In perceiving all rap and Hip-Hop music as violent, misogynistic, and sexually charged, are we denying the way in which it is attentive to the lived experiences, both positive and negative, of many therapy clients? This question is explored in great depth in this anthology, the first to examine the use of this musical genre in the therapeutic context. The contributors are all experienced therapists who examine the multiple ways that rap and Hip-Hop can be used in therapy by listening and discussing, performing, creating, or improvising.
The text is divided into three sections that explore the historical and theoretical perspectives of rap and Hip-Hop in therapy, describe the first-hand experiences of using the music with at-risk youth, and discuss the ways in which contributors have used rap and Hip-Hop with clients with specific diagnoses, respectively.
Within these sections, the contributors provide rationale for the use of rap and Hip-Hop in therapy and encourage therapists to validate the experiences for those for whom rap music is a significant mode of expression. Editors Susan Hadley and George Yancy go beyond promoting culturally competent therapy to creating a paradigm shift in the field, one that speaks to the problematic ways in which rap and Hip-Hop have been dismissed as expressive of meaningless violence and of little social value. More than providing tools to incorporate rap into therapy, this text enhances the therapist's cultural and professional repertoire.

In perceiving all rap and Hip-Hop music as violent, misogynistic, and sexually charged, are we denying the way in which it is attentive to the lived experiences, both positive and negative, of many therapy clients? This question is explored in great depth in this anthology, the first to examine the use of this musical genre in the therapeutic context. The contributors are all experienced therapists who examine the multiple ways that rap and Hip-Hop can be used in therapy by listening and discussing, performing, creating, or improvising.
The text is divided into three sections that explore the historical and theoretical perspectives of rap and Hip-Hop in therapy, describe the first-hand experiences of using the music with at-risk youth, and discuss the ways in which contributors have used rap and Hip-Hop with clients with specific diagnoses, respectively.
Within these sections, the contributors provide rationale for the use of rap and Hip-Hop in therapy and encourage therapists to validate the experiences for those for whom rap music is a significant mode of expression. Editors Susan Hadley and George Yancy go beyond promoting culturally competent therapy to creating a paradigm shift in the field, one that speaks to the problematic ways in which rap and Hip-Hop have been dismissed as expressive of meaningless violence and of little social value. More than providing tools to incorporate rap into therapy, this text enhances the therapist's cultural and professional repertoire.

" I can imagine that convincing psychologists to put pen to paper to construct narratives of their own lives, revealing stories about significant influences in their personal and professional identities was no easy feat. Yancy and Hadley have done just this, and their edited book offers a fascinating way to gain greater insight into the theoretical ideas of key psychologists through their self-construction." - Psychologist `...There is much to be inspired by, to reflect upon, to learn from, and to understand from a thorough reading of this book.' - Nordic Journal of Music Therapy `A collection of papers in which psychologists from assorted theoretical orientations take part in an exercise to discover how they came to be the `particular epistemic agents they have become'. Narrative, social constructionist, feminist, postmodernist, poststructuralist, hermeneutic, existential, phenomenological, humanistic, critical, psychoanalytic, performative, social therapeutic - they are all here.' - Journal of Analytical Psychology `Thirteen leading psychologists offer personal reflections on their professional identities within the context of their larger social lives. Their conceptions of self hood are examined through the lens of the theoretical presuppositions used in their daily work. These include narrative, feminist, social constructionist, postmodernist, hermeneutic, critical, poststructuralist, humanistic, and psychoanalytical therapeutic approaches'. - Book News `What a fascinating and illuminating work! Yancy and Hadley have succeeded in stimulating a group of accomplished narratologists in psychology...to deliberate on the ways in which their life experiences are related to their scholarly explorations of narrative. The authors...grace us with illuminating and articulate insights into the close linkages between personal and intellectual development.' - Ken Gergen, Mustin Professor of Psychology, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, and Mary Gergen, Professor of Psychology & Women's Studies, Penn State University, Delaware `I found Yancy and Hadley's collection of intellectual autobiographies a rich source for understanding and insight into the lives and innovations of the psychologists who are leading the development of the new approaches in psychology.' - Donald E. Polkinghorne, PhD, Attallah Chair of Humanistic Psychology, University of Southern California In this thoughtful collection, thirteen eminent psychologists from diverse schools of thought - including social constructionism, narrative psychology, feminism, phenomenology and psychoanalysis - examine their professional identities in the context of their personal biographies. The contributors address challenging questions about identity in relation to personality development, language and socialisation. They demonstrate how their cultural and historical contexts influenced their theoretical approaches to the nature of `self' and how these ideas in turn shaped how they perceive their personal histories. This unique insight into the lives of highly influential psychologists is a valuable reference and compelling reading for psychologists reflecting on their professional practice, and for anyone investigating issues of selfhood and identity from a psychological or philosophical perspective.

This book brings together the professional experiences of eminent analytical music therapists from Europe and the USA. The book examines the origins and theory of AMT (including a contribution on the subject from Mary Priestley), before exploring its uses in various contexts. Chapters cover AMT in counselling and rehabilitation, with adults and children and with nonverbal clients. A concluding section discusses aspects of the training of music therapy students. Written by experienced and highly regarded analytic music therapists, and edited by Johannes Th. Eschen, one of the first ever AMT students, this book will be of interest to practitioners in many branches of music therapy and related disciplines.