Thesis

Pilot Program: What is Your Song?

Finding Your Voice, Authenticity and Calling within the Soundtrack of Your

Life

Jodi L Mathieu

In partial fulfillment of Self-Designed Masters of Arts Degree

The Power of Music as guidance tool toward Personal Mastery

May, 2012

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Team members:

Dr. Louise Montello

Dr. Louise Pascale, core

Dr. Nancy Waring, core faculty

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Dedication

A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it

has a song.

~ Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (p. 290)

Inside every one of us is a song waiting to be discovered. This

song is of our history, our present and our future. It is a

telling of our essence. In unearthing and writing this song, we

share our innermost selves and declare our right to live by its

intuitive power.

To my son and the strong wise women on my Lesley team, thank you.

I have been truly blessed!

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Abstract

This project stems from the author’s personal reflection and

discovery of the power of music as a guiding tool for self-

discovery. It includes a rationale for an expressive song-based

group coaching modality to foster interpersonal/intrapersonal

growth of participants. The paper describes the newly designed

program, “What is Your Song?”” facilitated in a six hour one-day

workshop at Lesley University. The program explores the

utilization of music, specifically song lyrics, as an integrative

tool for healing, self-realization, and personal calling grounded

on Jack Mezirow’s transformative learning principles: changes in

understanding self, changes in belief systems, and changes in

lifestyle.

Also included is a power point presentation outlining the

workshop’s curriculum, three steps of transformation, exercises

and tasks to facilitate the expressive experiential learning

during workshop presentation. Lastly, the paper contains

process/learning flow illustrations, appendices of permission

forms, pre and post workshop questionnaires, the facilitator’s

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notes used for presentation, and references to all cited

material. The data was collected through pre and post workshop

questionnaires, observation, group discussions, audio recordings,

and post workshop follow up. The conclusion offers

recommendations and next steps for interdisciplinary applications

of the program.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Introduction Page 5

a. Purpose and Intent

b. How to read this paper

c. Personal connection to this work

Chapter Two: Rationale & Research conducted Page 10

a. Definitions

b. Literature Review

Chapter Three: Workshop and Pilot program Page 20

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a. Participants

b. Objectives

c. Curriculum

d. Workshop Process

e. Tasks and Exercises

f. Data Collection

Chapter Four: Results Page 33

a. Observations

b. Recommendations

c. Conclusions

Chapter Five: Next Steps Page 43

Pilot Program: What is Your Song?

Finding Your Voice, Authenticity and Calling within the Soundtrack of Your

Life

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Chapter One: Introduction

Purpose and Intent of Paper

I believe that music can shape, invoke feelings, guide, and

inspire change and healing for all of us. The soundtrack to our

lives is not just background noise; it is an interactive playlist

we search out and resonate toward, synchronizing with our true

authentic natures and fostering community, validation,

connection, and personal empowerment. “What is Your Song” (WIYS)

is a pilot program I designed that attempts this integration,

utilizing the power of music as the change agent.

The purpose and intent of this paper is to reflect upon the

conception, construction, and workshop launch of my project,

“What is Your Song?” pilot program. It is also to share my

personal experiences with the power of music, and ponder the

questions, “Do others use music in similar ways?” and “Can music

be used as a guidance tool for empowerment and authenticity

towards personal mastery? Based upon personal experience,

literature reviews, experiential learnings, and empirical

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research, my theory is yes, music can be used as a personal

change agent.

The paper examines the literature that ties into one or more

of the steps of the pilot program’s transformative process. I

will lay out the curriculum, three learning steps, objectives,

tasks and exercises of the pilot program’s workshop launch.

This pilot program is based upon the foundational critical

thinking principals of transformative learning laid out by Jack

Mezirow in Perspective Transformation (1978). Mezirow states

there are three dimensions of transformation in personal

development: psychological: changes in understanding of the self;

convictional: revision of belief systems; and behavioral: changes in

lifestyle. Each arm of the transformative triad correlates with

the three steps in the WIYS learning process: Listen,

Inquire/Cognitive Restructuring, and Re-write. The illustration

below outlines the process from step title to purpose step to

transformative learning paradigm.

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Illustration 1- Illustrated rendition of Jack Mezirow’s

Dynamic Transformative Learning process (1978)

How to Read this Paper:

“What is Your Song?” (WIYS) paper/workshop project

reflects my personal experience. “What is Your Song?” is not

only a workshop, it is a transformational process; an invitation

into a way of knowing, seeing, and being. In this paper I will

introduce and use subjective terms like: song, personal calling,

intuition, finding your voice, authenticity, music as a tool, and

spirit. I will define these terms as I understand them and

integrate them into my life/work. This is the back bone of this

thesis project. It is my own subjective experience and personal

Psychological changeConvictional changeBehavioral change

Transformative

Learning

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understanding that shapes what I ask of the participants in the

workshop. The work of creating one’s song is intuitive,

particular, and helps shape participants’ interpersonal-

intrapersonal realities and interactions with the world. In

short, it is the subjectivity of definitions (truths) that

created this project and it is the participant’s truths that will

make it work for them.

One of my fundamental beliefs is the connection to nature

and how nature creates a model of a circular system of perfect

working order. It is one I wish to become more integrated with

as I work toward creating a balanced whole self as well as a

creating a new professional paradigm. Birds in particular, as

both real animals and as metaphysical symbols, are central to my

spiritual beliefs and work. You will find this paper peppered

with references to them as expressions of their songs, why they

sing when caged, and how they learn to fly again while learning

to heal after trauma. My work is poetic and lyrical in nature,

so you will find many poetic and lyrical references integrated

throughout.

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Personal Connection

Music found me at the age of 5, in the form of a 45 record

in a house filled with separate people living a family life. My

father had been drifting in and out of our lives, leaving my

mother to raise us four kids on her own. When he was there, he

was highly abusive to us all. We had moved several times in my

life already; there was no center or continuity I could trust. At

five years old, I was sad all the time and I didn’t know why. I

remember hearing a song of the time, “Consider the Children” by

Bonnie Owen, and I was amazed at this stranger’s ability to know

what I was feeling. No one else knew the pain and emptiness of my

plea to hear us children. My parents didn’t recognize our pain,

and we were too young to talk about it to each other. It seemed

to me that only this woman singing the song fully understood my

deep loneliness. Whenever I needed to feel that connection and

express the inarticulate pain, I would put that 45 on the record

player and instantly feel a release of emotions. I found a quote

many years later from Maya Angelou in her book, Gather Together in My

Name, that described what finding that musical piece was to me,

“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the

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notes and curl my back to loneliness” (Angelou, 1974, p.15). I

didn’t know it then, but the relationship I had with this

singer’s words forged a coping/guidance mechanism for the rest of

my life.

The details differ and the singer or the message I needed to

hear/find or express changed as my interaction with the world

changed, but all through my life the above scene played itself

out again and again. It is through music and lyrics of songs that

seemingly came out of nowhere, that aided my

interpersonal/intrapersonal development. Music, specifically

the lyrics, helped me connect to others, express the pain or

questions in my heart, and feel powerful, because I finally had a

voice. As Terry Pettijohn once said, “Songs allow us to

communicate emotions, tell stories, and even express opinions and

attitudes” (2009). Sometimes my family and friends would

communicate with each other with music, sharing the wisdom of a

set of lyrics or discussing how important the words were to a

particular event or person in our lives. Since I was a teenager,

I would send mix tapes (now CD’s) to help family friends deal

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with the death of loved ones, understand/reflect on personal

issues and gain new insights. .

The inception of “What is Your Song?” as a workshop came to

me several years ago when I was stuck in a job where I gave away

pieces of my authenticity and my power every day. My work and

daily life/beliefs were at opposite ends of a line driven

straight through an intended holistic circular system. So, what

started as an individual internal draw to music to help express

feelings, has opened doors to stories, research, and a new

paradigms of thinking about the universality of music’s power.

Music marks loves, hates, identity, questions of purpose,

questions of existence, declarations of war, and cries for peace,

and more.

