Walk Like a Therapist, Talk Like a Therapist

Today's musing comes to you with an earworm, which happens to be the official term for a song that burrows into your ear and won't get out. Click the link if you dare: Walk Like a Man

As I prepare for my final semester as a music therapy student, I frequently catch myself saying and doing things that a therapist would say and do.

I cringed when I saw an alcohol ad sporting "TGI Tuesday!" because I instantly empathized with the clients I saw in practicum who were in rehab for substance abuse.

I cringe for all the ads and other examples in pop culture proudly displaying a less-than-healthy relationship with alcohol and other substances because I know how hard many of these and other clients will work to overcome their less-than-healthy relationships with their drugs of choice. I find myself wishing the rest of the world could be as sensitive to their struggles as a therapist is.

I found myself carefully assessing the family dog's state-specific anxiety and ended up sleeping on the couch with him to help him get settled while I dog-sat for my parents this summer. Then I caught myself using the iso principle to gradually wean him from needing me right next to him all the time.

Michael Westen of Burn Notice wishes everyone got Green Beret training in high school. I wish everyone had some training in verbal counseling skills and active listening.

I cringe when I hear a well-meaning but unhelpful grief platitude being sent rapid-fire at someone who is recently bereaved, and I have to stop myself from sharing the good news about Person-First Language a little too vigorously so as not to offend.

These behaviors weren't a regular part of my life four years ago.

Undertaking the degree program to become a music therapist has, I hope, made me a more careful observer and a better listener. I think it's made me think more carefully about what I say to others. It has taught me to walk the delicate line between sympathy and empathy. It's definitely taught me that sometimes the best thing I can do for those around me is to go for a run or soak in a bubble bath.

Slowly but surely, I think I am becoming a therapist!

Have you noticed these kinds of changes in yourself as you progressed from green student to professional MT-BC? I would love to hear how you walk the walk and talk the talk!

In Loving Memory & Rock On

This semester I have had the great pleasure to co-lead an intergenerational rock band, comprised of Drury University music therapy students, and members of the Missouri Institute for Mature Learners. We have a truly multi-generational spread in that group, and we are learning songs as old as "What a Wonderful World," to songs from last year like "Wide Awake," by Katy Perry.

Yesterday, I was deeply saddened to learn that one of our most dedicated and enthusiastic mature learners, B., had a massive heart attack and died.

As distressing as this news was, I was also overjoyed at the amazing music therapy connections we made with B. and his wife before he had to leave us.

At the very first rock band rehearsal, B. and his wife E. were the first two mature learners there. The first thing I noticed about B. was his smile and that he was wearing a Phantom of the Opera t-shirt, which happened to be the same Phantom t-shirt I have. That was a great ice breaker. We talked about musicals and many other types of music we both enjoyed.

Shortly, we were commiserating about how hard it can be to find good parking on campus. B. told me if I ever find a good spot and have to leave it, I should mark it off with police tape, chalk out a body outline, and leave a note saying, "This is what happened to the last person who took my spot."

Already B. was sharing great wisdom with me, and I'd known him for less than 5 minutes.

One week, the Mature Learners meeting was cancelled because of snow, but the Drury students came for rehearsal because B. and E. braved the weather. They were enjoying their time with us that much.

One of the songs on the program is Bon Jovi's "It's My Life." I am getting to teach this song to the group, and my adivsor and the group director, Dr. Natalie Wlodarczyk, discussed with me how we could vary the program a little bit more. I suggested we could make the verses of "It's My Life" a solo. I also had a feeling about who I should ask to sing it.

B. was a little unsure at first because he had never heard the song, but he promised me he would go home and listen to it that week while he read over the lyrics.

When we met again the next week, B. was on board. He loved that song! I was glad my gut was right.

B. was supposed to sing the solo with the group for the first time next week. Instead, his life journey came to an end. However, his wife called Dr. Wlodarczyk to share some things, and this is what she relayed to me.

B. had been practicing the song constantly. He felt that the lyrics really described how he had tried to live his life because he had already lived through one heart attack and he knew the odds of another were pretty good. His wife quoted back the chorus, "It's my life. It's now or never. I'm ain't gonna live forever. I just wanna live while I'm alive," and requested that the students from rock band sing this at B.'s funeral. We have also decided that the Intergenerational Rock Band concert will be dedicated to B.

