Thank you for visiting this page. You are here maybe because the word “music therapy” clicked in your head, you are looking for a mental health professional service, or you want to try another type of therapy. In any case, this blog post is for you to know a bit more about music therapy and what OKUKO offers.
WHAT IS OKUKO?
OKUKO, based in Tokyo, is committed to supporting adults’ psychological well-being through music therapy. Music therapy is becoming a choice for adults who wish to improve their mental health, just as there are many choices available to look after one’s physical health.
SESSIONS WITH A UK-TRAINED MUSIC THERAPIST
OKUKO is one of the few music therapy private practices in Japan offering sessions run by a UK-trained music therapist. This means that you can benefit from having a bilingual (Japanese and English) music therapist who has a great understanding of both cultures. It also means that you can benefit from having UK-informed music therapy.
MUSIC THERAPY FROM ANYWHERE YOU ARE
Travel does not limit you to have music therapy. While it is based in Tokyo, Japan, OKUKO offers online music therapy. Not only does it make the choice easier for those who live outside Tokyo, Japan, but also a great choice for those who live outside Japan as long as the time zone suits your schedule (OKUKO opens from 12 pm to 9 pm, JST).
WHAT DOES OKUKO MEAN?
This coined practice name has three meanings;
・A place where you can be OK and KO (not OK)
OK is mirrored in the name as KO to symbolise that being okay and being not okay are equally valid. Too often, we are not able to express our authentic selves due to factors, such as life circumstances, social roles, responsibilities, relationship dynamics, and the stigma of mental health. OKUKO intends to provide safe, warm, and non-judgmental time and space for you to express how you really are.
・You (U) are the centre and supported by both sides
Throughout the course of music therapy at OKUKO, you will be centered and supported by a music therapist. This is based on a client-centred approach in the school of psychotherapy.
・Explore your own OKUKO
OKUKO can be written as 奥子 in Japanese, which can be translated as inner child in English. “Inner child” is a psychological term often used in the field of psychotherapy meaning that we all have a childlike aspect within ourselves. It is hoped that music’s creativity and playfulness will enable you to explore your own inner child.
WHAT IS MUSIC THERAPY?
In essence, music therapy uses music and silence as a medium to meet your needs, whether it is psychological, physical, spiritual, social, and communicative. To do so, building a therapeutic relationship lies at the heart of music therapy.
There are a variety of different approaches in the field of music therapy; Nordoff-Robbins approach, neurologic approach, Guided Imaginary and Music, to name a few. Music therapy at OKUKO can be described as “music psychotherapy” and it focuses on your mental health, unlike other behavioural approaches. A psychodynamic approach is predominantly used, though your needs are first and foremost our priority. This is reflected in the use of a client-centred approach.
While traditional psychotherapy uses talking as the main expression tool, music psychotherapy can benefit from having another one, music. You might want to express emotions and feelings through music that simply cannot be put into words. It can be a creative, intuitive, and non-verbal way of exploring what you are going through.
Music therapy does not require you to be experienced or skilled in music. This is because music therapy focuses on exploring your own relationship with music, rather than improving your music skill. Please visit the website of the British Association for Music Therapy for further information.
Would you like to see how OKUKO can support you to look after your mental health?
Please get in touch with us via contact form or email (kohesil@okuko-musictherapy.com).
The steps below would be then followed.
Book an Assessment Session
(We will suggest potential dates for an assessment session for you.)
Assessment Session/s
(An assessment session aims for both of us to see how music therapy could meet your needs. It would be helpful for us to know the reason/s why you would like to have music therapy. There would be also a chance for us to play music together.)
Consent Form
(After the assessment, if you agree to start a course of music therapy, we will ask you to fill in a consent form and will discuss a start date with you.)
Start Music Therapy
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