Professional context of Art Therapy
The
two officially recognised training centres for Arts Therapies in Belgium are
both located in Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium). The
Lemmensinstituut in Leuven is organising a master training program in
musictherapy and the Provincial Hogeschool Limburg a ‘bachelor
after bachelor’ in art-therapy. Both training programs are
psychoanalytically informed.
This embedment in psychoanalysis is explained by the traditional
openness of psychoanalysis for the arts and by the intensive theoretical
thinking concerning the relationship between art and psyche within the
Belgian psychoanalytic societies (Belgische School voor Psychoanalyse/Ecole
Belge de Psychanalyse and the Gezelschap voor Psychoanalyse en
Psychotherapie). This approach emphasizes the autonomy of the arts and
avoids to consider the artistic practice as only a mean to attempt
therapeutic goals.
The Master Training Program at the Lemmensinstituut stands
for a broad European orientation. Four times a year a visiting professor
from another European country is invited to give workshops and seminars on
specific topics. Specialists from abroad come to inform of their research
results during the annual national congress ‘Music and Psychiatry’. Since
2005 the Lemmensinstituut took the initiative to bring together in an
annual symposium the different European research centres for
psychoanalytically informed music therapy. Students participate actively in
exchange programs and organise annually their own European meeting. In 1998
the Lemmensinstituut hosted the ‘4th European Music Therapy Congress’.
Associations
Flanders:
The “Beroepsvereniging Muziektherapie” (Professional Association of
Music Therapy) assembles professional music therapists in order to guarantee
the application of the European standards for recognition and to establish a
structure of supervision and permanent education. The association works to
develop interdisciplinary communication and to disseminate information
through a bi-annual journal.
The “Nationale Vereniging voor Orthoagogische Muziekbeoefening” (National
Association for Orthoagogic Music Practice) was established in 1991 to bring
together the many practitioners who work with disabled people and use music
as an ortho(ped)agogic medium.
The foundation ‘Music and Therapy’ was founded in 1995 and involves
the official training of music therapy at the ‘College of Science and Art’,
campus Lemmensinstituut, and experts in legal and financial aspects.
It aims at the study and research of the psychological components of music
and musical experience and especially of their therapeutic implications.
Wallonia:
‘L’Association pour la Recherche, l’Education et l’Application de
la Musicothérapie’ (The Association for Research, Education and Application
of Music Therapy - A.R.E.A.M.) is in charge of a private training program
for the French speaking candidates. It is also organising workshops and
lectures and collaborates more and more with its Dutch speaking counterpart.
Training Programs
Master in Music Therapy at the ‘College of Science and Art’, campus
Lemmensinstituut in Leuven (Association with the Katholieke
Universiteit Leuven).
Since 1993 the College has offered a training course leading to a
Master’s Degree in Music Therapy. This full-time education takes 5 years and
is organised in cooperation with the University of Leuven. It is the only
official training for music therapists in Belgium, recognised by the
government.
The Lemmensinstituut is a conservatoire with a very high
reputation and level of training for performing musicians, composition, art
of speech, pedagogy of music and music therapy. The Bachelor students in
music therapy are required to have a good knowledge of music and good
musical skills. The general musical atmosphere and the presence of leading
musicians creates the opportunity for the students to take courses with
famous performers and music specialists.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ART LEMMENSINSTITUUT LEUVEN
Master of Music Therapy
in collaboration with KULeuven (the Catholic University of LEUVEN)
Entry requirements
Higher education certificate.
Entrance exam consisting of a music exam and interviews. Special attention
paid to personal motivation and psychosocial skills. Only 10 students are
accepted.
Candidates are requested to spend a month in a psychiatric or similar
institution to familiarise themselves with the clinical situation.
Duration of Studies
5 years: 3 Bachelor and 2 Master.
Course Content
The Bachelor years provide a broad basic training. The
development of the artist is especially accentuated, which enables the
future music therapist to speak through and to fully understand the language
of music. From the third year onwards the accent is put on the use of music
in a clinical and therapeutic context.
During the Master years there is a harmonious balance between music
and psychotherapy. Specific music therapy and psychotherapy courses are
taught at the Lemmensinstituut, while the more general theoretical
courses are given at the University of Leuven.
It is mandatory that the students engage in a minimum of two years
individual therapy and two years of group therapy.
Because it is a lateral process only 10 candidates are admitted per
year.
The practicum’s during the last two years (9 months in the 5th year)
take place in the University Centre St.-Jozef in Kortenberg. This Centre
with a very long tradition in the practise of the Arts Therapies, has a
department for music therapy with educational facilities and has qualified
music therapists who provide weekly supervision.
The program concludes with a Master’s thesis.
Courses:
Theory of Music Therapy : Bases and Principles of Music
Therapy. History of Music Therapy. Music Therapy in psychiatry. Music
Therapy in child psychiatry. Orthoagogic music practice. Theory of
methodological work (observation, assessment, diagnosis, treatment plan,
evaluation). Research methodology.
Music Therapeutic Methods: General basic techniques and
methods of active Music Therapy.
Study of Clinical Therapy
Study of case material (with case-description and
presentation)
Literature search seminars.
Project learning: Four times a year a visiting professor
from abroad is invited to give workshops and seminars during one week on
specific topics (i.e. group dynamics, autism, musical improvisation,
different music therapeutic models).
Music Studies: Improvisation: piano, guitar, percussion,
voice and another melodic instrument individually and in group. Clinical
application of music in Music Therapy. Instrumental/vocal skills. Monodic
instrument. Song and choir. Keyboard musicianship. Psychology of music.
Music and society. History of art and music. Composition. Practical and
theoretical harmony. Musical analysis. Music and movement. Philosophy of
music.
Medical and related studies: psychiatry and psychopathology,
orthopedagogy, child psychiatry, models of psychotherapy, general and
developmental psychology, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, deontology/ethics,
institutional psychotherapy, organisation of health and welfare, clinical
practice, supervision.
Assessment:
Annual exams. At the end of the fifth year the
student should prepare a final thesis which s/he will present to a board of
examiners. This thesis includes a theoretical as well as a connected
practical section.
Course Philosophy
Psychoanalytically informed.
Contact address
Jos De Backer / Jan van Camp (coordinators)
Hogeschool voor Wetenschap en Kunst
Lemmensinstituut Leuven
Afdeling muziektherapie
Herestraat 53
B - 3000 Leuven
BELGIUM
Tel: 0032 16/ 23 39 67
Fax: 0032 16/ 22 24 77
e-mail: jan.van.camp@uc-kortenberg.be