While I know there will be a hole in my heart next Tuesday when I come for rock band rehearsal and I don't see B. standing in the back and beaming, I am beyond overjoyed that we could connect through music therapy and that we could teach each other something before B. died.

From B., I learned some practical parking wisdom, and more importantly, how to LIVE each day of my life because no one is guaranteed a single tomorrow.

With a little help from me and the rest of the rock band, B. discovered his inner rock star.

So, to this amazing gentleman that touched my life in such a brief span, I say, "Rock on."

How Did I Get Here?

I'm crouching on the floor, playing a guitar, while simultaneously holding and playing a set of jingle bells in my right hand. The strum pattern from my right hand shakes the jingle bells and makes them sound. I'm also singing and trying to get eye contact from an amazing little someone with an autism spectrum disorder.

How did I get here?

I never imagined I would have the desire or ability to find myself in that situation when I first began studying the flute years ago in 7th grade. Even though I didn't know it, that is indeed where my personal journey towards music therapy began. 

As a small child, I loved music and would spend hours at a time picking out tunes by ear on the family piano. I couldn't get enough. A family friend offered free piano lessons, which I took for a while, but being young and foolish, I decided maybe piano lessons weren't so awesome after all.

The summer before my 7th grade year, I heard a flute trio play for the very first time. After that, there was no going back. I had to learn how to do that. It was no longer a want, but a need.

I started private flute lessons and band that year and threw myself full force into both. If you asked me what I wanted be when I grew up, it was absolutely very clearly, "either a band director or a professional flutist."

Music education or performance were my only two options, as far as I was concerned. And, of course, I only listened to classical because pop music was "dumb" and "shallow."

Now I just laugh at my 7th grade self. (And also want to kick her for not listening to pop music sooner.)

Things continued more or less in this fashion through my sophomore year of high school. In my second semester, I was assigned to write a research paper on a "personally relevant question." So, my question was whether I should pursue music education or performance.

In my initial searching, I found the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) website. The more I read, the more it became a moment like hearing the flute trio. I very quickly realized that this was my niche. The research paper I turned in was not about education vs. performance. Instead, I turned in a paper about the effectiveness of music therapy, the career options for music therapists, and what my personal action plan should be to send me on my way to MT-BC. I got to present my findings to my entire English class, so I was already advocating for music therapy.

That same year, I took a career and aptitude test at school. My top three results were music performance, counseling, and health care. My teacher laughed and shook his head and said, "Good luck finding one career that's all three of those." I told him that it meant I was supposed to be a music therapist.
 

Do you have a personal music therapy journey to share? Send me an email or share in the comments!

Saturday Shout Out: Justin Roberts!

Today’s Saturday Shout Out goes to my favorite kindie (that’s kid’s music + indie) artist, Justin Roberts!

Several months ago, I was thinking about how more toddlers seem to be into Justin Bieber than traditional nursery rhymes, and how I felt about that as a future music therapist. I started to think about the themes in all the children’s music I had heard so far and how they were all inadequate to broach some of the serious, real-world issues I know children sometimes confront in music therapy.

Out of sheer curiosity (or was it desperation?), I Googled “serious children’s music.” I found this article and I was totally blown away. I started listening to Justin Roberts music on YouTube, and that was followed by downloading as much of it on iTunes as my college budget would allow.

A quick evaluation of his lyrics reveals the themes are often ready-made for music therapy sessions. The music is also as satisfying, complex, and varied as children’s music ever gets. To put it simply, his music may be for children, but it’s in no way childish.

I have created some examples of how Justin Roberts’s music might be used in music therapy with children.

On his newest album, Lullaby, the first track, Count Them as They Go would be great for music-assisted relaxation, using imagery or Progressive Muscle Relaxation. This track would also be great for having clients draw to music.

Easier to Do would work well for lyric analysis. You might ask clients, “What is hard for you to do right now?” “What is something that used to be hard but now is easier for you to do?”

Nothing on You, Heart of Gold, All For You, Polar Bear, No Matter How Far, and Lullaby all contain loving messages from caregivers to children and could be used in a family therapy type session.They are also gentle enough they might be used by music therapists or parents alike in the NICU.

