The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music: A Tool in Musi

The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music:

A Tool in Music Therapy

Melinda Korte, MS, MT-BC

Board-Certified Music Therapist

Level III Trainee

What is GIM?

Significant Concepts

"The Shadow Self"

The parts of us that we hide from. The Shadow lives within the unconscious mind. Darker, scarier, painful parts of who we are...

"90% Gold, 10% Dark"

Sitting with struggle brings the gold

• Music-assisted psychotherapy used to access and explore the human psyche
• Works within conscious and unconscious dimensions
• Dynamic, guided, therapeutic experience
• Brings awareness to the mind's state as well as underlying thought patterns
• Strategically used music recordings
• Acting catalyst for change
• Co-therapist
• Music-evoked sensory responses
• Fosters therapeutic insight and releases
• Leads to core integration of mind, body, and spirit

Archetypes

Music Proved an Essential Component in Experiments

Research Team

GIM's Roots

Historical Overview:

Significant, recurring representations throughout history that now are said to coincide with certain patterns of behavior or personalities. Will evolve throughout your life. Identified by Jung

Harvard trained psychologist and theologian, researcher of mystical states

World renown psychiatrist and research in LSD

Imagery- Carl Jung & Hans Carl Leuner

Dr. Walter Pahnke

Dr. Stanislov Grof

Joan Kellogg

Dr. Helen Bonny

• Music grounded the client
• Without music, client got lost in the psychedelic stimulus
• Music was an agent of movement within rapid movement of LSD
• Music patterned and parralleled the activity of the drug
• Music moved clients through any mental blocks
• "In and through"

Psychologist and artist. Pioneer in Art Therapy. Created the MARI Test to research changes in consciousness.

Language of human imagination or the psyche. Symbolic representation of psychological material. Allows us to see the patterns that control our lives. Considered "Right Brain Healing"

The more that unconscious imagery is brought to the surface, the more an an individual will find peace.

"A microscope to the soul"

The music impacts deeper thought patterns...

• 1960's- LSD Studies
• Maryland Psychiatric Research Center received grant funding to study concepts of consciousness
• Research continued solely using concepts of music and breath

Music therapist and advocate for mysticism. Later used this research to develop the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music

“Music, as a structured envelope of sound, is probably the most effective and safe opener to the doors of the psyche. It reaches beyond personal defenses to the realities and beauties of the person. Music gives access to the discovery of inner strength, uncovers the potential for creativity, and manifests ways in which life can be lived from a center of inner security.”- Dr. Helen Bonny

Thought patterns lead to behavioral patterns

Behaviors are the small bricks that build our life

Psychodynamic framework based on Jungian and Transpersonal models of Consciousness

Conscious Mind (what we are aware of... EGO)

Unconscious Mind (what we could be aware of if we wanted)

Collective Unconscious (what we cannot be aware of... drives our life and actions)

“The Bonny Institute.” Association for Music and Imagery. Association for Music and Imagery, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.

Music As Co-Therapist

"The answer lies within"

Projection Screen * Connector * Container * Catalyst

Soundscape * Soundtrack * Carrier

Why Classical Music?

The Music Programs

GIM vs. Guided Imagery

Guide Traveler

Client

Therapist

MOOD * RHYTHM * TENSION & RESOLUTION PROJECTIVE MIRROR

• Iso-principle, mind-body connection, and locus of control are essential within this process
• Switch from external to internal LoC
• Healing comes from within and cannot occur until we are ready...
• GIM necessitates a willing client, skilled therapist, and appropriate music.
• Multi-sensory process that goes beyond words
• GIM process is a container for difficult emotions. Clients can experience this tension and release in a visceral capacity

Transformative, Person-Centered, Holistic Healing

• Anchors to the traveler's experience

• Aids in evoke the psyche's expressions

• Encourages traveler's "deepening into" and/or "staying with" significant material

• Helps bring travelers' awareness to images

• Experiences imagery while listening to music and verbalizes to guide

• Shares any shifts or stagnation of imagery

• Does not force imagery... allows

• Lets go of the cognitive. Work can be awkward at first. Accept the music and your psyche will do the rest

Music responses are therapeutic metaphors...

• Both Eastern and Western elements:
• Eastern sense of mindfulness... in the moment, meditative state
• Western classical music constructs the majority of programs

What Guide's Will NOT Do

These tools help the client find awareness

Types of Imagery and Travelers:

About Me

Korte Music Therapy Services of Hawai'i, LLC

• Sensory and imagery experiences area manifestation of psychological material
• Visual
• Kinesthetic
• Intuitive

Beyond the "ordinary" and one's self

The key to GIM is the non-ordinary state

Scope of Services

"More than skin encapsulates the ego"

- Ellen Watts

Visual

NOTE:

One may experience these in singularity or combination...

