The reflective practitioner

This chapter will consider different elements of reflective practice with a focus on the trainee’s learning about self-care and the centrality of music as part of this. Reflective practice is a stance or approach taken to the role of music therapist that will be adjusted and developed throughout the career of the music therapist. It is important for the provision of a high quality service but also for sustainability, for both individual practitioners and the profession. In this chapter, sections on self-care and resilience will make use of existing literature on therapist burn out and will also draw on interviews from trainers and graduates. The place of supervision, reflective practice and experiential work on training (such as personal therapy and experiential groups) will be explored.