Music is a tool used to understand our world around us and

our place in it. My work at Lesley, including the thesis

project’s inception, has been a way of connecting that individual

internal attraction to a universal tether to all of mankind.

Music is a reflection of an individual’s personality (Rentfrow &

Gosling, 2003), and representative of their attitudes, beliefs

and what they value (Austin, 1993 & Levitin 2008). My thesis

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project bridges the gap between a drifting individual searching

for connection to a grounded methodology of healing for others.

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Chapter Two: Definitions and Literature Review/Rationale

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you

really love.”

Rumi (Barks & Green, 1997, p. 21)

Definitions

Song: The natural order of all things living is vibration.

Everything in our universe vibrates to its own frequency.

Everything, living or not has its own pulse. These vibrations

can be heard as unique songs or collection of sounds emanating

from each object or being. The flitting spring time song of the

robin outside my window is far different than the cawing of the

seagull overhead. We may not normally associate these vibrations

as songs, in the strictest of terms. I offer songs are the unique

vibrational essence of self of purposefulness and place.

Calling: in his book of the same name, Gregg Levoy (1997)

describes a calling as follows: in form of sounds-precede prayer,

rites of initiation, spiritual healings and major life events.

The purpose of a call is to beckon or summon someone away from

their daily life to a new level of awareness, into a sacred frame

of mind, into communion with that which is bigger than themselves

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(Levoy, 1997). The call comes in the many forms, but it is either

asking us to do something, or be something we know in our heart

we desire.

Authenticity: your essence, the degree to which one is true

to one's own personality, spirit, or character, Authenticity

refers to the attempt to live one's life according to the needs

of one's inner being, rather than the demands of society or one's

early conditioning (Wood, et al 2008). It is my belief that

authenticity is our own personal moral compass, a code of

conduct, based on open-mindedness, willingness and honesty, love,

compassion and sharing- regardless of spiritual/religious

beliefs. It is the degree to which one courageously lives his/her

true north, letting other’s live theirs, and be responsible to

the collectively of all beings. When we are more in touch with

our authentic selves, we can then proclaim our purpose, our

life’s passion… our calling. When we are whole, we can sing loud

with a strong sense of identity and communicate, by saying, “This

is who I am; this is where I stand…this is my song!”

Resonance and entrainment: Our “inner music” seeks to

entrain with our individual “outer music.” We experience to bring

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awareness, lessons, growth and healing (Montello, 2002). Like the

tuning fork that resonates to other tuning forks, our life’s

energy vibrates in harmony with the musical tuning forks of what

is important to us. As a matter of fact, it is more of an

entrainment, an active seeking of that vibrational likeness. As

Mathieu states, “Resonance is an answer coming from the unknown,

a confirmation of order” (1991, p. 44). Specifically when our

minds, bodies or spirit are in dissonance or disharmony, this

active search is mindful. As Mathieu puts it powerfully, “It

bridges the phenomenal world and the world within, things and

their essences, student and teachers, teachers and what is

taught.” (1991, p.44).

Essential Musical Intelligence (EMI): at the very epicenter

of musicality’s ability to change and create a higher

consciousness is Dr. Montello’s Essential Musical Intelligence.

According to Montello (2002), EMI is the mind, body, and spirit’s

trifold of support and development processing. It is our own

instinctual connection to the power of music as a language of the

mind. Having intuitively known my own internal draw to music as

a guidance tool, it only made sense to significantly incorporate

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Dr. Montello’s work into the foundational platform building of my

of transformative learning program.

The following are the self-reflective process steps that aid

in the wholeness creating use of EMI:

1) Witness- identify the problem/issue or root cause of

being stuck

2) Awareness - remember and trust in your EMI and that you

are safe no matter what. The trauma of event is in the

past, and through your EMI the pain/fear can be walked

through safely.

3) Ask for help- tap into your EMI. Call on the

music/sound/lyrics that can transform the fear/horror

and everyday pain into empowerment and growth.

4) Connect with center of creativity- in Yoga science there

are seven energy centers in our body called Chakras.

Chakra means wheel in the language of Sanskrit. All

consciousness is lived and expressed through these seven

energy centers that run the length of the spine and

represent important nerve axis. The throat charka is the

center of truth, communication and creativity. It is the

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bridge between the bottom (more instinctual/animalistic)

and the top (ethereal/higher conscious) chakras.

5) Express yourself- Allow yourself to express your pain,

horror, trauma, fear and even hopes, desires and what

you longed for. Solutions will come through once

permission is given to self to let go. Performance and

perfectionistic beliefs will lose their hold on us to

allow more authentic fuller expression.

6) Give thanks- EMI is a gift of our body, mind and spirit

that is both teacher and student for development, growth

and healing. We give thanks for this innate ability, and

by expressing gratitude allow a connection with our

higher self. (Montello, 2002, p. 24-26).

Spirit: In her book, Authentic Voices, Authentic Singing: A Multicultural

Approach to Vocal Music Therapy, Sylka Uhlig shares her profound

experience with music: “It has allowed me to consider that magic

and spirituality were simply ways of discovering deeper levels of

consciousness” (2006, p.3) Uhlig reflects upon the concept of

higher consciousness on a very personal level. “Magic and

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spirituality were not strange words any more, but perceptible in

my own body and tangible for me through my voice (2006, p.3).

The spirit or what Carl Jung called the “collective

unconscious” has shared music from time immemorial. According to

Levitin, there has almost never been a time or culture that has

not had musical instruments (2006). Entrainment is the

purposeful energetic pull of things towards another. The spirit

purposefully entrains to music as a way connecting its separated

self toward the collective unconscious of every other living

thing. Music can be used in this energetic calling together. EMI

is the functioning process of that calling. Without conscious

awareness, our spiritual entrainment attracts music to our spirit

in search of needed for balance, harmony and order.

Signal Song: In Native American traditions, music is used in

ceremonies marking a coming of age, bounty, war, and oral history

(Schuon, 1983). Songs of particular importance and come at a

time when an individual needs messaging most are called signal

songs. I first heard this term used in my “Introduction to

Music/Voice Therapy” (GEXTH-6206.02) course at Lesley. One of

the girls in the class was of Native American decent and she

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shared the term with us. I immediately knew in my soul I had been

sent these types of songs many times before and now had a term

for them. The songs guide us towards what we know in our heart

and intuition, as the path or right way to go. Signal songs are a

calling from the spirit towards answering one’s vision question.

The music that helps us get through our day is the music that can

help us through our life. If we listen, we hear these calls in

our daily music. Like a needle getting stuck in a groove on a

record or phonograph, these calls will continue to play the same

tune unless there is action/intervention that moves the needle.

Coaching: is a socratic method of learning where the coach

facilitates the learner to discover answers and new ways of being

based on their values, preferences and unique perspective. (ICF,

2012) The coaching industry is built upon the foundation

principle that the client (participant) has all the answers they

need inside of them. The coach is the facilitator of the process

through which self-discovery, transformation and goal reaching is

achieved.

Group coaching is done with one or more participants. Each

individual is held to the principles and above approaches while

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also participating in group exercises. These specially selected

experiential learning opportunities build trust, cyclical

feedback, and intimate relationships/compassion in bearing

witness to the transformative growth of the other members of the

group (Montello, 1992).

Literature Review/Rationale

Music is the fluid language of emotions and feelings. Mind

is the seat of emotional processing. Oliver Sacks shares this

sentiment, “Music, uniquely among the arts, is both completely

abstract and profoundly emotional. It has no power to represent

anything particular or external, but it has a unique power to

express inner states or feeling” (2007, p.329). As such, music is

the language of feelings and emotions, and speaks directly to

this emotional processing center for development, growth, and

change.

Karen Lindberg (1995) proposes creating lyrics and composing

music as a way to break through the walls of defense mechanisms,

increase self-expression, and serve as a coping mechanism for the

at times overwhelming feelings that envelope and consume us

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(1995). This concept of empowerment is further discussed in Randi

Rolvsjord’s article, “Therapy as Empowerment: Clinical and

Political Implications of Empowerment Philosophy in Mental Health

Practices of Music Therapy.” Therapy is not only about curing

illness or solving conflicts and problems; it is also about

nurturing and developing strengths and potentials. In the song

by the Beatles, the blackbird experiences his ability to fly even

though his wings are hurt. And he discovers that he has the

ability to see even though his eyes are not perfect. On a

metaphorical level, however, this song depicts very well the

process of therapy as empowerment. There is a change in

perspective and internal empowerment beyond the suffering, beyond

the physical or emotional setback (2004).

