Exploring self-compassion : group music therapy with sexual assault survivors

Abstract

Sexual abuse is a traumatic event, which leaves survivors with mental, physical and emotional needs. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore whether closed group music therapy sessions could enhance self-compassion, as reported and expressed by sexual abuse survivors. The music therapy process that was conducted was designed to facilitate the three core constructs of self-compassion as researched by Kirsten Neff (2003a), namely self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness. The study explored the experiences of six sexual abuse survivors residing at a community centre in Lavender Hill, Cape Town, South Africa. Music therapy sessions took place once a week for a period of six weeks and the main musical components of the sessions included song-writing, group singing, drumming, vocal and instrumental improvisations and relaxation. The findings emerged from the interpretive phenomenological analysis of the individual semi-structured interview transcripts and thick descriptions of excerpts of the audio recordings. From the findings of this study it was concluded that the group music therapy sessions offered sexual abuse survivors opportunities for: self-exploration, self-confidence, interpersonal connections, the experience of being supported, encouragement, enjoyment and vitality, stress relief, emotional exploration and expression, and transformation of perspectives. These findings were represented by the following three main themes; characteristics of their lifeworlds, the affordances of music therapy for the group, and the group’s experience of transformation, which are then discussed in relation to self-compassion.