Anti-Missile Sounds

Prof. Moshe Bensimon
Department of Criminology 

Clinical data was collected from 15 music therapists who work with Israeli children in the Gaza envelope area where residents have been dealing with missile attacks for years. As a result of continuous missile attacks, many children in the Gaza envelope experience fear of death or injury, and develop anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Following a traumatic event, behaviors develop such as flashbacks and nightmares, avoiding thoughts and emotions, emotional disorders that manifest in negative expectations of the world, and even aggressive behavior, self-destruction, trouble concentrating, bed-wetting, and sleep disturbances.  

The analysis of the interviews helped to formulate a model describing how both existing and improvised songs can help empower children who have experienced ongoing trauma. The research relates both to the lyrics and melodies.  

Based on his findings, Prof. Bensimon formulated three components that make a song useful in helping children cope with trauma: 

Playful space. A song by its very nature gets the children into a playful experience. Through pretending, children learn about different social situations, even harsh ones. The therapeutic songs get the children into a joyful and creative space, as opposed to a traumatic “fight or flight” situation. 

Control. A song is comprised of verse and refrain, rhyme and tempo. The song’s structural elements provide a feeling of being able to anticipate what will transpire and therefore, afford a sense of control and stability - the opposite of what is felt in a traumatic experience. Control may also be attained through the lyrics, which include instructions on how to act when the siren is heard. 

Empowerment and Resilience. Songs that include empowering lyrics may foster a feeling of empowerment and resilience. Music therapists often create a disk or playlist of “songs of resilience” that accompany patients through their lives, empowering and strengthening them during moments of crisis. 

According to Prof. Bensimon, the use of therapeutic songs, which encapsulate these elements, may enable children to re-experience the fear of sirens and missile attacks in a different way which reframes the experience of the missile attacks in a playful, controlled and empowering context (a little like Roberto Benigni’s movie “Life is Beautiful”). Using these songs helps children both during therapy sessions and in real time – during a missile attack. The model formulated is called “Experiential Reframing of Trauma through Song.”