Interpersonal Trauma

Interpersonal trauma is a widespread issue which affects many of those who seek music therapy, yet, trauma-informed music therapy is not often discussed within the music therapy literature. This capstone review will serve as a guide for music therapists who work with survivors of interpersonal trauma. A literature review provides a history of trauma, definitions of resilience and interpersonal trauma, and descriptions of the effects of interpersonal trauma and settings for the treatment of trauma. This paper also discusses trauma-based services illustrating the difference between trauma-informed approaches and trauma-specific models. An in-depth view of music therapy describes specific methods and techniques used with individuals who have survived interpersonal trauma. This capstone review concludes with recommendations for a trauma-informed music therapy practice which applies the principles of trauma-informed care to various music therapy approaches.