It is through such understanding that the mind can transform

its current reality through the process of awareness of its

responsive ability. The mind is aware of the mind, and through

this awareness, has the ability to recognize its need to change.

Our beliefs, feelings, emotions, longings, and desires become

patterned and categorically filed into the brain centers through

the firings of the neurotransmitters (Levitin, 2006; Sacks,

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2007). It is known that our thinking and emotional attachments

to thoughts, beliefs, emotions can be re-patterned to effectively

change the physiological mapping of the neurotransmitters

(Levitin, 2006; Sacks, 2007; Antz, & Vincent, 2004). Our brains,

states Levitin, are “changing its mind” and updating their

opinions all the time (2006, p. 89). There are many

physiological, elemental, psychological, and an evolutionary

reason for our desires and needs for change.

Our mind is one of the most powerful tools; it is how we

shape our reality (Levitin, 2006; Sacks, 2007) Mind is how we

make sense of the information of this world, our place in it, the

other inhabitants, animals, places and things. Mind also consists

of our desires, fears, longings, and awareness of our emotional

and mental development (Sacks, 2007). It is the mind’s capacity

for consciousness of feelings, beliefs, patterns and such that

make it such a transformational powerhouse. Mind is our

consciousness of our existence, and sentience. According to

Montello, “In essence, your mind is the vehicle through which you

create your world” (2002, p.87). Cognitive restructuring can show

the individual certain attachments that could be hindering

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development and growth such as: writing that book, starting that

new job, starting a new relationship, ending an old relationship,

or even skydiving.

The witness-bearing mind, in order to change its pattering,

“must be willing to turn inward and systematically observe

thoughts, feelings, perceptions, beliefs and attitudes,”

(Montello, 2002, p. 89). Montello goes on to say, “Emotions are

energy according; they can’t be created or destroyed” (2011). At

the heart of music is the expression of those feelings, emotions

and cycling energies. The entire range of emotions and feelings

can be safely expressed through music. The witness- bearing mind

can be transformed by observing thoughts and behaviors,

evaluating them and making a conscious decision to change (Antz,

2004; Austin, 1998; Lindberge, & Montello, 2002; Mathieu, 1991;

Mott, 1921; Rolysjord, 2004; Uhlig, 2006).

According to Levitin, "Understanding why we like music and

what draws us to it is a window on the essence of human nature"

(2006, p.7). Through the holistic integrated approach, we find

our authentic selves. Our essence is our authenticity; it is who

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we are at the core beyond the dysfunctions, oppression, or

hereditary beliefs systems. Beyond our fears, we can listen to

our own intuition; live by our own codes of honor, learn to say

no, without guilt, and practice emotional intelligence. We can

live and dream fearlessly without giving our power away to

others. Living this way is a manifestation of what we already

know in our heart (Levoy, 1997; Kerber, 2004).

Like many forms of art, singing, says Uhlig “can connect

those levels-body, mind and spirit and emotion- providing an

integrative process of becoming whole (2006, p.3). Wholeness or

the act of becoming whole must start with the awareness that

something is in fact separate. We have seen above how we operate

out of a belief that the brain/body, mind and spirit are three

separate distinct systems. They are, in fact, three sides or

dimensions of the entirety of being human. But most western

medicines, beliefs, products and services are geared towards the

functioning or the dysfunctioning of one dimension at a time,

with little or no regard to the connection or interconnection of

the three. Music is a form that works towards and for the

interconnection of body, mind and spirit. It has the universal

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power of unity, integration and amalgamation. Music has been used

as a therapeutic tool before there was a formal approach called

music/expressive therapies. As Daniel Levitin says, music was

with us before we had a name for it (2002).

Therapist, shamans, coaches, and other holistic healers,

have intuitively used our whole-person connection to music as a

dynamic process of unearthing the inner music of the client. I

have had the wondrous experience of working, interviewing and

connecting with several healers: Dr. Montello, Sarah Pirtle, and

Robin Lane. Each one of these women has an ongoing interactive

practice of using music and the participant’s connection to their

own personal playlists/soundtracks. Each of these women has

formatted their professional processes differently, with

music/song as the common denominator. Dr. Montello is a clinical

psychologist and music therapist, jazz singer and world renowned

lecturer on the subject of EMI. Sarah Pirtle is a singer-

songwriter/ and activist who has used folk music as a means of

teaching anti-bullying, empowerment songwriting, and song-circles

for over thirty years. Robin Lane is also a singer-songwriter

who used to sing with the band Robin Lane and the Chartbusters

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and is now the creator of Songbird Sings, a weekly song circle

venue for women recovering from domestic and sexual abuse.

Songwriting has been the catalyst for each of these women on

a personal level to work through their own issues into personal

empowerment, authenticity, and calling. In an interview I

conducted with Dr. Montello on August 18, 2011 in connection with

a tri-level apprenticeship training I experienced, I asked her a

question regarding her personal use/practice with EMI on a daily

basis. She said, “It links my desires, decisions, life activity

and intelligence with the voice of my soul and brings greater

levels of trust, security prosperity and joy into my daily life.”

In the interview, I asked her about her exploration and about the

link between music and our higher selves. Dr. Montello shared

this insight: “The Divine speaks to us through metaphors,

symbols, archetypes – music being closest to pure consciousness

according to great sages throughout the ages.”

I also had the gift of conducting an email and phone

interview with Robin. She shared these heartfelt words of her

own songwriting journey. “Songwriting literally saved my life.

If I hadn’t had music in my life, particularly songwriting, to

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propel me out of insecurity and low self-esteem stemming from

trauma history, I think I would have been lost to the world. She

talked about being lost most of her life and walking a never

ending journey until, “it became clear what I had always been

seeking through songwriting... connection true connection and

coming back home to the self.” During the interview, I also

asked if Robin if she ever felt resistance to digging up some of

the feelings that might want to stay buried. She said she had

experienced that many times when she didn’t know if what she was

saying in her songs was poetic enough or had already been said.

But, that sometimes she just had to push through those thoughts

and allow herself to believe that “just the cathartic expression

of what I was resisting, getting a chance to breath it in and out

in a melody I am singing, was good enough.” One last thing she

wanted to share with me in the interview was in response to a

question I asked earlier about describing an “ah hah” moment. She

came back to the question and shared this, “I had an ‘aha moment’

when I wrote a song a couple years ago. It's called "It All

Makes Sense." I didn't know what I was writing about at first,

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and then I realized I was writing about myself, giving me back my

voice, giving me what I thought I had lost.”

The interviews with both Robin and Dr. Montello helped link

the ethereal theories and research of the universal connection of

the power of music and higher power to an earthbound dimension of

humanity. The relationship between the other-worldliness of

academic and professional research had now taken a voice of

personal experience with women I know. This link, this

relationship building, and dimension of personal connection helps

me feel part of a larger order of healers. As a five year old

little girl, I had no idea there were other girls and boys that

connected, “plugged in,” as it were, to music in a way that

helped them make sense of their world. I may not know Daniel

Levitin, or Oliver Sacks, Diane Austin, Sylka Uhlig, and

countless others on a personal level, but, I understand music is

a way of knowing for them as well as Robin Lane, Dr. Montello and

me. Music as a medium of connection, healing and as a method of

expressing our deepest feelings, is omnipresent, encompassing and

very personal.

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Chapter Three: What is Your Song? Pilot Program Workshop

"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.

Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks

and invents."

Ludwig van Beethoven (Sullivan, 1927. P. 10)

Program Overview: What is, “What is Your Song?”