From other albums, songs like I Chalk, Taking off My Training Wheels, Giraffe/Nightingale, and Backyard Super Kid are all excellent for validating a child’s unique talents and abilities and for helping them to build self-esteem. Giraffe/Nightingale would be great for a group lyric analysis, and Backyard Super Kid might be perfect for a child who is hospitalized for medical or psychiatric reasons. Piggy-back songwriting can be used to customize the lyrics for each client.

There are so many more uses for Justin Roberts’s music that I couldn’t fit them all in one blog post!

His music covers nearly everything that is childhood, from the silly to the serious.

My personal favorite is Sandcastle. The song speaks of grief and loss with a very-age appropriate, relatable metaphor. It is excellent for processing grief with young children and can be adapted with fill in the blank song-writing.

And, just in case music therapists needed another reason to love Justin Roberts, he has links to chords and lyrics for his albums Meltdown! and Yellow Bus. 

Music therapists, have you ever used his music in a session? Would you?
Be sure to like Justin Roberts on Facebook and follow him on Twitter!

Music Therapy on the IEP: Layman's Terms for Parents As Advocates

Originally enacted in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees the rights of all children with disabilities to a “free and appropriate public education.” For some excellent resources on IDEA and what all it entails, see here and here.

Any parent whose child is receiving special education services under IDEA is generally familiar with the rights and services they receive under IDEA, but it seems like the best-kept secret of IDEA is that music therapy is a related service.

This means that music therapy can be added to a child’s IEP at no cost to the family. If you know how to ask for it and are willing to be assertive about your rights as a parent, your school system will pay for your child to receive music therapy services as part of their IEP. For information and research on how music therapy can improve educational and quality of life outcomes for children with a variety of needs and diagnoses, please see: Music Therapy with Young Children

Music Therapy in Special Education

Music Therapy in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Music Therapy Research: Autism Spectrum Disorders

Music Therapy Research: Special Education

Music Therapy Research: Williams Syndrome

The basic process for obtaining music therapy services on an IEP is outlined as simply as possible below. (Credit for the following information goes to Judy Simpson, cited under “References.”)

1. Request a Music Therapy Assessment

Under IDEA, parents are an equal part of the IEP team and have the right to request assessments for related services. Parents can request an IEP meeting or can wait for the next scheduled meeting to make a request for a music therapy assessment. Parents have the right to contract with a music therapist separately for an assessment, of course, but that gives the school system the right to refute the results of the assessment. Time and expense can be saved by going through the school system for the assessment to begin with. Once an assessment has been requested, a school system cannot legally deny you one, but many may try as a way to avoid the expense of paying for services. You may need to remind the school system that you are guaranteed the right to assessments for your child and they must comply.

2. Music Therapy Assessment is Completed

Once the school system complies, they will contract with a music therapist of their choosing to complete the assessment for your child. You may want to check The Certification Board for Music Therapists to make sure the therapist the school contracts is actually a board-certified music therapist. Assessments vary somewhat from state to state, but in order for a music therapist to recommend that your child receive services, your child’s progress toward IEP goals will need to be measured without music therapy services and with them. If a qualified therapist determines that your child will make significantly more progress toward IEP goals with music therapy to the point that music therapy can be considered necessary for your child’s education, then that therapist will recommend services for your child.

3. Following Up With the School System

Again, many school systems will balk at this stage and attempt to deny access to services. This is generally for financial reasons. However, they are in violation of IDEA laws if they attempt to withhold services after a qualified therapist has deemed those services necessary. A written notice and reminder of their duty is all that is typically needed to encourage a school system to comply. However, sometimes it is necessary to enlist legal help and inform the school system that you will be seeking fulfillment of your rights through the courts if necessary. That being said, it is almost never necessary to actually go to court as most school systems find that the expense and bad press of litigation are not worth fighting. If you find that your school system is reluctant to grant you access to your rights, there are many organizations for parents of children with special needs who can provide you a lawyer at little to no cost.

A Final Note: Parents as Advocates

Parents, as advocates for their child’s rights, must drive the process of obtaining music therapy services on the IEP. This removes music therapists from a real or perceived conflict of interest in assessing and recommending for or against services. However, if you would like assistance and resources for the process, it is strongly recommended that you contact the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and let them know that you are attempting to add music therapy services to your child’s IEP. AMTA can assist parents by providing research and public relations materials, a letter of support addressed directly to school administrators, a copy of the letter from the U.S. Department of Education which clarifies music therapy as a related service, as well as many other additional resources. 

