Use of music videos in the treatment of complex trauma

Abstract

A single case study is presented of an 11-year-old biracial female residing in foster care. The client was referred for a history of pervasive and complex developmental trauma and was seen in the context of community-based psychological services for approximately one year. In addition to the provision of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), the utilization of music videos proved uniquely effective in the delivery of psychoeducation, emotion identification and regulation, and ultimate creation of the trauma narrative. As trauma-informed arts-based therapies rise in popularity, this case study examines some advantages and special considerations for the use of music videos in the treatment of complex developmental trauma.  Keywords: Music, Complex Trauma, Emotion Regulation, Music Videos