What is your song? is about finding your vocal and

metaphoric voice. It is also a process: a pilot program utilizing

our connection to music as a tool of self-discovery. It is a

system: a three step transformational learning paradigm combining

Essential Musical Intelligence, Cognitive Reframing and

Psychodynamic Writing Expression. It is also way of living;

integrating music as a dynamic intuitive tool that can connect

our sub-conscious to our conscious and result in increased

personal empowerment, decreased fear, and stronger

interpersonal/intrapersonal relationships.

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Illustration 2- Author created diagram outlining steps, purposes

and transformative learning

The title “What is Your Song?” is also a question that

informs each step of the program and its meaning for the

participants is dependent upon where in the process the question

is asked. In step one, participants are invited to answer the

phrase “what is the song” in the context of what you listen to

when, for example, you are sad, are happy, when you want to take

a long ride and clear your head, or when you grieve. In step two

the question is asking “what is your story?” What are your

thoughts and belief systems that make up your truth, your

reality, your present truth.. In step three the question is

asking what is your song? What is the song you want to write about

Lyrical LessonsDigging in the Dirt

Unwritten

Purpose of step: Listen

Transformational Outcome: Changes in understanding of the

self Purpose of step: Cognitive

Restructuring Transformational Outcome: Revision of belief systemsPurpose of step: life going forward

is unwrittenTransformational

Outcome: Change in lifestyle

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you? Do you want to re-write the present way you see your truth

now? What is your calling in the world?

Promotion of Workshop

I created the promotional flyer (please see Appendix 1) and

worked with the Continuing Education Department at Lesley to

distribute information about the workshop. The distribution list

targeted current students, alumnae and faculty from each of our

Divisions in GSASS, along with individuals who have taken a class

or attended a conference through GSASS Continuing Education, as

well as individuals involved in expressive arts.

Participants

Seven people responded and registered for the workshop and

four people attended. They included academic staff from Lesley,

and students and practitioners who have attended continuing

education courses, or who have been attracted to the

music/expressive therapies work at Lesley. There were three women

and one man, whose real names are Kathy, Martha, Suzanne and

Jeff, respectively. Ages ranged from early to late 30’s to early

T H E S I S | 35

60’s. Three held Masters’ degrees; one was a licensed mental

health counselor and one had earned a doctorate. Occupations

included: expressive arts therapist, psychologist, associate

professor, independent consultant doing expressive projects, and

clinical social worker. At the beginning of workshop, I informed

them this was a workshop to showcase a pilot program, “What is

Your Song?” and it was also my thesis project. As professionals

in the healing fields, they were happy to experience the

learnings and to help shape the pilot program.

Workshop Structure

The workshop was held on Saturday, April 7, 2012 from 9:00

am to 3:00 pm with a 45 minute lunch break. Steps one and two of

the day’s learning activities were presented before lunch, and

step three was presented after lunch. The format for the day

went as follows: in the morning we did introductions, icebreaker,

four stages of listening exercise, step one: lyrical lessons

discussion and step two: digging in the dirt exercise. After

lunch we continued with the following format: step three:

unwritten “I am” exercise, musical self-statement and group

T H E S I S | 36

improvisation (Appendix 4). To assist the participant’s in

following along; I created a PowerPoint presentation and printed

out the slides which I provided in their packet which also

included a program overview, curriculum, definitions and steps

(Appendix 5).

Specific Objectives

What did I want the participants to come away with and

experience?

Learn the four levels of listening, focusing on the need for

intuitive listening. All four types of listening are

explained in detail in step one of program process

Increase understanding for music is a tool of self-

transformation and therapeutic modality

Understand the 3 stages of listening, inquiry/attachment,

and re-writing of thoughts with the help of song/music as

value based reflection tool

Recognize that the synchronicities in their life (place

names, thoughts, songs, music lyrics) are possible road

T H E S I S | 37

signs, or callings, leading them towards change, passions,

life purposes

Recognize their individual Essential Musical Intelligence

Learn concrete steps towards finding their voice through

toning and musical improvisation

Experience a relaxed, no pressure environment that can lead

to decreased tension in learning and increased trust to

create

Introduce the cognitive restructuring tool of “The Work” as

a powerful tool in cognitive reframing and questioning our

attachments to our thoughts.

Create building blocks towards claiming their authentic

self

o Participate in musical self-statement

o Create personalized affirmation song based on “I Am”

exercise

Workshop Process

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Illustration 2: Process Flow from step titles to change outcome

WIYS includes three steps created to encompass a dynamic and

integrated process of change. The title “What is Your Song?” is

also a question that was asked at each step in the program and

its meaning was dependent upon where the question was asked in

the process. In step one, the phrase is asking the participant

to consider “what is the song” you listen to when (fill in the

blank), i.e., you are sad, are happy, when you want to take a

long ride and clear your head, or when you grieve. In the second

step of the program, the question asks what is your story? What

are the attachments to your thoughts and beliefs that may keep

you from living an authentic life?

T H E S I S | 39

A week before the workshop, I sent the participants an

introductory email with the following requests/instructions that

I asked them to jot down answers to in a notebook and bring to

class:

Please think of 3-5 (or more if you have them) songs that

have been pivotal in your life and what they have meant to

you; write the song name (if you know it); specific lyric

passage or verse, and how it has impacted you.

Please think of 3 (or more if you have them) songs that you

just can't get out of your head--you know the ones that pop

up out of nowhere and you just keep singing/humming

And finally, if you have an instrument, please bring it. If

you don't have one, I will have several of different ones we

can play with.

S tep One: Listening stage: Lyrical Lessons: Raising awareness is the

first step into lyrical lessons. The participant’s playlist

(songs or lyrics they chose to bring in) hold a great deal of

information about how they understand and operate as “self.” The

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participant’s choice of music or lyrics they connect with contain

valuable information about what they value, current emotional

status, interpersonal/intrapersonal relationships themes,

possible limiting beliefs that may be impeding progress of any

kind. The transformative outcome of this step is changing the

understanding of self. This is achieved by raising awareness of

change in relationship with personal choices of music (or signal

songs that suddenly comes to them at time of need), and the

literal and symbolic nature of the message that the music brings

to participant.

Step Two: Inquiry/Cognitive Restructuring: Digging in the Dirt:

The title comes from a Peter Gabriel song, of the same name. The

premise of the song is the need to dig in the dirt and discover

what may be wrapped around our roots and what may be hidden, that

is keeping us from growing strong, becoming emotionally healthy

or becoming our authentic selves. This stage of the program is

based on non-judgmental questioning of our thoughts/belief and

inquiry into our attachments to those thoughts/belief. Revisions

of our belief systems are the transformative learning objective

during this step.

T H E S I S | 41

I chose to draw from and delve into the cognitive

restructuring process by using the “The Work” by Byron Katie. It

is a powerful tool that consists of four questions and an

opportunity to turn around thoughts. The facilitator asks the

participant to fill out a form that judges someone else or our

thoughts. The facilitator then mirrors the judgment/thought back

to the participant against these four questions:

Is it true?

Can you absolutely know that it's true?

How do you react, what happens, when you believe that

thought?

Who would you be without the thought?

The next instruction is to turn around the concept you are

questioning, and to find at least three specific, examples of

each turnaround (2008).

I have worked directly with Byron Katie on “The Work”

process in a nine-day day retreat and have also been part of a

video presentation she shares with others. Byron freely shares

“The Work,” and I have full permission to use these processes in

T H E S I S | 42

my work. “The Work,” as a tool, is an incredibly simple process

that cuts directly to the beliefs that inform our daily lives,

and our power to meet all those thoughts/beliefs with

understanding and love. As soon as those questioned thoughts are

thoroughly met with understanding and genuine caring, they often

leave us.

Step Three: Re-creating: Unwritten: At this stage of the

program the individual and group get in touch with the parts of

their stories that are still unwritten. They then have the

opportunity to write their stories in the way they want. Each

individual is given a safe space in which to write their song, a

poem, or create a drawing or in any way they want to express

whatever they feel needs to be said. This can be re-writing their

own lyrics over a song stuck in their head, or one we worked with

in the first and second stages. The expression may also come in

the form of a new song put to a familiar melody, or something

written entirely from their heart. “Unwritten” is also

metaphorical for all that has been left unwritten in the

individual’s life and can become a powerful song of personal

mastery. This portion of the pilot-program draws from the

T H E S I S | 43

practices of music therapy, psychodrama, and cognitive behavior

therapy.

