Wow! What a conference! I am totally on a music therapy mountaintop, and I can’t wait to see what unfolds this next year. Here are a few highlights from my conference experience in Atlanta. 1. Idea-sharing I was fortunate enough to get to talk with some real music therapy rock stars this year. Being a part of the panel facilitated by Kimberly Sena Moore was most definitely a highlight. It was so interesting to hear how people use social media to advocate for the field of music therapy, as well…
Shame on you, American Idol! “What?! I love that show!” This is not actually an attack on Mr. Seacrest and the gang, but rather an observance of some of the downsides of the commercialization (and professionalization) of music. In short, people are scared to sing. And specific to this post, moms are tentative about singing to their babies. Moms may believe, “If I don’t sound like Kelly Clarkson, I shouldn’t sing at all.” But this is untrue! We know an infant prefers his mother’s voice to any other. Period. And…
This week, the 2nd edition of Imagine Early Childhood Online Magazine was released. It’s sponsored by the American Music Therapy Association, and it is dedicated to early childhood music therapy. This is an exciting issue – check out the details! In this edition, I interviewed expert music therapist, Kim Hawkins. The podcast is entitled, “PracticingMusic Therapy in the NICU: An Interview with Kim Hawkins.” Kim and I had a great conversation about the setup of a modern NICU, as well as applications of music therapy interventions within that environment. Check…
This is such a neat project. I’ve heard many people talk about the ways in which technology seems to isolate us. For example, the television ruining dinner conversation, or iPods being used to block out background sounds and avoid encounters with others. This is a much-needed reminder that technology can also be used to bring people together, and in this instance, it is really beautiful. Below are the full versions of the songs quoted in this TED talk. Beautiful compositions, stunning visuals. Enjoy.
Teaching Music Therapy Advocacy One day, about a year ago, I was busying myself on the computer when I overheard a telephone conversation my roommate was having. For this story, you need a little background information. He had graduated with degrees in finance and economics and was into his first year of law school. It’s fair to say we have very different interests and strengths, but we’d been friends all throughout our undergraduate years and our friendship continues. Advocacy creates a domino effect I don’t know who he was talking…
We all know that change is inevitable, and there are plenty of hackneyed quotes I could find on “the googler” to make the same point. I suspect that coping with change is different for everyone, in the same way that people have different levels of tolerance for change. Me? I love change, even thrive on it. BUT, that doesn’t mean it is always stress-free. In fact, in going through several changes over the last couple months, I noticed myself experiencing much more stress than I usually do. And I’m a…
I read two blog entries that inspired some great thinking this evening. The idea for this post originated with Andrew Littlefield on his blog, MTI in the ATL. Incidentally, Andrew was the first winner of Music Therapy Source’s Student and Intern Support program, and he contributed this essay on the importance of advocacy. Then, Stephanie over at The Rhythmic Mind provided additional insights on her blog. So, I decided to follow suit and answer the question: What non-clinical roles do I or have I played that influence me as a therapist?…
So I have been a professional music therapist for almost 5 full months now, and I wanted to do a post about my experiences so far. Here are some of the things I have learned. If you are a new professional, please comment about your own experiences! 1.) Speak Up Or, as John Mayer sang, “Say What You Need to Say”. As students and interns, we are mostly in learning mode, trying to soak up everything from our teachers and supervisors. While it is always important to be listening and…
Congratulations to Andrew Littlefield of The Florida State University, who submitted the only essay for the first Student and Intern Support Project. I realize the timing may have been bad for many students, with finals and other end of the year stressors. Andrew’s article is very good, and he will be receiving a $100 award from the American Music Therapy Association of Students. I encourage more to apply to future contests! Congrats, Andrew! An Essay on Advocacy By Andrew Littlefield Being a relatively small (and frequently misunderstood) profession, music therapists…
Throughout my training and young career as a music therapist, I have had many opportunities to work with toddlers and preschool aged children. I used to find this population to be incredibly intimidating, as I went virtually ten years with little to no contact with people in this age range. Now, my group consisting of mostly three-year-olds is one of my favorite sessions each week. Here I will list a few of my own observations, and I know you have many more. Please feel free to comment and add to…