Le Pansement Schubert: Une violoncelliste dévoile son travail d'art-thérapeute

by Claire Oppert

For readers of Oliver Sacks and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande.A celebrated art therapist plays the cello for patients with autism, neurodegenerative disease and terminal illness—and offers a moving reflection on the extraordinary power of music to enrich our lives, all the way to the very end.When Claire Oppert plays the cello, miracles happen. Children with profound autism, patients in extreme pain and distress, even people on the threshold of death smile, cry, laugh, sing and dance. “When you play, I’m not sick anymore,” one man tells her. “I feel happy, I feel alive.”In The Schubert Treatment, Oppert recounts her remarkable story of healing suffering through music, alongside portraits of the many people she has helped. Born into a family of doctors and artists, Oppert trained as a classical cellist and began playing at a center for autistic youth, where she witnessed how music could connect with even the most difficult-to-reach patients. Later, she began working as an art therapist with people with neurodegenerative diseases and palliative care patients, eventually conducting clinical trials that proved the effect of her “Schubert treatment”: using music as a counter-stimulation to reduce pain and anxiety during stressful procedures.Oppert’s crystalline, lyrical vignettes of the patients whose lives she has touched are punctuated with anecdotes from her own life as a musician, as well as reflections on the meaning of art and the human need for connection and creativity. Compassionate, uplifting, and deeply humane, The Schubert Treatment is a testament to the incredible power of music to heal our bodies, minds, and souls.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Mental Health, France, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Memoir

208 pages

Published October 4, 2024

Reviews

[Sam Peeters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claire Oppert’s The Schubert Treatment is an evocative exploration of music’s transformative power, particularly in the realms of end-of-life care, dementia, and autism. Drawing from her years as a professional cellist working with vulnerable patients, Oppert shares intimate, poetic anecdotes about how music has acted as a bridge to connection and emotion. While the book succeeds in showcasing the humanizing force of art, it stumbles in its portrayal of autism, presenting a perspective that is at times inspiring but often reductive and problematic.

Oppert’s prose is undoubtedly moving. Her descriptions of playing music for patients with autism are filled with striking imagery, such as the stillness that descends upon Paul, a non-verbal autistic boy, as she begins to play Bach:
“From the first notes of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, Paul stopped rocking and looked at me, as though the music had finally reached him.”

These moments capture the profound impact music can have, but they are often framed as breakthroughs that "unlock" autistic individuals. This framing, while dramatic and emotionally appealing, risks oversimplifying autism as a condition that can be "penetrated" or "solved" through the intervention of an external force like music.

Autism is a spectrum, encompassing a vast diversity of experiences, strengths, and challenges. Oppert’s focus on exceptional cases, like Paul or David, who are seemingly transformed by music, perpetuates the stereotype of autistic people as "trapped" in their own world until someone reaches in to rescue them. This narrative can be harmful, as it fails to acknowledge the agency and individuality of autistic people who may not respond to music or who communicate and connect in different ways.
The Problem of Stereotypes

Throughout the book, Oppert frequently describes autistic individuals as disconnected or isolated, reinforcing a one-dimensional view of autism. For example, David, a non-verbal patient, is introduced as completely withdrawn:
“He sat hunched in a corner, his fingers pressed deep into his ears, entirely shut off from the world.”

While David’s eventual engagement with music, including his improvisations on the piano, is presented as a triumph, it reinforces the idea that autism is inherently a state of absence or deficiency that must be corrected. This perspective disregards the fact that many autistic people already live rich, fulfilling lives on their own terms, without needing to conform to neurotypical norms or expectations of connection.

One of the book’s most glaring weaknesses is its reliance on anecdotal evidence without accompanying scientific rigor. Oppert openly admits to avoiding research on autism at the insistence of her mentor, Howard Buten:
“He forbade me from reading anything about autism. ‘What you’re doing is already good enough,’ he said.”

While this intuitive approach may resonate with readers who appreciate the emotive and personal nature of her stories, it undermines the credibility of her claims. For instance, the oft-repeated assertion that: “Ten minutes of Schubert is equivalent to five milligrams of oxy,” is evocative but unsubstantiated, leaving readers to wonder how much of the book’s impact is rooted in artistic license rather than measurable therapeutic outcomes.

A stronger integration of research on autism and music therapy would have elevated the book, offering a more balanced and evidence-based perspective. Without this, Oppert risks presenting music as a magical cure-all, rather than a nuanced therapeutic tool that may benefit some individuals but not all.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of The Schubert Treatment is its reliance on a "healing narrative," where music is portrayed as a force that brings autistic individuals closer to a state of "normalcy." This perspective is problematic in light of the neurodiversity movement, which emphasizes that autism is not a condition to be fixed but a natural variation in human experience.

By focusing on breakthroughs where patients become more "reachable" or "expressive" through music, the book implicitly suggests that these changes are necessary for their humanity to be fully recognized. This framing risks diminishing the value of autistic people as they are, reinforcing the idea that their worth lies in how well they conform to neurotypical standards.