Exercises and Tasks

Introductions: In this first stage of the program, I

introduced my study into the power of music to help as a guide

and as a change agent. I shared some personal stories of how

individual songs have helped me at critical times in my life. I

opened up the discussion to connect with the groups’ general

experience with music/songs as well.

Class introductions/Icebreaker: I asked participants to

share their name, what drew them to the workshop, and what they

hope to get out of it. I then asked them what the question “What

is Your Song?” brought to mind. Once the participants were done

with introductions, I asked them all to stand up and said we were

going to do an exercise to get the body and our sounds moving.

The one-at-a-time sound and movement exercise was fun, created a

lot of laughs, and relaxed us each enough to be silly around each

other. This opened up the participant’s capacity to trust each

T H E S I S | 44

other and start the process of musical improvisation

spontaneously.

Step one- Lyrical Lessons

Part one: Working with the four types of listening:

1) Inactive listening: The definition of this is the old

adage, “In one ear and out the other.” You hear the

words, but your mind is wandering and no communication

is taking place.

2) Selective listening: You hear only what you want to

hear. You hear some of the message and immediately

begin to formulate your reply or second guess the

speaker without waiting for the speaker to finish.

3) Active listening: You listen closely to content and

intent. What emotional meaning might the speaker be

giving you? You try to block out barriers to listening.

Most importantly, you are non-judgmental and

empathetic.

4) Intuitive listening: You tune into the inner guidance

available to you by understanding the language through

T H E S I S | 45

which your body/mind/heart and authenticity talk to you

daily. What is your gut feeling tell you? Are you

hearing it? Are you choosing not to hear it?

I had the four participants’ team up into two groups of two

and practice the first three types of learning, taking turns

being the listener and speaker. We then went over how it felt to

be both listener and speaker in regard to each type. The

listening exercise is a communication tool to raise awareness of

the differing types of listening, help the participants identify

the type category they use most, and realize how it feels when

another is not listening fully.

To facilitate intuitive listening, I told them a personal

story, and asked them to instinctively listen to what the

internal messaging their mind and body were conveying as to the

truth or fiction of story. By telling this benign humorous story

in which they didn’t have to listen for details to convey back or

directions to complete tasks, the participants were able to relax

into the act of listening with their body and mind. I could see

from their facial expressions that all of the participants were

actively listening to the story. They were all sitting forward

T H E S I S | 46

trying to hear the story, and watch my body language for clues to

check against their own internal processing for truth of story.

The story I made up was part reality and part fiction. After the

story, I asked them for feedback. All of them said, they thought

some of the story was real, but some parts of it just didn’t add

up. They couldn’t really tell which parts, but something just

didn’t feel right. Each time a falsehood or exaggeration was

given in the story, their bodies or facial expressions changed

slightly: shifting in seats, or flashing furrowed brows of

confusion or questioning.

To bring the intuitive listening to a more personal level, I

led them into a consciousness of breathing exercise. This

information is anecdotal evidence and is not intended as

scientific results in any way. But it goes a long way in

expressing the internal awareness and acuity of intuitive

processing. This exercise was designed so the participant could

fully engage in the act of intuitively listening to their

internal body/mind/spirit processing of information. The first

step towards authenticity is intuitively listening to the

powerful internal messaging of our own individual

T H E S I S | 47

body/mind/spirits. I posit we intuitively know our own inner

truths, passions and voice- but, the bombardment of external

messaging, measurements and authoritarian nature our culture,

have shifted the ownership of these truths. The more we learn to

listen to and decipher what our inner truths are saying about

external messaging, the closer we become shifting the power to

our own authenticity. Learning to listen to the music of the

moment helps us hear the hidden quiet songs of our self.

To further internally anchor the concept of intuitively

listening, I launched them into a consciousness breathing

exercise to internally anchor intuitive listening to the

messaging of the body and breath. This was to raise awareness to

get in touch with their body/mind/spirit though what their

breathing was saying to them.

Step One:

Part Two: What are your songs/lyrics saying to you? In this

exercise I asked them to take out their notebooks and talk about

the questions I asked in the email before workshop day.

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Step two-Digging in the Dirt

5) Limiting Beliefs

6) Cognitive Restructuring

7) The Work

Step three- Unwritten

8) “I Am” exercise

9) Musical self-statement

10) Group musical improve- jamming

Exercise: I am o (Foundation of writing first song)

Relax Close eyes Think about what Christmas/Chanukah means to you

or your best memory of past holiday time that brought you complete joy. Go to that point, immerse yourself in how it feels smells, wraps us with love

I see I hear I taste I smell I touch: I wanted to be a _____ when I grew up Name a roadblock that gets in your way of living

authentically The Universe is:

T H E S I S | 49

o When done, ask participants to Cross out I see… and fill in“I Am”

o Explain that “I AM” statements can be the basis for creating their own songs

o Ask for members to share their answers if they feel comfortable. Stand and Liberate song! Say it Out Loud!!

o Anyone want to share their experience of this exercise?

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Title of steps Lyrical Lessons Digging in the Dirt Un-W ritten

Purpose of Steps Listen Cognitive Refram ing//Inquire W rite (Re-W rite)

Objective Create understanding for m usic is a tool of self-transform ation and therapeutic m odality

Understand the 3 stages of listening, inquiry/attachm ent, and re-w riting of thoughts w ith the help of song/m usic as value based reflection tool

Create building blocks tow ards claim ing their authentic self

Learn the four levels of listening- practice intuitive listening skils

Exploration of Byron Katie’s “The W ork” as a pow erful tool in cognitive refram ing and questioning our attachm ents to our thoughts.

Learn concrete steps tow ards finding their voice through toning and m usical im provisation

Utilize song lyrics as tool of self-discovery

Recognize the synchronicities in their life (place nam es, thoughts, songs, m usic lyrics) are possible road signs are callings leading them tow ards change, passions, life purposes

Specific TasksGroup discussion- Tilicho Lake & Self Portrait

Identify concept/thought that is keeping us from our authenticity/self-acutalization

M usical self statem ent- im provisation

Relfect on 3-5 song lyrics participants brought into w orkshop

Bring concept/thought into the refram ing w ork of BK: 1) Is it true? 2) Can you aboslutly know it's true? 3) How do you react, w hat happens, w hen you believe that thought? 4) W ho w ould you be w ithout the thought?

Personalized affirm ation song- “I Am ” exercise

Transform ational Learning Outcom e

Changes in understanding of the self

Revision of belief system s: Questioning attachem ents to thoughts, certain power of those attachm ents loosen and open new perspectives

Changes in lifestyle: attitude, increased self em powerm ent,

W hat is Your Song? Detailed Process Flow Chart

T H E S I S | 51

Illustration 4: Detailed process flow from Title of Step though

objective, specific task/exercise, and expected transformative

outcome

Data Collection

The pilot program study was launched as a one day

introductory workshop. The data collected was reported

experiences of participating in this workshop focused on finding

their voice towards following their individual authenticity.

Data were also collected at the beginning and end of the

workshop. In addition, participants were asked to evaluate the

workshop for content, flow, what they learned, what exercise they

liked the most and why. Data was collected through a pre-workshop

questionnaire (Appendix 2), post- workshop questionnaire

(Appendix 6), observations, and group discussions. I also sent a

pre-workshop email asking each of them to do some homework

reflection. (Refer to page 23 for pre-workshop instructions.) I

then analyzed the data, looking for themes that arose and

evidence that showed whether or not participants in the

workshops, through the exploration of music, found their voice,

self-empowerment and authenticity.

T H E S I S | 52

ConfidentialityI informed the participant that all data they provided would

be dealt with anonymously. All information was collected from

questionnaires with the option for a participant to leave their

name blank if they chose to. Recordings of the workshop started

after the introduction portion of the audio collection (Appendix

3). Everyone agreed to be recorded and signed the

confidentiality forms.

