Exploring a therapeutic songwriting program with three people experiencing homelessness and their communities through a cross case analysis

Abstract

The experience of homelessness is multidimensional, including joys and challenges. Service organizations predominantly “help” people experiencing homelessness, propagating hegemonic discourses and oppressive practices around homelessness. Music therapy literature regarding homelessness is scant, mostly exploring the role music therapy plays in meeting psychosocial goals. Minimal research exists that explores the role of music therapy in meeting people in strength, and challenging dominant perspectives around homelessness. Addressing this gap, I conducted a qualitative cross-case analysis to explore engagement in therapeutic songwriting with people experiencing homelessness and their communities. Three male adults experiencing homelessness engaged in a six-week individual therapeutic songwriting program, including writing, recording, and sharing an original song with audience participants. Songwriting participants completed two semi-structured interviews and audience participants completed reflections through email survey. Songwriting participants demonstrated agency during the songwriting program and assigned importance to developing the therapeutic relationship, expanding a relationship with music, and identifying future possibilities. Mutual giving and receiving were integral to the song sharing events, and audience participants responded with empathy and shifted their perspectives. A potentially harmful aspect of the therapeutic songwriting program was the development of unrealistic future expectations. Recommendations and clinical implications are discussed.