therapists and student within culturally and trauma-informed approaches fostered a sense of safety and trust allowing for student voice to take the primary role, minimizing any power differential. Further, the creation of a trauma-informed, collaborative and co-created space in these three diverse school settings, promoted student empowerment, and agency. Our observations are reflective of the current research on music therapy practice with youth who have been exposed to various forms of trauma. Research is needed to learn how to incorporate music therapy and music-based wellness initiatives within school-based settings, making these programs more accessible.