Addressing Ableism: Engaging with Post-Ableist Music Therapy While Working with Disabled Adults in a Day Centre

This research involved the development of a critical arts-informed practitioner action research study to investigate how a student music therapist used emerging post-ableist ideas to inform their practice when working with intellectually disabled adults in a day-centre. Post-Ableist Music Therapy was developed by Carolyn Shaw in 2019 when exploring the experience of a music therapist living with a disability/illness. Post-ableist music therapy is an emerging framework and draws from disability studies and post-humanism. This research was conducted with three action cycles. Data sources included selected literature, researcher personal data and reflections on and examples of music therapy practice data. Songs and drawings developed during the research were also included as data. Findings from the research, which were analysed using thematic analysis principles, were as follows: The language used to describe direction, success, and goals in music therapy carried significance and contributed to ableist barriers. Shifting this language opened new meanings in music therapy and helped to re-shape the student practice. The placement/employment context in this study aligned with the values of PAMT and helped to facilitate a space where the music therapy student felt confident to engage with PAMT. The researcher examined their frame of reference and internalised ableism and found barriers within themselves. Understanding that internal oppression derived from external oppression meant they were able to move forward in their practice and research without shame and continue to address hidden ableism. Community and disability pride was found to counter ableism. Within a music therapy context this could be seen as valuing impairment as a resource. The researcher found the importance of hearing disabled voices, the Indigenous voices of Aotearoa, and their own voice in the engagement with PAMT. Future research using participatory methodologies and engaging with disability studies advocacy is recommended.