Music Therapy Clinician: Supporting reflective clinical practice Volume 1 | Page 19

“Sisterly Support”
–
Artwork in which
the therapist
explored the
clinical implications
of personal
awareness of loss
after the birth.

4. Ethical considerations
As usual, I was excited to receive a new testimonial from a client. When I read it, I felt
worried by her choice of words, like I had done something wrong. What she was
describing sounded a lot like a friend, a sister, or a lover. She expressed how intimate
our relationship was, what my touch felt like, and how loved she felt by me. What!? I
was her music therapist and labor support doula.

I discussed this issue in supervision, because I was worried I’d crossed a boundary by
saying or doing something that made this client think I loved her. I meticulously
reviewed my clinical choices, scouring over them for any sign of crossed boundaries or
inappropriate interactions. Feedback from my peer supervisor helped me explore
different types of love, the role of love within the birth process, and the role of oxytocin
as it relates to feelings of love.
Expressive writing and lyric analysis (using the song Perhaps Love by John Denver)
helped me realize I had acted ethically. Moreover, I realized my clinical intentions were
effective, considering how supported the client felt and how much her feelings of ‘love’
released oxytocin during her birth. After further exploration in supervision, I recorded a
song re-creation of Perhaps Love.

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