Seminar given by Professor Jörg Fachner (Anglia Ruskin University / Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy): "Hyperscanning during music therapy, spontaneously emerging imagery and altered states of consciousness"

Social neuroscience researches the neural underpinnings of social interactive behaviour (1, 2). In this research we wanted to study the interaction between a client and a therapist during a real-world GIM session in which a therapist accompanies and guides the imagery of a client in order ‘to work on challenging life issues, for instance, disturbing old memories, losses, traumata, bothering health conditions, and relationship issues. The client reclines with closed eyes while the therapist initiates an altered state of consciousness (ASC) induction. The therapist then chooses a pre-determined music program, or spontaneously chooses music to match the client’s imagery. As the music plays, the client describes any imagery, feelings, or thoughts. To analyse how emotions and imagery are processed and recognized, the brain activity of an experienced traveler and guide doing a real therapy session was synchronously recorded. The traveler and guide as well as two independent raters, who are themselves experienced GIM therapists, analysed the video and were asked to identify 3 important moments in that session. The identified moments of interest and Interrater overlaps of video ratings were then transcribed and submitted to an analysis of frontal brain activity over time.

Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) is a well-established measure of emotional processing (3), also indicating role in social interaction (4). Here we were interested how the temporal FAA dynamics (5) changed according to the emotional impact of the emerging imagery and how this was related to the therapy process. Further we performed a time-frequency analysis of particular segments within the selected moments. Utilising an explorative approach, it was obvious that during the emergence of important personal visual imagery and dialogue with a significant person in the therapy, a shift of the frontal asymmetry indicated a strong emotional response in the therapist-client interaction. Peaks in FAA dynamics represented emotional peaks of intensity during selected moments. The shared emotional processing during therapy is fluctuating between negative and positive emotions, while challenging, negative emotions are related to therapeutic work on fear, anxiety and hopelessness. Directionality of FAA Peak dynamics represented shared emotional valence. Being in an ASC allowed associating more freely and gaining access to important imagery, however is not necessary related to positive emotions.

By: Joshua Hargreaves
Last updated: Friday, 31 May 2019