Kinesthetic

Differently-Abled Individuals

Geriatric/Hospice

Mental Health

• Direct imagery for traveler

• Lead the traveler's movement/attention

• Ask Yes or No questions- unless absolutely necessary

• Force interventions or energy onto traveler

• Invade traveler's space or boundaries

Intuitive

Education and Internship~GIM Training

Orientation of Practice~Clinical Experience~Master's Thesis

How to Be a Traveler:

• Visual- Could be an observer or actively participating

• Kinesthetic- may or may not have images paired with bodily sensations. Access process through sense impressions

• Intuitive- impressions frequently lead to realizations. Visual or kinesthetic imagery may be paired with insights.

• Even if you are not focused on music, it is influencing your journey
• Do not attempt to control or analyze imagery
• Allow feelings and insights to flow
• "Analysis Paralysis"
• Manifestations of the psyche cannot be understood by the intellect alone. Sometimes the body is working something out
• Allow yourself to move through imagery without havign to understand it. You can talk through it during post-session procession
• Some tips:
• Before music begins, focus on your intention, then let imagery arise spontaneously
• Your inner critic may be present... try not to listen!
• Imagery and music are carriers of feeling
• The body may be "jammed" by unexpressed feelings- "To express is to impress"
• Advocate for your needs
• Ex: Tell them if they are too loud or too soft!
• Ex: " I need silence right now"
• If you do not communicate whats happening, the guide cannot help

"TRUST THE PROCESS"

What is the Non-Ordinary State?

The State of Mind That Our Culture Rejects

GIM Aims To:

• Dreaming, light trance, intense concentration/meditation
• Non-pathological and normal state of mind
• Allows thoughts feelings, and intuitions to interconnect
• Shamans have used NOS for over 40,000 years
• Purposefully evoked by many cultures as a means to heal
• Western culture has no sanctioned way to reverently and regularly enter NOS
• Both NOS and ordinary state of consciousness are impotrant to find a balanced, full life
• Result of NOS
• Field of consciousness opens
• Your inner censor tendency is inhibited
• Sensory vividness increases
• Time, space, and other ordinary barriers dissolve
• Body image changes
• Significant, emotionally laden material more likely to surface

Session Structure:

Physical Interventions

• Bring unconscious material to the surface, which fosters integration
• Subliminal thoughts and patterns
• Attunes us to bodily impressions from psychological material
• Mind-body connection at play
• Stress imprints on the body and mind... GIM helps us to express and let go
• The clients stays in the moment as this process doesn't require cognitively taxing conversation
• We are our own healer
• THIS IS HARD WORK!

• The first time traveling, you may experience nothing. This means your psyche is resistant to this unique process and just needs practice.
• The more you do this work, the easier it will become for the psyche to express itself
• This is a judgement-free space
• Images may re-occur over time
• Everyone experiences GIM differently

Pre-Session- Establish rapport, gather and sort through relevant information, explain the process of GIM

Set Intention- The goal... Guide selects music based on the intention

Induction- Helps traveler to relax and settle into the music. Moves the traveler into the non-ordinary state of consciousness... Opens up the psyche to allow for expression

Session ("Journey")- The meat of the process. Usually a 30-minute session

Post-Session- Opportunity for mgrounding, discussion, and integration. Mandala and verbal processing are typical during this time

The Body Keeps The Score- Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, MD

• The body holds on to trauma and stress (Mind-Body Connection)
• This manifests in illness
• Pharmaceuticals were originally introduced to trauma work to supplement psychotherapy. Not to replace it
• Expressing significant material allows us to find an emotional and/or physiological release
• GIM provides a means to work through this intense work (tense and release)

An Example of GIM Journey

Let's Try It!

Mandala Assessment Research Instrument (MARI) in GIM

The Client Is:

Group Experience with Mandala

Shortened Individual Session

• Used to help express, process, or identify material from the traveler's journey
• Visual forms of the traveler's psyche
• The mandala does not need to reflect imagery from the journey, but can if the traveler chooses
• There is no right or wrong way.. Utilize the whole space.
• Play with boundaries and orientation
• NOTE: We are not Art Therapists!

Mandalas are "coded messages from the inner self ' according to Carl Jung

• Autonomous throughout the process
• Validated
• Responsible for their own progress
• Honest... this is the only way that progress can occur
• "In the moment" with their feelings. This expedites the therapeutic process because they aren't just talking about things; they're integrating.
• The expert of their own needs and experiences

Uses for GIM

Discussion

• Individual or Group
• Psychotherapy or General Wellness
• Formal Treatment or Workshops
• Recurring or One Time

kortemusictherapyservices@gmail.com OR (609)707-2408