Information about SMI and the course
Supportive Music and Imagery (SMI) is an evidence-based music psychotherapy method used to help clients develop and deepen the connection to their inner strengths and resources. The aim is to improve general wellbeing and support clients to cope with the challenges of everyday living. As a manualised method, SMI is suitable for short-term therapy (e.g. 6 sessions) that can be effectively delivered online as well as in person. SMI is both a systematic and a flexible, client-centred approach, where elements of the method can adapted if necessary in meeting client need.
SMI can be used with individuals and groups across ages and abilities. It can help those with a wide range of psychological and emotional issues develop the inner resources and resilience needed to cope in everyday living. This involves clients being supported to use music itself as a resource, music which can potentially be of diverse traditions, cultures and genres. SMI can also be effective as self care for therapists: those in training are encouraged to explore this for themselves.
SMI therapists work collaboratively with clients to help them develop existing inner resources which they may be little aware of, and/or that may be undeveloped:
• the therapist helps the client identify a positive inner resource to work on • the client to supported to select suitable music, whether from their own collection or the therapist’s
• breathing awareness reduces tension and improves internal focus
• the client creates a drawing (or engages in other expressive arts) whilst listening to the music so as to deepen the connection with, and integrate their chosen inner resource • the client is encouraged to access the inner resources in daily living, making use of their music collection to support this. Where possible, clients learn to carry out SMI at home as a complement to meditation or journaling practices, for example.
The SMI certificate course will cover all aspects of the delivery of SMI through didactic and experiential learning. The October training seminar will be followed by a period of supervised client and other work, after which trainees will present their client work to one another before qualifying.
Whilst SMI training is complete in itself, it also represents the first stage of training in MI and GIM with the Integrative GIM Training Programme.
Prerequisites for training
The certificate course in SMI is open to those qualified in music therapy, counselling, psychotherapy, psychology or similar, who have a minimum of 1 year's post-qualification experience and are registered with a professional therapy organisation or regulating body.
Requirements
Develop and categorise a pool of SMI music of diverse genres and cultures.
Receive a minimum of 2 SMI sessions from a qualified Music and Imagery Therapist (MIT). Give and receive 4 SMI sessions with a training colleague.
Undertake personal SMI as self-care.
Deliver SMI to 2 clients, 6 sessions each.
Receive 5 small group supervisions.
Complete required reading.
Complete case summaries and self-reflective learning reports.
Costs
Course fee: EARLY BIRD £430 (before 31st July, 2021). Thereafter £490. Early booking is advised as numbers will be strictly limited (6-8).
Supervision (5 sessions): £200
Personal SMI (2 sessions): £80
An application form and further information are available from
https://www.integrativegim.org/training-calendar or through contacting Martin Lawes at integrativegim@protonmail.com.