Scientific
Work

Main focus and projects:
- Mindfulness-based music therapy with a thematic focus on receptive music therapy with psychiatric patients in clinical settings.

- Psychophysiological correlations through heart rate variability measurement and mindfulness surveys

Music is about experiencing and perceiving, which is why practical research work is close to my heart.

In active reciprocity and interactive engagement with various other fields of science, I explore new concepts, conduct clinical studies in a music-medicine context, and contribute my many years of clinical experience.

PUBLICATIONS

2022

Mindfulness-based music therapy for people with depression. A pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate the heart rate variability and mindfulness
2022

Schäfer, A., Weymann, E., Moser, M., Grote, V., Frühwirth, M. (2020). Mindfulness–based music therapy for people with depression. A pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate the heart rate variability and mindfulness. Journal of Music Therapy. (in preparation)

Making depression fade away
2022

Schäfer, A. (2022). "Making Depression Fade Away." Issue 01/2022. the Pragmaticus. Liechtenstein: Pragmaticus Verlag AG. Available at: https://www.derpragmaticus.com/r/musiktherapie-depression

Receptive music therapy for people with depression. Presentation of the results of an ongoing study
2022

Schäfer, A. (2022). "Receptive Music Therapy In People With Depression. Presentation of results from an ongoing study." In C. Münzberg & M. Glawischnig (Eds.). Graz anniversary conference music therapy 2021 Wiesbaden: Reichert.

Mindfulness-based receptive music therapy in people with depression.

Schäfer, A. (2022). "Mindfulness-Based Receptive Music Therapy In People With Depression. A randomized controlled trial to evaluate heart rate variability and mindfulness in depressed patients." Inaugural dissertation, Hamburg. Available at: https://ediss.sub.uni-hamburg.de/handle/ediss/9647

Mindfulness-based music therapy for people with depression.
2020

Schäfer, A., Weymann, E., Moser, M., Grote, V., Frühwirth, M. (2020). "Mindfulness-Based Music Therapy In People With Depression." 16th World Congress of Music Therapy, Today WFMT online journal Special Issue Proceedings 16, 126-128. Available at: https://issuu.com/presidentwfmt/docs/mtt._vol._16._n__1

Affective disorders and music therapy
2019

Schäfer, A. (2019). "Affective Disorders And Music Therapy." In H.U. Schmidt, T. Stegemann & C. Spitzer (Eds.) Music Therapy For Mental And Psychosomatic Disorders (pp. 145-150). Munich: Urban & Fischer/Elsevier

Projects

2017 - 2022
Research project "Psychophysiological study of heart rate variability and mindfulness in depressed patients"

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Barmherzige Brüder, Graz in cooperation with the Human Research Institute, Weiz, the Medical University of Graz and the University of Music and Theatre, Hamburg
Project management: Anja Schäfer MAS
Cooperation with Univ. Prof. Dr. Maximilian Moser, Prof. Dr. Eckhard Weymann, PhD Dr. Mag. Vincent Grote, DI Matthias Frühwirth

2021
Research project Amygdala: Music therapy against pain

Implementation of music therapy in medicine. Cooperation project with the University Augsburg and the University Hospital Augsburg
Cooperation with Dr. Phillip Hepp, Prof. Dr. Susanne Metzner

2013 - 2015
Research project "Receptive music therapy with depressive patients"

Empirical study at Barmherzige Brüder (Clinic of the Brothers of Mercy), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Graz in cooperation with the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
Project management: Anja Schäfer MAS
Cooperation with Dr. Barbara Gindl, Dr. Martin Deuter

Lectures LecturesLectures

I enjoy giving lectures. The ideal I have for talks is that students and listeners are involved, contribute their expertise, and we create a lively exchange.

Lecture at the German Congress for
Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy
Berlin/Germany, June 2022

Public Disputation in the Context of
the Doctoral Procedure
Hamburg/Germany, May 2022

10th Nordic Music Therapy ConferenceHelsinki/Finland, April 2022

10th Graz Music Therapy DayGraz/Austria, November 2021

World Congress of Music Therapy Pretoria/South Africa, July 2020 (online)

INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL TEACHING