If you decide to pursue music therapy services for your child, I wish you the best of luck. You may find that music therapy makes a difference!

References:

Simpson, J. (2002). Increasing access to music therapy: The roles of parents, music therapists, and AMTA. In B. L. Wilson (Ed.), Models of music therapy interventions in school settings (2nd ed., pp. 3-6). Silver Spring, MD: The American Music Therapy Association, Inc.

Advocacy: The Student Edition

Last year, one of the best posts to come out of Social Media Advocacy Month was Top 10 Times You're an Advocate and You Don't Even Know It by the fantastic Kimberly Sena Moore. Music therapy students, if you don't know who she is, I suggest you start following her on Twitter and reading her blog, Music Therapy Maven. She's an advocacy rock star!

Since a student's involvement with music therapy is a little different than that of a working professional, I offer you all the best ways I have found to advocate as a student!

1. Educate Mom & Dad (and your siblings, and grandparents, and cousins, and nieces and nephews, and great aunt Sally)
Don't be afraid to take a few minutes at the next family dinner and chat with your family about what you are going to school for. Most people are naturally fascinated by the idea of music therapy, so go ahead and ask your family what they already know and fill in any major gaps in their knowledge. The coolest thing happened to me over the holidays. A friend of the family asked what music therapy was all about, and before I could open my mouth, my parents started explaining it like advocacy pros!

2. Social Media
Our generation was practically born with Facebook and Twitter accounts. Use that knowledge of social media to share music therapy news with your family and friends. Follow music therapists on Twitter, and like music therapy businesses on Facebook. Check out the AMTA News page for ideas of what to share using social media.

3. Practice Your "Elevator Speeches"
The question, "What is music therapy?" will be with you like a birthmark until music therapy becomes so mainstream that it would be laughable not to know about it. Until that day, people will ask you this in restaurants, grocery stores, in lines, in the park, you name it. The challenge for you is answering this question in less than 2 minutes! Practice answering the most common questions you hear and see how concise you can get your answer while still giving the most important points.

4. Wear It Out Loud
Does your music therapy student organization have t-shirts or hoodies? Do you have any AMTA apparel? Don't save it for lazy Saturdays in the house. Instead, wear your music therapy clothing out to run errands and be prepared to answer "What is music therapy?" yet again.

5. Gig In the Name of Music Therapy
Every time I perform for anything, when someone compliments a performance, my response goes something like this. "Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it. I am actually majoring in music therapy, so I would hope my education is paying off." And again, I answer, "What is music therapy?"

6. Start a Music Therapy Blog
It's not hard, and even as a student, you will have valuable things to share. I promise.

7. Join Your CBMT State Task Force
If you really want to be involved with advocacy, this is the way to go. I'm not kidding. I did it, and so did a fellow Drury student. We have gotten to participate in conference calls and be "in the know" with the process of state recognition in Missouri. If there is anything students can do along the way, I want to know about it and help. Check out the CBMT State Recognition page and brainstorm ways you could be involved with the process. Contact your state task force to offer your services.

I didn't quite make 10, but I bet you have some more ideas! Share them in the comments below.

What I Have Done With Music Therapy

This January is the third annual music therapy Social Media Advocacy Month. Part of this month-long process involves collecting stories of lives that have been impacted through music therapy.

Because of confidentiality, my family and friends can't just drop in during the day to see what I am doing as part of my music therapy practicum hours.

To join in with this month of advocacy, and to give the people in my life a window into what I do with clients, I am sharing some of the amazing things I have gotten to be a part of as a music therapy student.

I have:

Helped a man with a visual impairment and autism use his voice more appropriately (normal speaking range instead of Mickey-Mouse high).
Helped the same client learn to reach out, feel and identify objects and materials in his environment. 

Helped a woman on hospice care strengthen her larynx (voice-box) so she could continue to enjoy solid food with her husband for as long as possible. 
Helped the same woman recall and validate memories of her life using her favorite familiar music.
Helped calm her anxiety and lower her respiration rate using music.

Helped a group of teenagers with autism learn some new songs using a rock band setup, and in the process they worked on social skills, direction-following, and appropriate emotional expression.

