New research:
Bouncing back after trauma: music therapy, gender, and mental health in conflict-ridden settings – Ali Bitenga, Denis Mukwege, et al.
A new study on the impact of the Healing in Harmony model has been published in Discover Mental Health.
The research, conducted on Make Music Matter’s It Takes a Village project in Mulamba, South Kivu, DRC, tackled the question:
Which interventions are effective in reducing mental health burdens in low- and middle-income countries?
The Healing in Harmony model, developed by Make Music Matter in collaboration with Dr. Denis Mukwege and the team at Panzi Hospital, recognizes the following approaches in holistic care settings:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy has proven effective to address anxiety, depression, and PTSD but is sometimes hard to implement in certain sociocultural contexts
- Research shows that music therapy is effective in reducing mental health burdens, and is easily adaptable in many sociocultural contexts
This latest research aimed to:
- assess the impact of music therapy with songwriting on the mental health of vulnerable women and men in conflict-ridden setting settings (specifically anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms)
- evaluate the extent to which improvement was sustained for an extended period of time and whether there were gender differences in improvement
The findings suggest that the Healing in Harmony program ‘improves mental health disorders for both women and men, and that including men in a program originally designed for women might enhance mutual understanding between women and men contributing to effective and sustainable healing.’
It was also concluded that ‘men’s inclusion to female psychosocial rehabilitation programs is exceptionally crucial in our efforts to establish trauma-free environments for women and men.’
Members of the Make Music Matter team met with some of the participants in Mulamba for a personal and up-close look at how Healing in Harmony has made a difference in their lives. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Jean-Claude lives across the road from the Healing in Harmony studio in Mulamba. Having lost five of his children to disease and conflict, he has suffered from extreme depression. He was initially hesitant to take part in the Healing in Harmony program. After completing it, he now encourages others to participate so they too can witness the healing power of collaborative music-making.
Tell us what motivated you to join the music therapy program and how it has helped you.
In fact, I was opposed to this music therapy program because I thought that only women who had been victims of sexual violence were expected to take part. But after the explanations, I decided to be one of the beneficiaries of this project. They explained every step of the process to us.
At times we shared our stories and with the help of these stories I came to understand that I was not alone, and that many members of the group had the same difficulties as me. We got together to find solutions to our problems.
Before joining this music therapy program, I had insomnia and I always remembered the life I had lived in the past. But after participating, I now feel confident and happy.
The bottom line is that I was one of those people who scorned women. I had no regard for my wife, I blamed her in one way or another. Moreover, I was opposed to civil marriage with my wife, but after having participated in this music therapy program, in December 2021 I accepted her as my lawful wife for life.
What advice would you give to someone going through the same situation as you who has not been a part of the music therapy program?
If you’re having trouble, I can advise you to accept yourself and that you should remain hopeful. Secondly, I can advise them to be accompanied by a therapist, who can help them to find joy again.
Yvette is a survivor of sexual violence. Despite the stigma of having been raped, she found a husband, though he would beat her regularly and she suffered much trauma. She is thankful for having been a part of the Healing in Harmony program. Since participating, she gained the strength to leave her husband, she feels healthier than ever before, and is filled with hope.
In what ways has the Healing in Harmony program helped you?
Before the program I had headaches, I lacked appetite, and I suffered from insomnia. My husband beat me every day. I had no peace in my home.
We have since separated and thanks to the guidance I received, I’m now living my own life. I’ve also realized that I’m not the only one with this problem.
My sleep has improved, my head no longer hurts, and I don’t feel like I’m the last person in the world. There were days when I felt exhausted because of stress and was unable to work, but since participating in the Healing in Harmony program, I feel so much better, and feel like I’m able to do anything.
When you listened to the difficulties of the others in the Healing in Harmony group, what did you feel?
When the others shared their stories, I understood that I wasn’t alone, and thanks to the psychologist’s guidance too, we were comforted and called to forget the problems of the past and map out a better future for ourselves.
What do you have to say to people who have experienced the same difficulties as you have?
I would advise them not to despair. I just don’t know how anyone who does not take part in this music therapy can solve their problems.
I am thankful for this program and hope that it continues in Mulamba in order to heal those who have experienced the same problems as me, so that they may also find stability and healing.
Gloria lives in Mulamba with her husband and children. Day after day it had been a challenge to cover the family’s basic needs and find enough to eat. Her husband would leave the house in the morning and come home late at night having spent all his money on alcohol. He led her to believe she had no right to question how he spent his resources. After they both participated in the Healing in Harmony program, Gloria’s husband’s mindset shifted. He stopped drinking. They found themselves in a more stable position and more mentally and emotionally equipped to work together to build a future for their family.
Tell us about your motivation for joining the music therapy program.
I had understood from those who had already taken part in it that music therapy is an effective treatment, and that singing can lead to healing. I was interested and rushed to confirm whether this information was true. When I arrived at the hospital, I realized that a lot of people, mothers and fathers, had signed up. So I signed up, along with my husband.
Can you tell us what difficulties you had before and how you felt when you joined the program?
I was facing difficulties with my husband. He made decisions without consulting me and when I wanted to contribute my ideas he told me that the woman had no power to decide, that it’s only the man who can do what he pleases.
When the music therapy program started, we were put into heterogeneous groups and they showed us that we were all equal. Men and women all have the same rights. With this guidance, my husband and I came to agree that everything we own belongs to us both.
During the therapy sessions each of us shared our life experiences, and using our different stories, we came up with a song. I understood that this song could heal because it was the fruit of our own stories.
The Healing in Harmony program was a cure for our relationship. We learned a lot and now understand that we have to live in harmony and work together. I found ways to deal with the issues we faced and say thank you very much to the initiators of the program.
What kind of advice can you give to someone who has the same problem as you?
First off, I would ask that the music therapy program continue, because I find that many people have mental disorders. We meet and share experiences, and as we share our stories we understand that everyone has their own difficulties. And so we create resilience.
That’s why I have to say a big thank you to this music therapy program, and may they not tire of it, because there are many people like us who were suffering from trauma before joining this program.
Listen now to Mushamuka by Cohorte Héroïque, one of the releases to come out of the Healing in Harmony project in Mulamba. The album symbolizes the positive change the men and women participants experienced as they explored the effects of trauma on their relationships.