Despite these criticisms, The Schubert Treatment is undeniably a heartfelt and beautifully written book. Oppert’s passion for her work shines through, and her dedication to her patients is deeply moving. However, the book is most effective when viewed as a personal memoir rather than a definitive statement on autism or music therapy.

Readers should approach the book with an awareness of its limitations. While it offers inspiring stories about the potential of music to foster connection, it fails to grapple with the complexities of autism as a spectrum condition. The absence of scientific grounding and the reliance on reductive narratives ultimately weaken its impact, particularly for readers seeking a nuanced or comprehensive understanding of autism.

The Schubert Treatment is a poetic and inspiring exploration of music’s power, but it falls short in its portrayal of autism. By leaning on stereotypes and prioritizing emotional resonance over nuanced representation, the book risks reinforcing outdated and narrow views of autistic individuals.

While it is worth reading for its evocative storytelling and insights into music therapy, it should be approached critically. For those interested in autism, it is best paired with works that center autistic voices and provide a more diverse and informed perspective.

[Jesús]

Music therapy through the works of Bach (Bach's suites) https://es.aleteia.org/2021/04/21/toc...

[Keeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is *SO* *FRENCH.* Its approach to such concerns as genre, academic scholarship, pacing...all of it is subservient to a sense of style, of the author's sense of beauty, a beauty that is, for her, truth. It is the sort of book where there are two or three episodes of a few pages that one could read repeatedly and quote for their aptness, but if you do so you may forget the many dozens of other pages that were not so apt or worthy of rereading. (I think this is how we all got stuck with Michel Foucault.)
I am not sure the approaches described meet clinical standards in the care of neurodivergent youth, but the author clearly cares deeply about ameliorating lives through the practice of music in therapeutic settings. This book may be inspiring to those who have a relative in a palliative care situation, or may help musicians to better value their worth to those around them. It does not change the fact that it is, from an Anglophone perspective, a very odd book.

[BookBrowse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Schubert Treatment is a short but powerful memoir that highlights the unlikely meeting between medicine and live music. Oppert's writing is emotional and detailed, bringing individuals to life in only a few pages, and the inclusion of specific pieces of music at the beginning of each vignette provides a soundtrack to further connect with her work. This memoir is a heartwarming show of the unique power of music to connect and heal people at all levels of health.
-Jordan Lynch

Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a beautiful and moving book. However, I found it sometimes more like a loose collection and missed some structure or a golden thread. Also, as I have a scientific background in the area of music and clinical psychology, the “intuitive”, artistic and sometimes even science-critical tone was sometimes difficult for me (although it got better in the end).

[JDK1962 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating, if more anecdotal and impressionistic than I might have wanted.

[P R · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely wonderful book! Loved it!

[Katra · Rating 3 out of 5]

p-n, s-n, v-s

[Burt Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book that shows the power of music. I cried many times. It touched me deeply. What incredible experiences for her and those she helped!

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the first part was quite interesting although definitely this is a book that cannot be considered an essay or even an experiment with a scientific basis. The second part, on the other hand, was just filler, probably to get to the number of pages required by the publisher.

La prima parte mi é sembrata piuttosto interessante anche se decisamente questo é un libro che non puó essere considerato un saggio né tanto meno un esperimento con basi scientifiche. La seconda parte invece, era proprio un riempitivo, probabilmente per arrivare al numero di pagine richieste dall'editore.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Premiere lecture en fin de challenge, après un long voyage... Je n’ai pas trop su quoi penser de ma lecture. Un peu comme si j’étais passée à côté. Alors que j’en attendais beaucoup au niveau émotionnel. Il a tout pour me parler. Il m’a été offert par ma tante à un moment de sa vie douloureux, traite du pouvoir de la musique lors des soins difficiles (ce que j’applique auprès de mes propres patients), est autour du violoncelle (instrument coup de cœur depuis toujours et que j’apprend depuis bientôt 3 ans)...

Je l’ai "relu" aujourd'hui grâce à Audible. En version audio. Parce que j'avais ce sentiment de déception. Et j'ai tellement bien fais.
Déjà merci Audible car certains passages sont lus par l’autrice. Beaucoup de morceaux évoqués sont ensuite passés et c’est tellement beau d’entendre cette musique juste après avoir entendu ses effets.
J'ai eu le cœur serré, apaisé, émerveillé. Plusieurs moments m’ont pris aux tripes.
Je suis retournée à la rencontre de ce livre et il m’attendait sagement. C’est un coup de cœur. Je le relirais encore et encore. Et peut être qu’un jour, moi aussi, je pourrais jouer directement devant mes patients ? ✨️

[Célia · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai adoré le fait qu'il y ait des pièces citées en début de presque chaque chapitre, ça m'a chaque fois mise dans un état d'esprit particulier. Ce livre m'a beaucoup touchée et impactée, même si certains passages m'ont un peu dérangée et que je n'ai pas toujours été emportée par le style.
C'était vraiment impactant, ça donne envie de partager (dans plein de sens héhé)

[Raphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible experience.

[Cindi Shahly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about how music communicates to others when nothing else does.