THE MUSIC-THERAPY OF AN ANORECTIC MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED ADULT

Where words fail, music may be a medium through which to explore one's inner world and experiences. Psychodynamic approaches have helped us to understand what it means to be handicapped (e.g. Sinason, 1992). Th e subtleties of diagnosing anorexia nervosa have recently been recogni zed in this group (e.g. Cottrell & Crisp, 1984). Music therapy has bee n used with clients of normal intelligence who have eating disorders ( Nolan, 1989; Sloboda, 1993; Smeijsters & van den Hurk 1993). This arti cle illustrates the music therapy of a woman with Down's syndrome (IQ = 50) and anorexia nervosa. It describes her management and progress i n music therapy in relation to her external world and anorectic behavi ours.