06.07.2018
by [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Turkish Music Research and Promotion Group (TÜMATA), as part of Istanbul Medipol University’s Music Therapy Education program, conducted a one-day training session for music therapy students on “Turkish Music and Movement Therapy Using the Rahmi Oruç Güvenç Approach.” The training was led by instructors Yaşar Güvenç, Azize Andrea Güvenç, Gülten Urallı, Emre Başaran, Fatih Oral, Ayla Yıldırım Karaca, and Necdet Turhan served as instructors. The program, held on July 3, 2018, at the TÜMATA Instrument Museum, covered the following topics through both theory and practical application:
- Turkish Music and Movement Therapy Based on the Oruç Güvenç Approach
- The Baksı Dance
- Music Therapy for Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy – Psychologist Ayla Yıldırım Karaca
- The Application of Music Therapy in Schizophrenia – Necdet A. Turhan
- Image Music
- Archetypal Movements
- Therapy Using Court Music Performed in Hospitals
The program provided information on the ney, rebab, kopuz, dombra, çeng, mazhar, and the sound of water—all of which are used in music therapy.
It was reported that studies conducted in collaboration with the Department of Algology at Gazi University showed a significant reduction in chronic pain scores and a 40 percent decrease in stress hormone levels.
It was explained that in these archetypal movements—which can be described as “the performance of certain movements drawn from the Baksı dance and semahs, accompanied by a specific musical repertoire”—the goal is both to release tension and to facilitate an emotional shift through movements that begin in the hands and spread throughout the entire body.[/vc_column_text][us_separator][us_gallery ids=”8128,8125,8122,8089,8086″ columns=”5″ indents=”1″][us_separator][vc_column_text]The program also provided a brief overview of the hospitals, beginning with the Nureddin Hospital (1154) and then; the hospitals in Amasya, Sivas, Kayseri, Manisa, Bursa, Istanbul (Fatih Complex), Edirne, and Süleymaniye, where music was used as a form of treatment until a century ago. It is stated that in these hospitals, the therapeutic benefits of specific musical modes at certain times of the day were examined; the twenty-four-hour day was divided into four parts, and research was conducted on which modes should be performed and listened to during these times; it was also noted that some physicians researched and examined the effects of these musical modes on different nations and their connection to astrology.
In her presentation on “Music Therapy for Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy,” psychologist Ayla Yıldırım Karaca stated that research has shown the presence of music during chemotherapy has a positive effect on patients’ anxiety levels. Karaca also noted that, based on behavioral observations and patient feedback, live performances of instruments such as the oud, ney, and bendir helped patients relax during chemotherapy, and it was observed that patients felt significantly more at ease as a result of the music.
In another part of the training, researcher and music therapist Necdet A. Turhan, in his presentation titled “The Application of Music Therapy in Schizophrenia,” discussed in detail the importance of music therapy—one of the three stages in the treatment of schizophrenia. Turhan stated that music is one of the most effective stimuli for increasing the interest of schizophrenia patients—who often appear indifferent, unresponsive, shy, and apathetic—in the outside world. He noted that music has positive effects in the treatment of this illness, such as alleviating social withdrawal, fostering a sense of self-care and awareness, establishing long-term memory, developing a sense of rhythm, and improving articulation.
As the program came to a close with a group photo, the TÜMATA team expressed their pleasure at having contributed to the Music Therapy Certification Program at Istanbul Medipol University.[/vc_column_text][us_separator][vc_column_text]