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Chapter Four: Results/Observations/Recommendation and Conclusions

“Music helps you find the truths you must bring into the rest ofyour life.”

Alanis Morissette, Singer Songwriter (www.alanis.com)

Results

The results of the workshop are laid out in this chapter to

bring further clarification to the experiential nature of the

WIYS program, and reflect on the first hand observations and

comments from the participants. This information is reported

through the forum of pre and post workshop questionnaire results,

as well as my observations as facilitator. The chapter then

posits recommendations and conclusions for future workshops,

possible program applications and larger social uses.

Pre-workshop questionnaire: All four attending participants

completed the pre-workshop questionnaire. The results below are

quoted directly from this form and correspond to question numbers

asked. For purposes of sharing responses in regards to basic

questions/concepts of this workshop, I am focusing the pre-

workshop results from questions # 8, 9 and 11. The first two

questions have to do with the concepts of finding voice, and what

T H E S I S | 54

is your song respectively. The third question talks to reasons

for attendance of workshop.

I have chosen to directly quote each individual’s responses

with a brief analysis of the results. With the four participants

that attended, a cohesive group was formed with strong

connections to music and the process of “What is Your Song?”

workshop. Each voice was an intricate part of the day, the

learning process and recommendations for process changes.

# 8) What does the term, “Finding your Voice” mean to you: The comments

ranged from: Discovering & expressing your most confident,

passionate self; representing my emotions through song; authentic

expression to content, audience, occasion, across multiple media

and means of expression and one respondent was unsure.

# 9) When you hear the question, “What is Your Song?” what comes to mind:

The responses were: what song represents you best; what moves

you; what carries you through difficulty or conflict; what is

your passion; what motivates/propels you; what makes you feel

most connected, balanced and whole; finding songs that help me

understand express what is going on at a particular time; getting

back to composing; songs I write.

T H E S I S | 55

# 11) Reasons for attending the workshop: The reasons for attending

workshop were: it was recommended by a good friend; for fun and

spending time with friend; have long wanted to include music with

other means of creative expression and help others; learning more

about songwriting.

Post-Workshop questionnaire: All four attending participants

completed the post-workshop questionnaire, the results below are

quoted directly from the form the participant’s filled out and

each corresponds to a question number. For purposes of sharing

responses in regards to basic questions/concepts of this

workshop, I am focusing the post-workshop results from all the

open ended questions 8-17. These questions focus not only on the

specific experiences of the workshop, but reported & larger

potential social benefits, what the participants wanted to

see/experience more, which exercises were most impactful, in what

form did they think the program should be delivered to achieve

all objectives. The answers to these 11 questions are most

helpful in regards to reflection on process; possible amendment’s

to exercise and tasks as well as recommendations for future uses

of program.

T H E S I S | 56

8) Please describe any emotional/mental benefits you felt from this workshop

and the process of “What is Your Song”: other’s think musically; good to

share; more confident; more in tune with my authentic self;

confirmed my feelings that music can be used in new ways to self-

guidance understand stages in [sic]; rejuvenation, renewed sense

of connection to the power of music as a guide in my own life and

in my work with others; a more mindful approach to

conflict/difficulty (change my song/story and it makes it work

better for me).

9) Please describe any physical benefits you felt from this workshop and the

process of “What is Your Song”: Relaxation, warmth, ease of any tension;

laughter and connection helps me feel more alive and much more in

my body; breathing; physically relaxed; was relaxing and a nice

different form of sharing.

10) Please describe any spiritual benefits you felt from this workshop and the

process of “What is Your Song”: Reinforced great richness available

throughout the spectrum of lyrics and music;

connection/compassion; letting be to let go; opening up to the

interconnectedness in the universe; I’m not spiritual; not sure.

I will need to reflect on this one.

T H E S I S | 57

11) Can you see any larger social impact as a result of this

workshop/program?: Also, not sure about this one. Need time to

think about it; will feel freer to incorporate ideas into my own

and maybe collaboration; Yes, I personally see myself using this

in my work as a therapist and in my own expanding understanding

of mindfulness practice- how I integrate with others & take risks

every day; Yes, music helps coherence.

12) What would you have liked to have seen/experienced more of?

Connection between the steps. What is the relationship between

intuitive listening and cognitive restructuring?; Maybe a bit

more movement; more experiential and less discussion ( I tend to

talk a lot and want more to make more space for others); Byron

Katie’s work; not all exercise held together as part of a single

way of looking at things, but more sure the needed to.

13) What future form do you think this workshop would better benefit the

participant? Suggested forms: Weekly 1 hour sessions or Weekend Retreat: More

time; Weekly 1 hour sessions; either would be great, I would be

happy to help!; weekly 2 hour sessions (this respondent changed

the time from 1 hr. to 2 hrs.)

T H E S I S | 58

14) Which exercise had the most impact on you?: Discussion in a.m.;

creating your song; self-statement, jam session and poetry; the

four questions (checking my story) and the “I Am” songwriting

exercise.

15) What would you have liked to have spent more time on? Discussion in

a.m.; more time with instruments; how to integrate music into

life after I leave; actually writing/creating songs-

jamming/playing music.

16) In what ways, if any, can you use the process of “What is Your Song”?: Re-

tapping into my music; authentic song writing; bring intuitive

listening to choral music blending; write about music meaning in

life; one participant instructed me to (see above).

17) Would you recommend this workshop/program to others?: all

participants responded yes, they would recommend this to others.

18) Open comments: Thank you so much. This definitely was

affirming and challenging and exceeded my expectations! I would

like to know more about what you will be doing going forward

based on your work at Lesley.

Observations

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From the start to finish of the day’s workshop, the

participants were engaged with the material, the process and each

other. From their emails for registration and comments during

introductions, the group was in love with music and used its

power in their lives already. In some ways the day’s work felt

like I was preaching to the choir. Every participant sang,

composed, played an instrument or used music expression in their

work (or wanted to) already. On the other hand, because of this

clearly present passion, I didn’t have to spend any real time

convincing or “selling” the idea of music as a guidance tool.

Because of the group’’ ease with the subject matter and intimate

connection with the power of music, there was little to no

resistance or barriers to overcome in improvisation exercises.

During the introductions, there was an eagerness I observed

in all the participants, about having someone ask them to share

their connection or love of music. One participant, Kathy, spent

several minutes telling us she welcomed the idea of getting back

to her music, and integrating into a life-long dream of creating

home gardens with musical themes and components. Suzanne shared

that she worked in the expressive therapies field and used music

T H E S I S | 60

at times, but had felt she too had gotten too far away from music

for music’s sake and her love of performance. She also shared the

fact though she has performed many times in public, with many

prestigious groups/events; she had always felt an internal

resistance to sharing her “real” voice. Suzanne mentioned music

is the medium she used in her job as an expressive therapist, but

that she had gotten away from “her music”. She said she was

thankful for the opportunity to get this “space” for her. Martha

said she too had gotten away from writing her own songs and was

happy to be in a room where others connected to the musicality of

life. Jeff was a little less outwardly expressive, but still was

passionately connected to his music. He played in several bands

in his life, and loved the pick-up sessions that he and Suzanne

were connected with in the city area.

During the icebreaker improvisation exercise, the musical

self-statement and the group improve jam at the end of the day;

there were little or no barriers of entry. Every one of the

participants felt comfortable enough in their musical expression

while in this group/workshop session. I believe this is due in

part to the musicality of each of them individually, but also the

T H E S I S | 61

relaxed non-judgmental nature I fostered for the WIYS process. As

we all started the day out, I openly talked to the fact I was

scared and wanted to run away from this experience but, that was

fear-based thinking. I also connected a verse of one of the poems

(set to music) we were going to listen to later, a line from the

David Whyte’s Self Portrait poem says, “I want to know” (1992)

repeated several times. I shared I wanted to know this

experience and walk through the fear of doing it, more than I

wanted to know I stayed in fear.

The three exercises that I feel did challenge everyone to

some degree, were the ones they knew little about: art of

listening, Byron Katie’s “The Work” and the “I Am” experiences.

