At the end of last year, I listened to a concert together with my wife and our two grown-up daughters. The evening program was focused on composers from Vienna from different epochs. Generally, I always enjoy listening to classical music. This time, the concert struck a special psychological cord in my mind: Motivational Work as music.
The essence of Motivational Work
Immediately, I could associate the second piece with Motivational Work. Within the idiom of music, the stream of tones illustrated and told about the essence of Motivational Work. It was a fascinating and new experience for me. Evidently, it is possible to express a psychological process with non-verbal esthetic sounds.
Two compositions
The opus, which I am referring to, is actually a combination of two compositions. The first part has Johann Strauss ll as the originator and is called Perpetuum Mobile (1866). Specifically, it is an exuberant polka, which goes on and on without end.
The second part is of another Austrian composer H.K. Gruber. The name of this oeuvre is Charivari (1983). This piece is the main part of the opus and lasts for 11 minutes. The composition of Strauss takes only three minutes to play. Thus, it is used as an introduction to Charivari, which in turn begins with the same notes as Strauss’ polka.
The composer’s intention
Obviously, one of Gruber’s intentions with his composition was to illustrate symbolically “the official mask of Gemütlichkeit (“coziness”, my translation) behind which post-Habsburg Austria has so often hidden behind”.
My musical emotional experience
For me as a listener, I first experienced the light and entertaining high spirits of the polka in a positive way. Because the music kept repeating itself and the superficiality in the notes, a feeling of indifference began to grow within me.
When Gruber’s part (Charivari) started I became increasingly involved in the music. In contrast, it was a modern classical music with much disharmony and chaotic dissonances. My feeling was that the world was on its way to disintegrate and at the same time begin to open up. At the same time, it was energizing and liberating.
In the end, the music became more organized. The last tones began to resemble Strauss’ Perpetuum Mobile but in a new different way. After the music ended, I was very touched and elated.
Motivational Work as Music
As I have already mentioned, when listening to Gruber’s opus, it became clear to me the resemblance to Motivational Work. To my knowledge, the best way to illustrate the similitude is via a case. Gruber’s music could be used as an accompaniment like film music. Therefore, I give you the links to Strauss and Gruber’s oeuvres in connection to the different phases of the case.
The Case
Ellen is 32 and has a son of 12. She is currently out of work and on benefit. Although she is an occasional substance abuser, she still manages to take care of her son.
During her life, Ellen has had many relationships with different men, all of whom have been drug addicts and criminals. Although she has frequently been abused by her present partner, she has always refused to end the relationship or report him to the police.
When not on a benefit, she works as a cleaner and has never sought help for her own addiction. Even though she has to leave her son to fend for himself when she’s intoxicated. The roles can change then, and he looks after her.
At the present time, he has now got into trouble for vandalism and other crimes with his friends. Consequently, the social services carry out an investigation into his delinquency. The outcome is that Ellen agrees to receive the support of a female social worker, Carrie, who goes to talk to her every fortnight.
Compliance
Music: Perpetuum Mobile
As time passes, the social worker feels that Ellen starts to bond with her. And, after nine months, Carrie notices that her client is starting to take her much more into her confidence.
Withdrawing and drug abuse
Music: The Beginning and Middle Part of Charivari
The next time Carrie visits, a known dealer opens the door to her and tells her that Ellen isn’t in, even though the social worker clearly sees her client slip into the bedroom. Carrie makes no comment and leaves. On successive visits, different male acquaintances are present in the flat, some of whom are aggressive towards her. At other occasions,, she receives flattering comments
Eventually, Ellen’s male acquaintances are there for three months. The next time the social worker sees her client on her own, she is high on drugs.
Irresponsible Parent
Music: The Beginning and Middle Part of Charivari
Carrie discusses with Ellen how to take care of her son now that her abuse of drugs has grown worse. Then, the mother shouts at the social worker and tells her that she can take care of him, seeing as how it’s her job.
Responsible Parent
Music: The End of Charivari
Finally, however, Ellen decides that her son can be put in the care of a former childminder, and when he comes home from school, she organizes his transfer.
