David Aldridge – författare

What does it mean to understand a religion?How should the concept of truth be addressed in the contemporary classroom?What is the proper subject matter of religious education and how does it relate to other subjects and the school curriculum as a whole?Despite the prevalence of literature on these subjects, these issues are far from resolved and consequently the place and nature of religious education in our schools is precarious and confused. A Hermeneutics of Religious Education argues that although the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics has transformed both educational thought and the academic discipline of religious studies, the literature of religious education pedagogy has paid only limited attention to these developments. To engage with them fully entails a transformation of our understanding of religious education and its importance in a curriculum of the twenty-first century.

What does it mean to understand a religion?How should the concept of truth be addressed in the contemporary classroom?What is the proper subject matter of religious education and how does it relate to other subjects and the school curriculum as a whole?Despite the prevalence of literature on these subjects, these issues are far from resolved and consequently the place and nature of religious education in our schools is precarious and confused. A Hermeneutics of Religious Education argues that although the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics has transformed both educational thought and the academic discipline of religious studies, the literature of religious education pedagogy has paid only limited attention to these developments. To engage with them fully entails a transformation of our understanding of religious education and its importance in a curriculum of the twenty-first century.

Research and clinical work are often perceived as opposites in the field of music therapy. This book shows, for the first time, how these two areas of work can creatively complement one another, proving beneficial to both disciplines. Each chapter is written by a leading researcher and practitioner in the field, and the book covers a wide spectrum of approaches within different settings. Beginning with methodological and musicological approaches to case studies, the book then moves on to more specific topics such as the use of case studies in an interactive play setting and in music therapy with the elderly. Later chapters explore theoretical aspects, looking at a worked example of music and progressive change during therapy, and how case study designs can be used in practice. A must for all professionals working and studying within the music therapy area, this is also an informative and useful book for health researchers.

How do we decide on the most effective way to heal ourselves or our patients? Complementary therapies are a vital part of any integrated approach to health which incorporates specialist and layperson knowledge. In this book, David Aldridge examines cultural understandings of illness and medicines. He provides a critique of orthodox methods used to assess treatment, and advocates a more pluralistic approach to medical research and practice, encompassing the physical, psychological, spiritual and social dimensions of a person's life.To assess medical research in a range of situations, Aldridge examines how asthma can be treated by acupuncture, how communities cope with terminal cancer and how music therapy and spiritual healing can be used. In a positive move to improve current healthcare systems, Aldridge suggests guidelines for medical education and research. Doctors and other healthcare professionals, academics, students and people undergoing treatment themselves will be inspired by this direct, thoughtful and practical guide to research in current healthcare practice.David Aldridge is the author of a number of books within related fields such as Spirituality, Healing and Medicine: Return to the Silence and Music Therapy Research and Practice in Medicine, both published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

The central tenet of this innovative collection is that identity can be regarded as a performance, achieved through and in dialogue with others. The authors show that where neuro-degenerative disease restricts movement, communication and thought processes and impairs the sense of self, music therapy is an effective intervention in neurological rehabilitation, successfully restoring the performance of identity within which clients can recognise themselves. It can also aid rehabilitation of clients affected by dementia, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis, among other neuro-generative diseases.Music Therapy and Neurological Rehabilitation is an authoritative and comprehensive text that will be of interest to practising music therapists, students and academics in the field.

This international collection examines the opportunities for using music-induced states of altered consciousness to promote physical and mental healing, treat substance dependence, and in spiritual and palliative care.The contributors describe the successful use of altered states and their therapeutic potential, providing examples from different cultures and clinical, therapeutic and spiritual settings. Their observations cover a wide range of music types capable of inducing altered states, including polyrhythmic music, monotonous drumming, Western pop, and Arab musical schemata, complemented by theoretical and clinical approaches to applications in music therapy.This book will be a useful reference for practising music therapists, musicologists, and ethnomusicologists, students and academics in the field.

