Music, considered the language of the soul by music masters, is at the very center of the healing approach to therapy called the "Bonny method of Guided Imagery and Music" (GIM).It is essentially an uncovering process used as an experiential therapy for individuals and groups.
The hallmark of this approach is that the flow of imagery is spontaneous. It unfolds in it's own time and way and depends upon the skilled intervention of a trained guide and uses specially designed classical music programs. It is a direct opposite to imaginary techniques which utilize visualization for a desired outcome or goal, such as relaxing at the beach, or shrinking a cancerous tumor.
In GIM, clients are encouraged to be their own healers and to discover their own answers. The GIM approach draws upon such qualities as intuition, "presence", and specialized guiding skills to help with problem-solving. The GIM guide artfully leads clients to their own insights and aha's!
GIM began in the early 1970s, with Helen L. Bonny, Ph.D., a music therapists and Research Fellow. She was invited to participate with a team of renowned researchers who were developing a new therapy intervention. Her role was to design special music programs to amplify and complement the action of the new drug.
The researchers reported music's effectiveness in the following ways : facilitating the release of intense emotion; directing and structuring the experience; providing a sense of continuity in a state of timelessness; and contributing toward the desired peak of experience.
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