Teresa Wenhart - Music, Brain, Psychology
Schema coaching [1,2] is defined as the application of methods from Schema Therapy according to Young (1993) [3,4]. Due to its understandable model and appropriate exercises, schema therapy/coaching has proven effective, especially in personality development and couples therapy [2,3].
Musicians are shaped throughout their entire youth and training period by dyadic relationships with individual music teachers – both professionally and personally. Because of the frequency, duration, significance, and intimacy of these relationships, unconscious, individual schemas of both parties can often become evident in the teaching context or, in unfavorable cases, can develop or intensify. Activation of childlike aspects (e.g., wounded child: "I'm not good enough") leads to the emergence of internalized, authoritarian beliefs (guilt, shame in the inner monologue) as well as maladaptive coping strategies (Fight, Flight, Freeze). For many individuals – musicians and non-musicians alike – such unconscious schemas complicate optimal learning, performance, and relational abilities in daily life. These schemas also manifest later in interactions with colleagues in chamber music and orchestras or in their own teaching activities.
In many cases, schema education (clarification, self-reflection) and resource-activating schema coaching methods lead to significant improvements in subclinical individuals [2]. Individual schema coaching as well as workshops in groups can, therefore, help improve the quality of life, success, and interpersonal relationships in the teaching and professional context of musicians on an individual as well as societal level, and particularly sustainably so.
How do schemas manifest?
All individuals have schemas because they are important for the brain to efficiently select the "correct" course of action. Although a distinction is made between adaptive (i.e., helpful, positive) and maladaptive (i.e., more hindering) schemas, all schemas were initially adaptive at their inception. They represent initially helpful responses to a wounded basic need or to avoid/prevent dangers (e.g., violence from or loss of care/protection from a significant person, including the teacher).
Example: A child attempting to appease their violent caregiver and anticipate all their needs to avoid violence is acting sensibly and adaptively. Later in life, the constant focus on others' needs may no longer be appropriate for the now-adult individual and may be inadequate for their surroundings. The person neglects their own needs, and others may not recognize them. Even less "dramatic" behavior from the environment, such as regularly inappropriately expressed criticism from a child's teacher, can shape schemas (see example criticism below).
In both situations, one or more basic needs of the child were violated (e.g., the need for secure attachment, autonomy, and free expression of emotions).
Schemata & Modi
When an adult finds themselves in a situation where the brain unconsciously recognizes a similarity to something experienced earlier (usually frequent), the corresponding stored schema is activated. In response to the activated schema, various modes (i.e., states characterized by distinctive thoughts, feelings, and actions) can occur. These modes can be very different for the same schema depending on the individual. Furthermore, modes are not specific to a schema, meaning a mode (e.g., avoidance as a coping strategy) can occur with very different schemas. The reactions to the schema, in turn, trigger responses in the social environment that maintain (i.e., reinforce) the schema.
For persistently challenging issues in life, the mode model can help identify triggers and ongoing reactions on all three levels and develop more adaptive strategies (helpful beliefs, coping strategies, emotional management) across these levels.
Example of Schema Activation in Response to Criticism
(e.g., by a teacher, fellow students, peers)
Depending on past experiences and temperament, different individuals may react with very different modes (adaptive as well as maladaptive).
Less adaptive strategies are marked in red, more adaptive strategies in green. Several possible forms are provided for each mode category (Child Modes, Coping Modes, Beliefs). Typically, a person exhibits specific, characteristic patterns (e.g., some individuals may tend to avoid unpleasant feelings, while others may shift into the "Fight" mode in such situations). This is influenced by both the imprint of the schema and the individual's basic personality and biological predisposition. However, mixed forms, involving multiple emotions, thoughts, and coping strategies, are not uncommon.
"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."
Ella Fitzgerald (afroamerican Jazz-Singer)
Quellen:
[1] Migge, B. (2013). Schema-Coaching: Einführung und Praxis: Grundlagen, Methoden, Fallbeispiele. Weinheim: Beltz.
[2] Handrock, A., Zahn, C. A., & Baumann, M. (2016). Schemaberatung, Schemacoaching, Schemakurzzeittherapie. Beltz.
[3] Young, J.E., Klosko, J.S. & Weishaar, M.E. (2003) Schema Therapy: A practitioner’s guide. New York, NY: Guilford Press
[4] Jacob, G., & Arntz, A. (2015). Schematherapie in der Praxis. Beltz
[5] Piaget, J. (1976). Die Äquilibration der kognitiven Strukturen. Stuttgart: Klett.
Who I am and what I stand for
I have studied Psychology (BSc, MSc), Musicology, and Cello (postgraduate studies) in Munich and Zurich, and obtained my doctorate in Neuropsychology of Music at the Music University in Hanover (Institute for Music Physiology and Musician Medicine). From a very young age, I had two great passions: music and science. I have been actively involved in music since early childhood, and starting in 2013, I have been engaging in research and clinical neuropsychology related to topics in musician health, neuroscience, and hearing.
Bringing together science, art, and health is my greatest passion. That's why I write a blog on these topics, give lectures, conduct workshops, and starting in 2024, I will offer (neuro-) psychological individual support for musicians and music educators, including psychological supervision of teaching.