Negative aspects reported were similar to those reported in

previous questionnaires: lack of time, which hindered interaction

and, related to this, bad timekeeping. Most participants showed

up between 5 to 10 minutes late. The workshop didn’t start until

9:25 due to the fact two participants couldn’t print the pre-

workshop questionnaire before meeting and had to take time to

fill it out. I was also late coming back from lunch; the burger I

ordered came late and I couldn’t get it wrapped up. I came back

T H E S I S | 62

after lunch still trying to eat my lunch. I owned my tardiness

and apologized to group.

Another frequent comment was there was not enough

singing/improvisation time; they would have liked more time for

music creation. All the participants wanted more time

participating in the experiential learning tasks, such as musical

self-statements, musical improvisation and songwriting. One

respondent mentioned that I was lucky to have anyone attend at

all because it was held the day between Good Friday and Easter.

On the positive side, two respondents reemphasized the fun

experience during the workshop, and the good facilitation. One

respondent said. “The workshop exceeded her expectations; that

what she looks for in a workshop is part process lecture and part

challenging her way of thinking.” She went on to say, this

workshop was a great mix between those two components. One

respondent felt that the workshop illustrated how this workshop

came to those who needed it, and it was in fact, “meant to be”

that all four of those who participated were together to learn

this program.

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A further, unexpected (to the participants), dimension which

came out of the discussion, was the effect of connection with the

others in the group. A few of the members seemed surprised that

music seemed to be the only “connector” these people had in

common and it had drawn them all together in this group. One

participant’s reflection on his answer to pre-workshop question

about a time in life when music held a pivotal position was that

he “had been in a place of deep transition having moved back to

the states after living abroad for two years.” He was settling

into his new apartment and heard the “most beautiful lilting

voice” come from downstairs. He said it was “almost heavenly.” He

then went on to explain this voice was a wonderful centering

sound though his transition and he later introduced himself to

the singer downstairs and they were friends to this day. Matter

of fact, they were best of friends and were both participated in

the workshop together.

Recommendations

From this experience of the day, it is initially recommended

that future empirical research examines the direct and indirect

T H E S I S | 64

impact of the trifold transformational learning dynamic of the

program “What is Your Song?” I plan on following through with

this recommendation either on a formal academic basis if accepted

into the Transformative Studies PhD program at CIIS as well as on

a more informal research process of conducting more workshop

series. The feedback from the participants of the one day pilot

workshop provided unequivocal support for this program to

continue to grow. There are many possible developmental,

empowerment, healing, and social applications and uses for the

transformative process of this program.

I recommend that this pilot program be shared in longer

durations to study the reflective nature and personal development

of the transformational learning paradigm. It is recommended the

program be amended to fit several more long-term intensive

experiences: seven week revolving sessions of 1 to 2 hours each,

or a weekend retreat of two and half days. This recommendation

comes in part from direct feedback from participants and also in

part from reflection by the author. It is believed the

transformational learning work being experienced is reflective

and developmental in nature, and requires internal

T H E S I S | 65

reflection/processing time on participant’s part. This reflection

can take course between sessions, or if in a retreat setting with

designated reflection time/exercises.

Conclusion

Often times, people will listen to music and do not pay

attention to the lyrics. By carefully listening to the words of a

song, this music focused model allows people to identify more

accurately with their own thoughts, feelings, behaviors and

experiences in relation to themselves and others. Interpersonal

and intrapersonal relationships on every level: family, social,

work, love and intimate love can be enriched when individuals

intuitively listen to the lyrics of the important songs in their

lives.

In many ways, music focusing can be the impetus for breaking

away from the limiting beliefs and resulting self-defeating binds

and/or self-sabotaging behaviors which often times confronts the

progress of an individual’s fulfillment and authenticity. In this

way, music can allow for rethinking and expanding one’s approach

to the use of creative moments of solitude and self-absorption,

T H E S I S | 66

maximizing the potential and the expanding possibilities in one’s

personal lives. The process that is laid out in WIYS program can

be done on a daily basis or as a “musical check in” or in a more

in-depth formal systematic learning experience to heighten the

integration and become a way of knowing.

Thus, individuals who walk through a music-oriented focusing

process can begin to understand, internalize, and respond in a

significant way to their own inner truth as it relates to the

music and the lyrics they hear. They can respond to their

“musical child within” and feel the vibration of unconditional

love well through their inner being where the rhythmic flow,

emotion and movement is both effortless and natural (Montello,

2002; Schnebly-Black, 1997). Through song, music, poetry, drama

or writing stories, complemented with focusing and breathing

exercises, a pathway is offered by which one can become connected

to the trifold power source of body, mind and soul’s relationship

with the Divine.

In summary, the WIYS pilot program workshop launch was a

great success in the eyes of the participants and for me, as

facilitator. WIYS is a viable, easy to use system of using music

T H E S I S | 67

as the catalyst for transformative personal reflection, for

changing beliefs/thoughts and as a new way of understanding self.

By plunging into the depths of one's inner truth and uncover the

story that is often operated under a sense of heaviness or

burden, one can re-surface with a sense of awe, peace, joy,

gratitude, exuberance and fulfillment and re-write one’s own song

and connect with one’s own authenticity and the power of one’s

own voice. Campbell (1989) has referred to the powerfully-

inspiring and the deeply reaching power of music, light, sound

and tone as a means of enlarging one’s journey, by digging in the

dirt to the depths of what keeps us hiding, with the outcome of

laying the foundational work for expanding our journey,

empathizing with others and linking into the collective

unconscious of all humanity (1989).

“What is Your Song?” program launch was a success and

should continue to grow as a viable guidance tool for findings

one’s voice, authenticity and calling. With an honest reflection

of the process, challenges and incorporation of next steps, WIYS

program will become a powerful healing tool and aid many

individuals, groups and institutions find their voice!

T H E S I S | 68

"...in the spontaneous realization of the self, man unites

himself anew with the world, -with man, nature and himself."

Eric Fromm, (Fear of Freedom, 1942 p.225).

T H E S I S | 69

Chapter Five: Next Steps

The next steps for the “What is Your Song?” program are

directed towards the growth of the program, expansion of audience

targeting and facilitating several workshop series around the

North Shore and Boston area. Based on the experiences of the

participants and my observations, I will create strategies to

bridge learnings and exercises of steps one and two, keeping in

mind that I have the option of further exploring more work with

the participants’ theme or specific phrase as identified in

lyrical lessons, all of which break down attachments to thoughts

and limit beliefs.

I plan to research Bio-Spiritual- Music Focused- Energetics

(BSMFE) as well as incorporate more music focused breathing

exercises in regards to connecting the body/mind/soul experiences

of the program. This is all with the goal of integrating music

focused listening as a way of fortifying practice of holistic

healing and comprehensive transformative learning. The cognitive

restructuring process is a minds-eye approach to opening the

observance of our attachments to our thoughts and beliefs.

T H E S I S | 70

Inclusion in the WIYS process is intended as a foundational

process to then gateway the intuitive listening focus on what our

inner child’s music is telling us. With research into Bio-

Spirituality this mind’s-eye approach will eventually develop

into whole body/mind/spirit mindfulness integration.

I have applied to the Transformative Studies Ph.D. program

at California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) to deeper my

studies of the process/workability of full transformative change.

These studies will inform my work with WIYS and integrate

music/lyrics as a viable tool of systemic and deeply personal

change. Paralleling my studies at CIIS, I plan on connecting with

other San Francisco Bay area coaches, retreat centers, voice and

music therapist and facilitating ongoing WIYS workshop series.

Dr. Montello and I are also working on a bi-coastal partnership

to co-facilitate and further promote EMI, Performance Wellness

and “What is Your Song?” workshops.

