Association

EACM - European Association of Holistic Music Therapy, z. s. - was founded in summer 2017. It brings together interested music therapists and sympathetic members of the public. The chairman was elected PaedDr. Lubomír Holzer. The purpose of the association is to create and provide professional background, professional and human support to its members, to promote holistic music therapy among the professional and lay public, to develop cooperation with other professionals in the field of health, education and social services, to work systematically on the development and constitution of music therapy as a distinct field and to promote related legislative changes.

PROGRAMME STATEMENT

European Association of Holistic Music Therapy, z. s. s., The purpose of this association is to create a professional background and professional and human support for its members, to promote holistic music therapy among the professional and lay public, to develop cooperation with other professionals in the field of health, education and social services, to work systematically on the development and constitution of music therapy as a distinct field and to promote related legislative changes.

Music therapy is the treatment with music. But do we know what kind of music? All people around the world listen to some music almost all the time. Music surrounds us, it is part of our lives. If any music had healing potential in itself, all the people in the world would be healthy. We know very well that this is not the case. Music alone does not equal music therapy. So what kind of music is music therapy appropriate and effective? Which music can both heal and cure? This is the question addressed by holistic music therapy, the CMLH method, which provides answers to the questions raised, shows us one way and presents solutions to the basic music therapy questions - what music is music therapeutically appropriate and effective for a person and why. Holistic music therapy has existed in the Czech Republic since 1991 in the form of the method "CMLH - Holistic Music Therapy by Lubomir Holzer". L. Holzer has been creating and developing this method for more than 26 years and is its author.

Holistic music therapy has in its philosophical basis a holistic approach to the World, the Universe, man and therapy itself. Holistic music therapy always acts comprehensively on the physical, psychological, emotional, social, energetic, mental and spiritual components of the human being. Its effects are just as complex. The primary effect observed is the rapid calming of clients, gradual relaxation and the resolution of emotional, psychological and physical tensions and spasms. Measurable effects are the slowing and calming of the heart and breathing rates, the stabilization of blood pressure, and the transition of the electrical activity of the brain on the EEG from the β - beta level to the relaxation level of α - alpha or θ - theta. The specific music used in holistic music therapy works down to the cellular level of the human organism and energizes and harmonizes the organism naturally and physiologically.

We understand holistic music therapy as a universal therapeutic tool, without known contraindications, for all those in need, from all areas of health or social classification. CMLH works extensively not only with clients with intellectual disabilities and combined disabilities, with clients with behavioural disorders and with autistic spectrum disorders, but also applies itself significantly in the field of supporting the communicative competences of pupils with specific educational needs. Music therapy has been successfully applied in work with psychiatric, neurological and oncological clients and in the field of neonatology. Another developing area is the use of CMLH in working with the elderly, clients with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and Parkinson's disease.

Holistic music therapy works in the field of natural acoustic laws. Its manifestation is the so-called natural tuning, which means a completely characteristic arrangement of relationships between tones. Today's music mostly uses a tempered, modified tuning that differs in frequency from the natural tuning. From a music therapeutic point of view, the natural tuning corresponds most adequately to the human organism. Music played and sung in such a tuning is therefore ideal, most suitable and most effective for music therapy purposes. It is in harmony and in tune with the human being on all levels, in all systems and functions. This specification, together with the use of musical instruments made from natural materials and handcrafted, makes holistic music therapy a unique music therapy method with the most profound and effective therapeutic effects. However, everything depends on the expertise, experience and skills of the music therapist himself.

The teaching of holistic music therapy takes place within the framework of lifelong learning courses at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Olomouc and represents a comprehensive system of music therapy education at the highest professional level with the guarantee of the university and long-term accreditation of the Ministry of Education and Science. Currently, it has three follow-up levels and participants can complete a total of 730 hours of music therapy professional, practical and experiential training and teaching, including self-experience training and supervision. It is a system of training that originated in the Czech Republic and is recognised throughout the European Union, England and elsewhere in the world. This is evidenced by international students from Slovakia, Poland, Serbia and currently from the Philippines and the USA. So far, 30 international students have graduated.
The guarantor and main teacher of the study is the author of the method, PaedDr. Lubomír Holzer - professional music therapist, musician, artist, special educator, professional lecturer and supervisor.

The EACM officially exists as a registered association of the European Association of Holistic Music Therapy, z. s. registered with the Municipal Court in Prague after the legal force of the decision of the Municipal Court in Prague, which issued this decision on 10 August 2017. The constituent meeting of the EACM took place on 4 June 2017 in Olomouc. PaedDr. Lubomír Holzer was elected chairman, Mgr. Veronika Faltusová and Ing. Luděk Vařák. The EACM wants to contribute to the creation of a pluralistic, democratic and professional dialogue-based space for Czech and European music therapy, and thus stand at the beginning of a completely new era of Czech and European music therapy. In all fields of scientific research, all human activity and the functioning of the human community on Earth, the need for a holistic approach is becoming more and more evident. It is a way of further unlimited development of human potential.

The European Association of Holistic Music Therapy creates with its existence completely new possibilities for a community of people who perceive the ongoing transformation of human thinking and the associated clear perspective of unlimited human development. EACM creates a space for a broad dialogue not only in the field of holistic music therapy and music therapy in general, but also a dialogue over the human and spiritual issues of today.

What is the nature of your membership in the association?
Membership of the EACM is voluntary. Each EACM member is eligible for election to the association's bodies. The Association is open to all music therapists and persons respecting, inclined to and interested in the holistic approach in music therapy and the CMLH method who wish to be active and participate in its activities. You can become an active member involved in all EACM activities, including personal and professional music therapy growth. We also welcome our sympathizers from the general public interested in CM and the EACM and those interested in passive membership who find the EACM sympathetic in its expressions and the current of thought represented by the EACM appealing.

EACM is a community of holistic music therapists with a common method, language and interests. We are an association of people who can take care of each other and help each other.

European Association of Holistic Music Therapy, z. s. 2017