Once the son is in his new home, Carry helps her client to undergo detoxification. Later on, when Ellen returns home from the hospital, the social worker continues her visits. Now, Ellen accepts the fact that her son is in foster care and is active in choosing a family.
Rehab
Music: The End of Charivari
Two months later, the social worker discusses with her client the idea of staying at a treatment center for drug users. Ellen visits the institution and agrees to apply for a place. Two weeks into her stint there, she asks the social worker to come and meet her and the staff to tell them about her background.
Carrie now feels that Ellen is very trusting towards her. By the time her client signs herself into a treatment center, 14 months have passed since the motivational work commenced.
Analysis: Motivational Work as Music
For a long time, Ellen is conciliatory towards the social worker. Her conduct is possibly accentuated by the fact that she knows they have their eyes on her as a mother. It functions as a defense against the pain Ellen carries both as being an irresponsible parent, having destructive relationships with men and experienced childhood trauma.
The Meaning of Compliance
The main function of her compliance, as with all other behavior, is to test if she can trust the social worker. Therefore, it seems that she is cooperating. However, she will only trust Carry if the latter understands that her constructive behavior is mostly a mask. Behind the façade, there is chaos and pain.
The Function of Withdrawing
Ellen continues to test her social worker. She makes sure to prevent all contact with Carrie. Doing this, the client is testing to see how the female social worker deals with meeting men – if she allows herself to be distracted by them or if she maintains her focus on her client.
Will the social worker feel violated or disappointed that Ellen constantly obstructs their meeting? Or, does Carry understand that her client’s destructive acing out is a mask and an indirect cry for help?
The Drug Abuse Test
When the social worker passed these tests, a negative rebound occurs in which Ellen displays her drug habit and her maternal neglect.
In doing this, she is inviting the social worker to take over her parental responsibility, which would constitute negative feedback. As a result, the social worker would be effectively announcing that her client is unable to take her responsibilities as a mother.
Also, Ellen tests to see whether the social worker loses her positive attitude when she gets to see at first hand how much danger her son is in.
The Motivational Relationship
If Carrie still feels committed to her, Ellen will bond even more. This sudden shift of contact can be emotionally difficult to cope with, but Carrie withstands the challenge and is still engaged. At the same time, she is a positive female role model for her client.
Carrie has a strong motivational relationship with her client. All the time, she is able to see the sufferer behind the mask. She is also given a sense of purpose in being able to help Ellen’s son have a better life.
Musically Motivational Work
Polka and Compliance
For me, it is evident how the music describes the emotional courses of events. The first compliance test is nicely illustrated by the polka. It is joyous, positive and energetic and at the same time superficial and a mask. And, it is repetitive and somewhat mechanical. Just like Ellen’s cooperation with her social worker.
However, her behavior is not completely shallow. Hidden in her compliance is also an authentic wish to be helped with her life, even if this part is weak. Her behavior also gives her a false apprehension that her life is not that bad.
Charivari and Destructive Acting-out
In Ellen’s cooperation is also disguised her pain and anxiety. Through her destructive acting-out, she withdraws, abuses drugs and is an irresponsible parent. In this phase, she both feels relief from her pain without confronting herself of her real agony (molested as a child, destructive to herself and her son) and tests the social worker.
The Charivari illustrates this process in an elegant way with the disharmony and chaotic structure. The eruptive music is born out of the first bars of Perpetuum Mobile.
Charivari and Transformation
Later on, a new phase of compliance arrives. However, this time it is less compliant and more constructive, just like at the end of Charivari. The polka returns but in a less repetitive way. Instead, it is more modulated and sincere.
Throughout the opus, there is positive driving energy. Firstly, it elucidates Ellen’s motivation to live a more constructive life. Secondly, the energetic experience of the listener can also be interpreted as a metaphor for Carrie’s constant positive relationship with her client.
Charivari and the Motivational Process
Whenever you feel up to it you can now listen to the whole concert. The music portraits the moving maturing of a woman, traumatized by her painful life experiences.
Motivational Work as Music
If you read my book Motivational Work you will find many literary references as the Bible, William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, etc. However, this is the first time I have found Motivational Work as music. Once again, I am mesmerized by the prevalence of the ideas of Motivational Work as a hidden knowledge in our cultural heritage.
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