This study explored the interaction between persons and songs in therapy, and was described according to the ideas of Social Constructionism and the Narrative Approach (Freedman & Combs, 1996; Gergen, 1985, 1994; Hoyt, 1998). The meanings around songs and the therapist-client interaction were explored. A flowing process evolved that allowed for new ideas to become part of the therapeutic conversations (Anderson & Goolishian, 1988; Hoffman, 1994). The research was qualitative as befits the above-mentioned epistemology. Therapeutic conversations evolved with a single client, in which songs and music were used to explore her life story. An unstructured interview was conducted to explore the therapeutic process underlying the incorporation of songs in therapeutic conversations. The hermeneutic method of analysis was employed to identify themes and meanings that encompassed the research participant's life story as well as the therapeutic process in which songs were utilised to facilitate therapeutic dialogues. It was found that the themes elicited in this study reflected the themes discussed in the literature. The following themes underlying the therapeutic process of songs were identified: songs created an emotional release; they elicited memories, feelings and imagery; they facilitated relaxation, coloured relationships and provided a new skill. This exploration of the themes allowed for rich descriptions of the participant's story and the therapeutic conversations, to emerge. / Clinical psychology / M.A. (Clinical psychology)

This study investigated the differences between descriptions of the lived experiences of painful loneliness and comfortable aloneness. Loneliness, is documented as a modern-day social problem, associated with psychic pain and suffering and myriad mental and physical health problems. Uncomplicated, comfortable or neutral aloneness, is scarce in the literature, with allusions to the possibility that people may never feel lonely. The 'essences' of the experience ofpainfol loneliness have been gathered from the literature, while the 'essences' of the experience of comfortable aloneness have been gathered interviews with five people who are comfortable or ambivalent about their aloneness. The qualitative methods of heuristic and phenomenological research have been used to interpret and make sense of the raw data generated. It was found that the subjective experiences of aloneness and loneliness are fundamentally different, and that the thoughts, meanings and realities associated with either state are similarly disparate. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study explored the interaction between persons and songs in therapy, and was described according to the ideas of Social Constructionism and the Narrative Approach (Freedman & Combs, 1996; Gergen, 1985, 1994; Hoyt, 1998). The meanings around songs and the therapist-client interaction were explored. A flowing process evolved that allowed for new ideas to become part of the therapeutic conversations (Anderson & Goolishian, 1988; Hoffman, 1994). The research was qualitative as befits the above-mentioned epistemology. Therapeutic conversations evolved with a single client, in which songs and music were used to explore her life story. An unstructured interview was conducted to explore the therapeutic process underlying the incorporation of songs in therapeutic conversations. The hermeneutic method of analysis was employed to identify themes and meanings that encompassed the research participant's life story as well as the therapeutic process in which songs were utilised to facilitate therapeutic dialogues. It was found that the themes elicited in this study reflected the themes discussed in the literature. The following themes underlying the therapeutic process of songs were identified: songs created an emotional release; they elicited memories, feelings and imagery; they facilitated relaxation, coloured relationships and provided a new skill. This exploration of the themes allowed for rich descriptions of the participant's story and the therapeutic conversations, to emerge. / Clinical psychology / M.A. (Clinical psychology)

This study investigated the differences between descriptions of the lived experiences of painful loneliness and comfortable aloneness. Loneliness, is documented as a modern-day social problem, associated with psychic pain and suffering and myriad mental and physical health problems. Uncomplicated, comfortable or neutral aloneness, is scarce in the literature, with allusions to the possibility that people may never feel lonely. The 'essences' of the experience ofpainfol loneliness have been gathered from the literature, while the 'essences' of the experience of comfortable aloneness have been gathered interviews with five people who are comfortable or ambivalent about their aloneness. The qualitative methods of heuristic and phenomenological research have been used to interpret and make sense of the raw data generated. It was found that the subjective experiences of aloneness and loneliness are fundamentally different, and that the thoughts, meanings and realities associated with either state are similarly disparate. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)