Reaction Paper To: Action Research and Music Therapy.

By Dale Lewis, music therapy equivalency student at the University of Louisville. Email: *epost

In this article, Meagan Hunt described how she considered Action Research to be the most effective method to use in researching young refugees. She concluded that the larger focal points of the study needed to be the empowerment, preservation of personal feelings/dignity, and cultural expressions of the young refugees, rather than the mere collection of research data. She felt it important to, "ensure that the clients, who are being affected by the practical knowledge being produced, are able to realize their rights and choices in the process."

Action Research addresses the following fundamental principles: encourage and stimulate communication, democratic dialogue and development; democratic participation; practical knowledge; empowerment of the people; an emancipatory form of research; and providing choices.

Music therapy, when combined with the Action Research principles, provides an environment where the young refugees feel empowered to express their feeling and experience a sense of personal and community belonging. Music therapy interventions that have effectively been used with young refugees include improvisation, song singing, music and movement, and songwriting.

I strongly support the position of this article in the use of Action Research as the method of research used to study young refugees. In my prior ministry experience, of working with people who have experienced severe trauma, I have noted that the depth of their pain is best expressed when they feel that they are being heard, understood, and their personal dignity and culture are being preserved. Many times we, in the serving community, tend to believe that we have all of the answers and solutions to the problems of others.

As music therapy is applied with Action Research principles, these young refugees will be able to respond with empowerment, solutions for their future, and healing through the caring therapy of music. To know how people hurt, and their own understanding to personal and community recovery, is far more important than a more sterile approach to gathering research data for the sake of data.