Helped a group of residents in an assisted-living facility maintain their motor and cognitive skills, and improve their quality of life and self-esteem through the rehearsals and performances of a tone chime choir. 

Helped a child with a developmental disability access more motor skills and speech.

This is just a sampling of the ways I have been able to participate in music therapy as a student in the course of two semesters of practicum. I am truly and deeply humbled by the power of music therapy, and blessed by the privilege of working with these clients.

I cannot express my excitement to become a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) and to get to experience music therapy moments all day, every day.

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 in over 35 active state task forces, 2 licensure bills passed in 2011, 1 licensure bill passed in 2012, and an estimated 7 bills being filed in 2013 that seek to create either title protection or a licensure for music therapy. This month, our focus is on YOU and on getting you excited about advocacy.

What music therapy stories do you have to share?

Saturday Shout Out: Taking Body Blows

This Saturday Shout Out goes out to my dad, Ray Blevins.

It was around this time last year (one week before finals) that my dad wrote me a super encouraging Facebook post. He reminded me that while my stress was high and the semester was knocking me around a little bit that I would make it. To slip into a boxing analogy for a moment, he told me that all the best fighters had to take repeated body blows before they could wear down their opponents and claim victory. Next week includes 2 project presentations, 3 tests, a review packet or two, a recital class performance, and who knows what all else. Next week may feel like black eyes and broken ribs, but those are just body blows. It's not a knockout. I just need to go two more rounds (weeks) in the ring with this semester and then, the KO is mine. So, thank you, Dad, for your insight and wisdom.

Now I want to know, whether you are a student, a practicing therapist, or a supervisor/educator, what body blows have you been taking lately? Who or what helps you stay in the ring until the final bell?

Saturday Shout Out: Are You Feeling It?

Introducing "Saturday Shout Outs!" I am going to periodically give a "shout out" to someone or something, past, present, or future that has influenced me or the field of music therapy.

Today's shout out goes to fellow Drury student, Tyler Stokes.

Tyler gets a shout out because I never seen any musician who allows musical emotion to show in his face and body quite as naturally as he does.

I think advanced musical training can tend to train our natural expressive reactions right out of us. Sometimes, we get "conservatory face" and if it weren't for the quality of the music being produced, one might think that the musician isn't feeling anything.

A few weeks ago, I was sight-reading an etude with a middle school student. Midway through, she stopped and giggled. I was baffled. What about sight-reading is giggle-worthy? She told me that the music took a turn she wasn't expecting and it filled her with surprise and delight. WOW.

How often would we allow ourselves to giggle while making music anymore? Or to sigh? Weep? Grimace? Or grin?

Would it be the end of the world if a musicians on stage looked like they were having fun?

One thing I can tell you is that Tyler has this expression down to an art. His performances are inspiring, both in sound and sight. Shameless plug alert: You can follow Tyler on Twitter (@TylerStoked) and be sure to check out his fantastic band, Delta Sol Revival (@DeltaSolRevival).

So, in honor of Tyler's Saturday Shout Out, I challenge you to be a little less inhibited the next time you make music. Are you feeling it?

What I Would Love to Share with Music Educators

At Drury, we are blessed to learn and work very closely beside our friends and colleagues who are majoring in music education.

I spend a lot of time thinking about music education and music educators, because every single current or future music therapist is able to do what they do because they had positive experiences in music education at some point. Our first formal musical learning experiences came from music educators.

That fact alone means that music therapists should have a vested interest in the continuing well-being of music educators and the vitality of their curriculum.

And on that thought, here some of the things music therapists know that I would love to share with music educators.

Advocacy

Music therapists know that our profession depends on advocacy. This is no less true for music educators. People go into education and therapy both because they had positive experiences in music education. It's a self-perpetuating profession. Advocacy is essential, but it seems like many educators learn how to advocate effectively after they are already teaching. And when you find out that your band program may be in danger is no time to learn advocacy strategies. I really wish that music education curricula would include more specific instruction on the most effective strategies for advocacy.

