Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences

Children and adolescents in Appalachia are often exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences and may have higher levels of depression, anxiety, and aggression than youth in other areas of the United States. The unique challenges of working with youth in Appalachia and the unexpected prevalence of rap a...

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Main Author: Jessica S. Fletcher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: GAMUT - Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre (NORCE & University of Bergen) 2018-10-01
Series:Voices
Subjects:
Online Access:https://voices.no/index.php/voices/article/view/2591
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author Jessica S. Fletcher
author_facet Jessica S. Fletcher
author_sort Jessica S. Fletcher
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description Children and adolescents in Appalachia are often exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences and may have higher levels of depression, anxiety, and aggression than youth in other areas of the United States. The unique challenges of working with youth in Appalachia and the unexpected prevalence of rap as a preferred genre are summarized in this article. Rap is a frequently requested genre with youth in Appalachian Ohio and the youth in the area frequently identify with common themes in rap such as social criticism, social empowerment, humanistic values, and negative behavior criticism. Despite success with these methods within music therapy sessions, this Caucasian music therapist has experienced internal conflict due to the potential for cultural appropriation by using rap music in music therapy with clients who are not indigenous to Hip Hop Kulture. Discussion of the implications of therapeutic application, this therapist’s self-reflections and supervision process, potential for appropriation, and personal outcomes are included.
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spelling doaj.art-fcf99aba7da94b40a00ffd57a3ccad8d2022-12-22T01:13:10ZengGAMUT - Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre (NORCE & University of Bergen)Voices1504-16112018-10-0118410.15845/voices.v18i4.2591Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood ExperiencesJessica S. Fletcher0Central Ohio Music Therapy, United StatesChildren and adolescents in Appalachia are often exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences and may have higher levels of depression, anxiety, and aggression than youth in other areas of the United States. The unique challenges of working with youth in Appalachia and the unexpected prevalence of rap as a preferred genre are summarized in this article. Rap is a frequently requested genre with youth in Appalachian Ohio and the youth in the area frequently identify with common themes in rap such as social criticism, social empowerment, humanistic values, and negative behavior criticism. Despite success with these methods within music therapy sessions, this Caucasian music therapist has experienced internal conflict due to the potential for cultural appropriation by using rap music in music therapy with clients who are not indigenous to Hip Hop Kulture. Discussion of the implications of therapeutic application, this therapist’s self-reflections and supervision process, potential for appropriation, and personal outcomes are included.https://voices.no/index.php/voices/article/view/2591music therapyrapHip Hopsupervisioncultural appropriationAppalachia
spellingShingle Jessica S. Fletcher
Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences
Voices
music therapy
rap
Hip Hop
supervision
cultural appropriation
Appalachia
title Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_full Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_fullStr Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_full_unstemmed Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_short Rap in Music Therapy with Appalachian Youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences
title_sort rap in music therapy with appalachian youth with adverse childhood experiences
topic music therapy
rap
Hip Hop
supervision
cultural appropriation
Appalachia
url https://voices.no/index.php/voices/article/view/2591
work_keys_str_mv AT jessicasfletcher rapinmusictherapywithappalachianyouthwithadversechildhoodexperiences