T H E S I S | 71

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Appendix 1- Workshop Flyer

What is your Song? Finding your voice, authenticity and calling

within the soundtrack of your life

With Jodi Mathieu

DATE: Saturday, April 7, 2012 from 9:00am-3:00pm

LOCATION: University Hall Room 4-034, Porter Campus, Lesley

University (1815 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge)

COST: Event is free but please RSVP to Jodi Mathieu @

jmathie2@lesley.edu

DESCRIPTION: The Power of Music is both universal and individual

in nature. We intuitively plug into our music to express feelings

we can’t articulate, or questions we have about life, love, hate,

the world, war, etc. We all use music as commemorates to our

rites of passages, ceremonies, loves and grieving. Music is a way

of knowing. In this workshop we will explore our the power of

music/songs as a tool that hold the keys to many of our daily

questions: finding our voice, who we are, what we value, the

paths we want to take, what is holding us back, what pain and

fear keeps us from claiming our calling (passions) in life. What

is Your Song? is a heuristic approach of discovery built upon the

foundational practices of Music Therapy, Essential Musical

Intelligence (EMI) created by Dr. Louise Montello mixed with a

group coaching methodology. This is a total hands-on down-on-the-

floor workshop in which we will have fun with vocal and

T H E S I S | 81

instrumental improvisation, songwriting, and inquiry. No singing,

musical, or songwriting training needed- just come with an open

mind, an open heart and let music guide the way.

Jodi Mathieu, BS, MS, CLC, is a professional life coach

specializing in helping others discover the inner song of their

authenticity and calling. .

Appendix 2- Pre-Workshop Questionnaire

What is Your Song?April 7, 2012 @ Lesley University

Pre-Workshop Questionnaire

Name ______________

Email ____________________

Highest Grade completed _______________

Occupation/College Major ______________________________________

On a scale of 0-5 please circle the following questions/statements that best represents your answer most of thetime.

1) Music is a big part of my life:

T H E S I S | 82

0 1 2 3 4 5 2) Music helps me express my feelings:

0 1 2 3 4 5 3) I like figuring out the meaning of song lyrics:

0 1 2 3 4 5

4) I hear songs that match my emotions/needs (grieving, love, anger, joy, etc.):

  0 1 2 3 4 5

5) When I am confused about events in my life, music helps me find answers:

  0 1 2 3 4 5

6) Sometimes I hear songs I haven’t heard in a very long time, and I was just thinking about them:

0 1 2 3 4 5

7) I get songs stuck in my head, and wonder why:

0 1 2 3 4 5

8) What does the term, “Finding your Voice” mean to you? _________________________________

9) When you hear the question, “What is your Song”, what comes tomind?

T H E S I S | 83

10) What do you hope to get from this workshop? __________________

______________________________________________________________________

11) Reason for attending workshop? _______________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

12) While listening to songs, what are you drawn to more: music or lyrics?

13) What do you think when you hear the statement, “there are nocoincidences”? _____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

14) Have you attended self-help workshops before? If so, did youfind them helpful? ______________________________________________________________________

T H E S I S | 84

Appendix 3- Confidentiality Form

T H E S I S | 85

Appendix 4- Curriculum with Facilitator’s notes

Curriculum-Agenda (with facilitator’s notes) 6 hours

Introductions (lecture 10-15 mins)o Who I amo Personal connection to this worko What is Your Song as a thesis project for graduation o What the day will look like

What is EMI Is your innate ability to use music and sound as self-

reflecting, transformational tools to facilitate healingof the body, mind and spirit. (Montello, 2002

o Universal connection/tool for all people no matter what country, time period or belief system

o Connection between individuals, groups, countries, generations

o Forming identities o Motivator, protests to war & abuses, change agent, social

compasso Conveyer of feelings we sometimes can’t expresso Transformative and self-reflective tool that can help you

connect to your values and authenticity

Icebreaker: (15 mins)o Have participants sing their name, what they are doing

here, what they hope to get out of workshopo When you hear the phrase “What is Your Song?” what comes

to mind?

Step One –Lyrical Lessons: Intuitively Listening o 4 Levels of listening o Which do you do most often to others, to yourself-

intuition?

T H E S I S | 86

Breathing Exercise (5-7 mins)o Learning to get in touch with our body/mind/spirito Conscious breathing

Breathing is something we all do; it is a necessary involuntary mechanism of the body for us to stay alive.For the most part, that involuntary nature has put the awareness of our breathing into a rote state, we just don’t think of it. We are being breathed, we are not consciously breathing. Many of us are simply not aware we are not feeding our whole selves with the current shallow way we inhale and exhale our breath. Consciousbreathing draws our attention to how we are currently breathing, and without judgment, simply asks us to notice patterns. These patterns may be breath holding, uneven inhalations or exhalations, shallow top of lungsbreaths, etc.

Diaphragmatic breathing exercise:

o Sit or lie comfortably, with loose garmentso Put one hand on your chest and one on your stomacho Slowly inhale through your nose or through pursed lips (to

slow down the intake of breath)o As you inhale, push your belly/ stomach out and feel your

stomach expand with your hando Slowly exhale through pursed lips to regulate the release

of air while squeezing your stomach

Group discussion (10-15 mins)o Does anyone relate?

Music’s powero Did discussion stir up long forgotten songs? o Creating my voice, changing relationship with myself

T H E S I S | 87

Step Two: Digging in the Dirt

Step Three: “What is Your Song” (10-15 mins)

Group Exercise: o After we feel comfortable with our 1 line, grab an

instrument from the center of the tableo After a few minutes of getting comfortable with our

instrument, each of us is going to sing our 1 line of songo Refection of experience

Conscious breathing exercise repeated (5 mins) Short break (5-7 mins)

Exercise: I am (30-40 mins) o (Foundation of writing first song)

Relax Close eyes Think about what Christmas/Chanukah means to you

or your best memory of past Holiday time that brought you complete joy. Go to that point, immerse yourself in how it feels, smells, wraps uswith love

I see: I hear: I taste: I smell: I touch: I wanted to be a _____ when I grew up: Name a roadblock that gets in your way of living

authentically: The Universe is:

T H E S I S | 88

o When done, ask participants to Cross out I see… and fill in“I Am”

o Explain “I AM” statements can be basis for creating their own songs

o Ask for members to share their answers if they feel comfortable. Stand and Liberate song! Say it Loud!!

o Anyone want to share their experience of this exercise?

Reflection of workshop (5 mins)

Celebrate& thank group (2 mins) the sharing and courage of group. Thank them for participating and encourage them to singtheir songs every day!

T H E S I S | 89

Appendix 5-Workshop slide 1 – Entire PowerPoint presentation

submitted with Thesis Paper

T H E S I S | 90

Appendix 6- Post-Workshop Questionnaire

What is Your Song?

April 7, 2012 @ Lesley University

Post-Workshop Questionnaire

Name ______________ (choice)

On a scale of 0-5 please circle the following questions/statements that best represents your answer most of thetime.

15) “What is Your Song?” workshop was fun and relaxed.

0 1 2 3 4 5 16) I see the holistic benefits of intuitive listening:

0 1 2 3 4 5

17) The material was interesting and thought provoking:

0 1 2 3 4 5

18) I think about music/lyrics different now:

  0 1 2 3 4 5

19) When I am confused about events in my life, music helps me find answers:

  0 1 2 3 4 5

20) The workshops expanded my view regarding life’s synchronicities?

T H E S I S | 91

0 1 2 3 4 5

21) I get songs stuck in my head, and hope to use them as guidance tools:

0 1 2 3 4 5

22) Please describe any emotional/mental benefits you felt from this workshop and the process of “What is Your Song?______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

23) Please describe any physical benefits you felt from this workshop and the process of “What is Your Song?

24) Please describe any spiritual benefits you felt from this workshop and the process of “What is Your Song?__________________________________________________________________________

25) Can you see any larger social impact as a result of this workshop/program?

___________________________________________________________________________

26) What would you have liked to have seen/experienced more of? ______________________________________________________________________

T H E S I S | 92

___________________________________________________________________________

27) What future form do you think this workshop would better benefit the participant?

Weekly 1 hour sessions Weekend Retreat

Comment ______________________________________________________________________

28) Which exercise had the most impact on you? ___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

29) What would you have liked to have spent more time on?

30) In what ways, if any, can you use the process of “What is Your Song? _____________________

31) Would you recommend this workshop/program to others? __________________________________

32) Open comments: ____________________________________________________________________