Ep 25 Philippa Derrington

Philippa Derrington leads the MSc Music Therapy course and is a
Senior Lecturer within the Division of Occupational Therapy and
Arts Therapies at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. She is
one of the editors of the British Journal of Music Therapy, and
passionate about promoting and developing the music therapy
profession through research, practice and teaching.


In this interview, Philippa talks about her music therapy work
with adolescents at a social inclusion centre, attached to a
mainstream secondary school. Although the work was primarily with
young people in the centre, which became The Centre School in
2009 – a school for young people with social, emotional and
mental health needs – she developed provision to a full time
music therapy post and worked with students across both the
mainstream and special schools. Press coverage of this work
featured in The Times Educational Supplement and The Guardian.


Philippa also talks about her PhD at Anglia Ruskin University,
which set out to investigate the effectiveness of music therapy
for young people at risk of underachievement or exclusion, and
hereby acknowledges the support and enthusiasm of her
supervisors, Amelia Oldfield, Tony Wigram and Helen Odell-Miller,
as well as The Music Therapy Charity who funded the three-year
study.


Philippa continues to practise as a music therapist in a school
for young people with complex social emotional and behavioural
needs and since moving to Edinburgh in 2013, has led the MSc
Music Therapy course through some major changes. Together with
the Head of Division, Brendan McCormack, who is internationally
recognised for his person-centred practice development and
particular interest in the use of arts and creativity in
healthcare research and development, Philippa is incredibly
excited about the interdisciplinary potential within the School
of Health Sciences and furthering new research opportunities for
Music Therapy at QMU.


 


References


McFerran, K. Derrington, P. and Saarikallio, S. eds. (2019).
Handbook of Music, Adolescents, and Wellbeing. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.


Tomlinson, J. Derrington, P. and Oldfield, A. eds. (2012). Music
Therapy in Schools: Working with children of all ages in
mainstream and special education. London: Jessica Kingsley
Publishers.