Clashing cultures
 

Author:

Niek van Nieuwenhuijzen & Gaby Wijzenbeek

Abstract:

How clashes between different cultures, involved in the foundation of a bachelor music therapy programme in the Middle East, accompany the process of trying to establish a dialogue. A dialogue is indispensable in the establishment of a bachelor music therapy programme. The importance of
existent structures in the development of a new profession and a new training programme is emphasized. Possibilities, pitfalls and limitations will be discussed.
 

Biographical details:
Niek van Nieuwenhuijzen has been trained as a musician (Conservatory Amsterdam), in social pedagogy/ andragogy and as music therapist (registered RMTh). He was head of the Music Therapy Department at ‘Rosenburg’ (Parnassia) Centre for Psychiatry, in The Hague and was past vice-president of the NVKT. He was head of the music therapy training course at the Conservatory in Enschede.

Gaby Wijzenbeek has been trained in the Netherlands as a musician (Conservatory Hilversum), in social pedagogy/ andragogy, as supervisor and as music therapist. She was head of the Department of Creative Therapy at ‘Bloemendaal’ (De Jutters) Centre for Psychiatry, worked with adults and
adolescents, in private practice and as a supervisor.

Since 2003 both music therapists participate in several
projects in Gaza, the Westbank and Jordan. They worked
together with music therapists in Europe, South Africa, the
USA and Israel.