Reauthoring the self: Therapeutic songwriting in identity work

This chapter explores issues of identity and songwriting within clinical contexts. A brief introduction outlines how therapeutic songwriting addresses the emotional, communicative, cognitive, psychological and social needs of an individual or group. A number of different approaches to therapeutic songwriting are discussed. These include improvisatory song writing, approaches where participants create new lyrics for existing songs (song parody) and approaches where completely new songs are written. Clinical issues related to the songwriting processes that have a particular focus upon the centrality of identity work within creative activities are presented. The chapter discusses the potential of song writing to repair, improve and enhance identities that have been spoiled or damaged as a result of illness or injury. The specific contributions of lyrical and musical development within the overall process of songwriting is also considered. A number of examples from the published literature are given and directions for future research and issues of importance beyond the clinical contexts are also presented.