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Matt Logan
In Lessons

Humidify Your Guitar This Winter

This is my annual appeal on behalf of your guitar. Winters can be particularly harsh on your instrument because humidity levels drop. I explain everything in the following video...which I recorded about 3 years ago. It's still relevant, and I still use the home-made humidifier I made in this video. Remember - never leave your guitar in your car for extended periods of time. If you have no choice, try to let the guitar warm up to room temperature before opening the case. Room humidifiers are nice, too. Stay humidified,…
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Matt Logan
In Front Lines

Music Therapy Advocacy in 2013

Introduction: Advocacy --> Recognition --> Access Since 2005, the American Music Therapy Association and the Certification Board for Music Therapists have collaborated on a State Recognition Operational Plan. The primary purpose of this plan is to get music therapy and our MT-BC credential recognized by individual states so that citizens can more easily access our services. The AMTA Government Relations staff and CBMT Regulatory Affairs staff provide guidance and technical support to state task forces throughout the country as they work towards state recognition. To date, their work has resulted…
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Matt Logan
In Site News

A 2012 Review

Wow, I can't believe 2012 is gone already! It was such a fast year...well, not literally, I suppose. In fact, I think it was a leap year, so it was actually longer than normal. However, I was so busy that it seemed to fly by in fast-forward. Much of my 2012 was spent in the classroom, both learning and teaching. In December, I celebrated the completion of a Master of Arts degree in Music Therapy, which I earned at The University of Iowa. My New Year's resolution is to continually…
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Matt Logan
In Lessons

Chord Extensions 101: Suspensions

Chord extensions, simply put, make you sound like a better guitarist. Common chord extensions include: suspensions (today's topic), add9, Major 7, Minor 7, Major 9, 6th, etc. This is the first part in a little mini series about how to use chord extensions to your advantage. I welcome any questions and hope to be able to help you use these in your own clinical settings. When we are talking about suspensions on the guitar, we are typically talking about adding the 4th. This creates a little tension, and thus, a…
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Matt Logan
In Ideas

6 Self-Care Strategies to Start Using Today

Compassion fatigue. Burnout. These are terms you've heard before, and they commonly apply to people in helping professions. See, the "problem" with us is that we over-empathize, which is probably why we ended up in our professions to begin with. Empathy is one of the characteristics that makes us so good at our jobs, and it's also what makes self-care strategies necessary so we can continue to be effective. Compassion fatigue and burnout are two separate things, though one tends to lead to the other. In short, compassion fatigue is…
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Matt Logan
In Conference

Midwestern Conference Recap

This last weekend, I attended the Midwestern Region's music therapy conference (#mwamta12). It was hosted in my home town, good old Iowa City, IA. What a treat it was. Attendance was pretty high for a midwestern regional - I think we were around 200. There were sessions on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I spent most of the time at my exhibit booth (see picture). I had to do quite a bit of running around, so I brought in the big guns for help. Thanks Mom!! I sold quite a few…
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Matt Logan
In Advocacy

Can I Tell You a Story?

This post relates to a very basic part of what we consider to be "advocacy". It is yet another response to that question we always get: So what do you do? We have all rehearsed little elevator pitches and definitions. My approach to answering this question changed a bit over the course of last year, and I hope it will spark some ideas in others. Whereas I used to launch into a mini-lecture involving several buzz words (goals, objectives, non-musical, outcomes, research-based, blah blah blah...), I now say, "Do you…
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Matt Logan
In Guest Work

More Tips for an Intern

Caitlin, the author of yesterday's post (5 Things to Do Before the End of Internship) also sent along this little bonus section. I think everyone can benefit from this list of tips! BONUS Section! Staying centered during your final days of internship. For a yoga fanatic such as myself, I am constantly pursuing my center!  The craziness of growing up can often be over whelming; here are some quick tips to keeping a healthy mind, body and spirit. Mind SLEEP. Sleep is essential for a sharp mind and happy intern.…
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Matt Logan
In Guest Work

5 Things To Do Before The End of Internship

It is my pleasure to share a guest post by my friend and fellow Iowa alum, Caitlin Krater. Caitlin recently finished her internship in Indianapolis, and will begin working on a research project with Sheri Robb, PhD, MT-BC, in February. We all remember the craziness that is internship, as well as the slightly terrifying question, "Well, what next?" In this guest post, Caitlin provides some great tips to those who are currently in the internship stage or who will be soon. Enjoy! You have worked hard to complete your coursework,…
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