Research and clinical work are often perceived as opposites in the field of music therapy. This book shows, for the first time, how these two areas of work can creatively complement one another, proving beneficial to both disciplines. Each chapter is written by a leading researcher and practitioner in the field, and the book covers a wide spectrum of approaches within different settings. Beginning with methodological and musicological approaches to case studies, the book then moves on to more specific topics such as the use of case studies in an interactive play setting and in music therapy with the elderly. Later chapters explore theoretical aspects, looking at a worked example of music and progressive change during therapy, and how case study designs can be used in practice. A must for all professionals working and studying within the music therapy area, this is also an informative and useful book for health researchers.

The central tenet of this collection of doctoral research studies is that identity can be regarded as a performance, achieved through and in dialogue with others. The authors argue that where neuro-degenerative disease restricts movement, communication and thought processes and impairs the sense of self, music therapy and neurological rehabilitation can help to restore the performance of identity within which clients can recognise themselves. Emphasis is placed on identity as a chosen performance, not one imposed by a pathological process - the individual is not defined by the disease. The authors show that music therapy is an effective intervention in neurological rehabilitation that successfully facilitates communication with those who are deemed uncommunicative and can aid rehabilitation of clients affected by dementia, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis, among other neuro-generative diseases. Music Therapy and Neurological Rehabilitation is an authoritative and comprehensive text that will be of interest to practicing music therapists, students and academics in the field.