Parents, teachers and other professionals often struggle to know how to deal with disruptive, abusive or aggressive behaviour. This book addresses the urgent need for a realistic, practical and effective approach to dealing with severe disruptive behaviour in children and adolescents. Adapting the principles of non-violent resistance originally advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, the book provides de-escalation techniques which empower the adult and unburden the distressed child. The authors outline the theoretical basis upon which the approach was developed, and explain how and why it can be so effective. Case studies demonstrate how the approach can be used to reach more successful places with unhappy and disruptive children of different ages. A separate section for parents provides useful advice on how to take the theoretical material and use it to deal with problematic behaviour in everyday life. As effective as it is original, this approach will empower desperate parents and despairing caregivers by equipping them with hands-on tools to contain, counter and positively direct the aggression and opposition which they face from children in distress.

Musical improvisation is an increasingly recognised rehabilitative therapy for people who have experienced traumatic brain injury initially thought to be 'unreachable' or 'non-responsive'.Music Therapy and Traumatic Brain Injury demonstrates how music therapy can be used to attend to the holistic, rather than purely functional, needs of people affected by severe head trauma. Divided into three parts, the first section provides an introduction to the effects brain injury has on a person's livelihood. The second is a comprehensive review of available literature on the use of music therapy in the neurorehabilitative setting. The final section examines three case studies designed according to 'therapeutic narrative analysis', an adaptive research method that uses interviewing and video, which focuses on the unique relationship between the professional and the patient.This book will give clinicians key notes for practice and a vision of the integral role music therapy can have in the successful rehabilitation from brain injury.

Fragile X syndrome is one of the main causes of child developmental delay and autism spectrum disorders. A premutated form of the same gene is also the basis for neurological disabilities in adults. This book breaks down the complex science of this genetic disorder and provides the facts and advice that every bewildered parent or professional needs to support individuals with Fragile X syndrome.This is a straightforward introduction that clearly explains the condition on both a scientific and practical level. With sections on diagnosis, symptoms and treatment, as well as discussions of various emotional and behavioural considerations, this guide covers all aspects of Fragile X syndrome, its implications, and the possibilities open to families affected by it. It demonstrates how, with the right therapies, progress can be made and emphasises how music can be used effectively to promote communication, interaction, fine motor skills and responsiveness in children with the condition.This is an essential reference tool for families of individuals with Fragile X syndrome, as well as therapists and healthcare professionals who are unfamiliar with the condition and are looking to find out more.

Recent studies show that music can reach the parts of the human brain that are linked to addiction, and can function as an integral part of recovery. This research-based, practical book demonstrates how music and music therapy can be applied in a variety of treatment settings to bring about therapeutic change.Addictions such as alcohol, gambling and drugs are all covered in this interdisciplinary text, and chapters explore everything from the meaning of music in the lives of addicts to devising music therapy programs, enhancing coping strategies and preventing relapse. Lifestyle issues are also considered, along with the role of therapeutic communities, and connections in the brain between addiction, music, memory and emotion. The strategies outlined are relevant to addicts and recovering addicts of all ages. This book will be of interest to music therapists, substance abuse counsellors, and anybody else interested in the relationship between music and addiction and the therapeutic use of music.

Over a million people commit suicide worldwide every year. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that looks at the person at risk, the family and personal relationships they have and the communities in which they are embedded, this book will help anyone working with suicidal individuals to prevent this major cause of death.Backed up by research and clinical expertise the book clarifies the facts about suicide and debunks the many unfounded myths surrounding the subject. It covers the classifications and manifestations of suicide, as well as the major risk factors, at-risk groups and warning signs. Advice on effective communication and a repertoire of strategies for distress management are offered, not only for supporting at-risk individuals and those who have survived a suicide attempt, but also families coping with bereavement. A final chapter explores the impact of the internet and the digital age on both the propagation and prevention of suicide.This book will be essential reading for anybody working with people at risk of suicide, including clinicians, therapists, psychologists, social and healthcare workers and volunteers working in suicide prevention.

