“Burning Scripts”

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to outline a sketch of a theory about how affect consciousness, script theory and self psychology may serve as a guiding theory for the practice of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM). Within self psychology, music may be understood as a selfobject which may have important self–sustaining functions for the individual. Within the theory of affect consciousness it is basic to allow clients to experience and tolerate their emotions fully, which is also important to the BMGIM experience. A script can be understood as a sort of underlying principle, or as a set of rules utilized by the person. When scripts are activated, possibilities arise to get to know the underlying dynamics of the person. In short, self psychology, script theory, and the theory of affect–consciousness offer a consistent theoretical approach to work with GIM as music therapy as well as an adjunct to the verbal modality.

Keywords:

• BMGIM
• self psychology
• music as a selfobject
• affect
• psychotherapy and music
• script