Transference and Counter-transference

 As I wrote in a previous post, clients can bring a lot of rough stuff to sessions with them. We are prepared for this - that's why our clients are seeing us - the rough stuff! Even though someone is a music educator that doesn't mean students won't bring tough subjects with them to class. Music educators are not insulated from the harsh realities of students' lives that have nothing to do with music. So, I really wish that more attention could be given to the issues of transference and counter-transference in music classrooms.I would love to see educators receive more preparation for their own emotional reactions to students' personal difficulties.

Self-Care and Burnout 

 The music educators I know spend a lot of their time stressed out and emotionally drained. That's not to say that music therapists don't spend a lot of their time that way, too! It seems that music therapists hear a lot more about self-care than educators do, however. I would love for more educators and therapists both to take self-care to heart and to really be vigilant against the dangers of burnout. It is true that if the educator or the therapist is not at his or her very best, students and clients aren't going to get the very best treatment or education possible. 

Resource Sharing

Finally, I would love to see educators and therapists put our heads together a little bit more than we already do. Students with disabilities are frequently mainstreamed in music classrooms because music is so very accessible. But music education curricula do not include a large amount of information on students with exceptional needs, as a general rule. Are we making music educators aware that they can collaborate with music therapists in their music classrooms? Are we teaching educators how to make music therapy part of the IEP for a student? Additionally, what educational strategies do music educators have that music therapists aren't aware of and could benefit greatly from? Where can we get our heads together more?

For the all the music educators out there, what would you share with music therapists? How would you most like to see us collaborate with one another? What are educators doing well that therapists could do better? Please feel free to share your thoughts!

Roll With the Changes

 REO Speedwagon: "Roll With the Changes"

As music therapists, when something happens in our lives, we can almost always think of the song that accompanies what is going on. This week, "Roll With the Changes" by REO Speedwagon has been my theme song.
Dr. Natalie Wlodarczyk tells us at Drury all the time that our greatest assets as music therapists are our flexibility and our creativity.

This became especially true as this week, it was announced that due to overall budgetary constraints, Drury's Master of Music Therapy program will not be accepting any new students for the next foreseeable future.

This decision came down at the same point I was getting ready to begin taking some graduate coursework. I absolutely love Drury and I think we have a fantastic program for music therapy. Our students go out prepared for their internships and have great experiences, as a general rule. Our curriculum is rigorous and we have a clinic for music therapy services on campus.

Obviously, if it were up to me, I would have been extremely happy to stay in our great environment at Drury and do my graduate work there.

But, things changed, and so you roll with the changes. My husband and I sat down with our five to ten-year plan and used our flexibility and creativity to roll with the changes. It really is true that flexibility and creativity are my greatest assets, both for working with clients and for navigating life. While I am disappointed that I won't be able to do my graduate work at Drury, it is also exciting to have the opportunity to make new plans. 

So, I would second what Dr. Wlodarczyk says - flexibility and creativity will get you through anything, whether it's a session that doesn't go how you were expecting or a significant change to your educational plans. 

Whatever may be going on in life right now, it's always a good time to turn some pages and roll with the changes!

The Rough Edges and Beyond

Music therapists spend a lot of their time with people who are not exhibiting peak levels of human functioning. If you see a hospice patient who is experiencing tremendous physical pain, you see some of that person's "rough edges." If you see a client who has difficulty controlling his or her bowel movements, those are more rough edges. A child who is so frustrated at his or her communication difficulties that tantrums and violence ensue - that is also certainly a rough edge of the range of human possibility.

Music therapists see people at some of the most raw and vulnerable points in their lives, when things are the roughest. We see precious pre-term infants, struggling for a chance to live, and equally precious human beings on the other end of the lifespan who are actively dying.We are called in to assist with nearly every other rough patch of life in between.

The therapeutic relationship takes an enormous amount of trust on the part of the people we assist. Our clients must trust us enough with all of their vulnerabilities to allow us in to help. Music therapists are blessed enough to be invited in to those most vulnerable moments of human existence and to make those moments feel a little safer, a little smoother.

In fact, one of my favorite things about music therapists is our ability to see so much more than our client's rough edges. We see beyond - to potential, to creative expression, to personal growth in the face of tremendous challenges. When we look at a client, we assess and acknowledge their "rough spots" and all the areas that need improving, but we also focus so much of our energy on what each client can do.

Music is so very adaptable on so many levels. Everyone can engage in music in some way, no matter how small or how passively. How humbling. How utterly amazing.

