Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Selected Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Degree Name
Master of Science in Music Therapy
Department
Music Therapy
First Advisor
Dr. John Carpente
Abstract
This study explored the music therapist’s lived experience of flow during a worldwide pandemic, within an improvisational music therapy approach. There is little to no literature about the concept of flow and how it relates to the music therapist’s lived experience, and none of which includes a worldwide traumatic event. Through a phenomenological investigation, the lived experiences of two music therapists who align with the improvisational music therapy approach were studied. A thematic analysis was conducted on data sources such as qualitative interview transcriptions and audio/video recordings of the interview. The following individual themes emerged from participant one: (a) flow as health, (b) Walker’s lived experience & role in flow, (c) unfulfilled needs, (d) appreciation, and (e) flow as healing. Themes for participant two included: (a)“music is about flow,”(b) Nolan’s lived experience in Flow, (c) interrupted, (d)“living in the musical vessel”, and (e) creating a sense of flow. Collective themes included: (a) mutuality, (b) unfulfilled needs, and (c) appreciation for flow. Flow was found to be prevalent in both lived experiences before and during the pandemic while portraying as a source of health and healing through intermusical connection, support, comfort, and clarity.
Related Pillar(s)
Study
Recommended Citation
Upshaw, Kaitlyn, "The Music Therapist’s Experience of Flow During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Inquiry" (2021). Theses & Dissertations. 111.
https://digitalcommons.molloy.edu/etd/111