Parenting a severely disruptive child can be exhausting and demoralizing to the point where breaking the cycle of bad behaviour seems an impossible task. Happy Families offers a realistic, step-by-step, practical approach to tackling destructive behaviour that helps parents regain control and establish harmony within the family. Using hands-on techniques based on the principles of non-violent resistance, each chapter deals with a different stage of the process - from communicating to the child an unwavering determination that the situation will change and enlisting the support of family and friends, to taking positive action in a way that avoids escalation. General advice such as how to respond constructively and consistently to provocation is included throughout, and morale-boosting tips encourage flagging parents to persevere with the approach. Happy Families will empower despairing parents and caregivers who seek to contain, counter and positively re-direct the aggression they face from children in distress, resulting in deep-felt and lasting change.

In this interdisciplinary and wide-ranging volume, David Aldridge explores the power of music as a healing treatment for a broad spectrum of physical and mental conditions including AIDS, cancer, coma, senile dementia and autism.This eye-opening book is valuable reading not only for music therapists but also creative arts therapists, occupational therapists, healthcare professionals, hospice workers and any other professional or student who works with chronically ill patients or the dying.Interweaving theory and practice, Aldridge demonstrates the many ways in which a culture of research may be developed in a practice setting to the benefit of all. With case studies he illustrates the use of music therapy as an effective treatment in a range of medical settings. By providing an account of the development of a research programme, he also shows how research may be structured to describe and analyse the clinical benefits of music therapy.Music Therapy Research and Practice in Medicine is a trenchant argument for the linking of music and medicine. Human beings, Aldridge demonstrates, are not mechanical but rather 'symphonic' beings, and for this reason music can be an immensely powerful and effective factor in rehabilitation and palliative care.

Since the early 1960s there has been an enormous increase in the numbers of cases of suicide, self-mutilation and depression, adolescents and the elderly being high-risk groups. Suicidal behaviour has become a major health-care issue.David Aldridge argues that although western culture has traditionally understood suicide to be the choice of the individual, this is a misleading perception. While the patient may feel as though he or she is acting in isolation, the reasons for suicide and self-mutilation are essentially social. Attention should therefore be focused to a far greater extent on the patient's social environment, and any treatment should also involve the family. Drawing on case studies as well as research statistics, Aldridge constructs a background against which suicidal behaviour can be perceived not as irrational and unpredictable, but as an understandable response to social disruption, isolation, conflict and neglect. He investigates the complex web of prejudices surrounding our society's view of suicide, and looks at ways of developing more effective preventative strategies.

The spiritual factors associated with healing are increasingly being acknowledged by modern medicine. Our definition of what constitutes health has expanded beyond the purely medical, yet the delivery of modern medicine to the patient often fails to take this into account. Doctors, anthropologists, psychologists and sociologists have all written on the subject, but thus far the literature has been fragmented between the disciplines.David Aldridge presents the first unified approach to the subject. In Spirituality, Healing and Medicine he evaluates the existing literature from across the disciplines to ascertain just how effective and influential spiritual healing may be on the patient's physical and psychological well-being. He encourages us to redefine treatment strategies and the ways in which we understand health, and argues that the spiritual elements of experience help the patient to find purpose, meaning and hope in the face of sickness. It is in the understanding of suffering and the need for deliverance from it, he suggests, that the traditions and aims of medicine and spirituality meet.

Within the last decade music therapists have developed their work with people who have life-threatening illnesses and with those who are dying. This book presents some of that work from music therapists working in different approaches, in different countries, showing how valuable the inclusion of music therapy in palliative care has already proved to be.It is important for the dying, or those with terminal illness, that approaches are used which integrate the physical, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of their being. The contributors to this book emphasize the importance of working not only with the patient but with the ward situation, friends and family members. By offering patients the chance to be creative they become something other than patients - they become expressive beings, and there is an intimacy in music therapy that is important for those who are suffering. Many of the contributors write in their own personal voice, providing a particular insight which will be valuable not only to other music therapists seeking to enrich their own ways of working, but to all those involved in caring for the sick and the dying. Contributors describe their work with both children and adults living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases.