Jorien Habing
The role of songwriting in accepting visual impairments
Jorien Habing, a master’s student in Music Therapy, is one of the few music therapists in the Netherlands working with people with visual impairments. Jorien explains: "They have to adapt to various new experiences, such as walking with a cane or a guide dog, using a phone without sight, and reintegrating themselves into society as individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Music therapy plays a role in facilitating the acceptance process." For her finals research, Jorien examined the role of songwriting to help individuals in this new target population, adjust to living with visual impairment.
Music has inherent qualities which can reflect the social values of societies. Music therapist have the skilled training to use those inherent qualities to address targeted goals in the area of psychosocial, cognitive, and physical well-being. Jorien’s work focuses specifically on the needs of persons with visual impairment. “They are people just like you and me. They become blind, but they can still function well. That is often forgotten. Suddenly, you are restricted in various areas, even though you can still do so much. Therefore, I primarily focus on acceptance. However, I also engage in projects that promote participation. For example, within the context of a choir, I help people with visual impairments to regain their self-confidence."
This page was last updated on July 7, 2023