Supervision in Music Therapy

This position paper aims to raise awareness among both students in training and professional music therapists about the need to integrate a parallel and ongoing process of supervision. The importance of supervision lies both in the evaluation of therapeutic processes and in the care of the therapist, who is exposed to emotionally demanding situations and critical events while supporting the people they accompany. Supervision thus becomes a key tool for protecting both the therapist and the clients. According to Forinash (2001), supervision contributes to the ongoing development of supervisees, supporting their growth into competent professionals. First, the evolution of supervision in psychotherapy is examined; this is followed by an exploration of the historical development of supervision in music therapy. The wide range of supervision approaches and strategies is highlighted, as they differ significantly from one another and can, at times, even appear contradictory. This methodological diversity allows for the selection of a supervision model that best aligns with individual needs and preferences. Based on this, a supervision model grounded in the relational psychoanalytic perspective is delineated. This approach involves the combined use of verbal processing and music as a strategy to avoid possible confusion in certain processes that may arise when music is used on its own, with the aim of exploring the person’s inner life and supporting their development.