You must be a special kind of person to expose oneself to all the rough edges of humanity, to throw oneself into the work of smoothing those edges. It takes a special kind of person to clearly see a person's limitations and to also see far, far beyond them.

It takes a music therapist.

So on this gorgeous Friday afternoon, I am thankful for all the music therapists and other helping professionals the world over who go about this work on a daily basis. May you find that you are able to see the good and the potential in every client you meet.

Networking for Students: Is it Really So Scary?

Like "advocacy" the word "networking" gets thrown around a lot as something that music therapy students need to learn to do to be successful. And frankly, like "advocacy" it's a word that can scare the daylights out of music therapy students.

But is it really that hard to start making connections with professionals in our field? Sure, as a student, it can be very intimidating to walk up to someone who authored your textbooks and introduce yourself, but it is also doable, and very rewarding.
 Here are some of the strategies that I have found most helpful for getting connected to the bigger music therapy world.

1. Start Online
 If the thought of actually shaking hands with a well-known and respected professional makes you shake, maybe it's a good idea to start by building an online presence with sites like Twitter or LinkedIn.
Both are free and easy to use. For Twitter, I suggest starting out by following AMTA and then go by the suggestions Twitter gives. Follow anyone who includes "MT-BC" in their information. Follow the people they follow. And so on! Also check out the #musictherapy feed to see what is going on with music therapists on Twitter.
LinkedIn is great, too. Once you make a profile, you will have suggestions for professional contacts with whom to connect, as well as having the capability to search for specific people you know (or would like to know).
If you would like to get your name out there even more, it is very easy to start a music therapy-themed blog just like this one. Just because you are a student doesn't mean you won't have any thoughts worth sharing with the larger music therapy community. 
2. Come Prepared
I went to the AMTA annual conference last year for the first time, and I was totally overwhelmed with all of the amazing MT-BC's I met. And I was shocked that after chatting with people for a few minutes, they often wanted to exchange contact information with me. I felt silly pulling out my notebook and scribbling down my information for someone who could someday be my employer.
This year, I came prepared with some simple business cards. Many services like VistaPrint will allow you to make business cards inexpensively. A lot of local print shops will also do student discounts. It doesn't have to be fancy, and having those cards in your pocket can make you feel much more confident approaching someone at conference. 
3. Remember That Professionals are Still People
Jayne Standley, PhD, MT-BC, is very well known for her work and research with the NICU. She's one of our better-known names. And I got a hug from her at conference. A hug. From Jayne Standley. I was nervous going up and introducing myself, but obviously from her reaction, she was very approachable. In my experience, professional music therapists rarely are "too busy" or "too famous" or "too anything" to talk with students. In fact, professionals are usually very excited to share their resources, knowledge, and wisdom with students. So if you see someone you recognize from a journal article, textbook, or news feature, remember that they were once completely unknown students, and chances are, they would really like to share their experience with you. Just. Go. Talk. To. Them.
4. Be Grateful 
Always thank conference presenters for sharing their knowledge with you. Do this in person and then follow up with a thank-you email. Most of these people have their contact information online and it's not hard to find. Don't be scared to send an email and thank them again for their presentation.
5. Follow Up and Keep Doing It
Finally, keep track of all the business cards you have collected, the names of the conference presenters you heard from, and all the internship directors you spoke with. Within one week of meeting them, send a follow-up email reminding them how nice it was to chat with them and let them know you are interested in staying in touch in the future. Touch base with these people as appropriate, usually no more frequently than every 6-8 months and no less frequently than every year or so.

The rewards of getting connected with professionals now instead of later can be great, so don't let "I'm just a student" hold you back.

Go forth and network!

Music Therapy: Time to Be Ourselves

This weekend, Dr. Dena Register of the University of Kansas (see http://music.ku.edu/programs/memt/faculty/register/ for her bio)  came to Drury University's Center for Music Therapy to discuss the process of getting state recognized licensure for music therapists in the state of Missouri. Colorado just introduced a bill with licensure language, and two other states passed either licensure or registry bills in 2011.

It has been a record year for music therapy developments with unprecedented coverage in the news, and media such as the film "The Music Never Stopped" and Jodi Picoult's novel "Sing me Home."

Things are moving and changing.

In the past, music therapists have sought the important process of licensure alongside or underneath the umbrella of other therapy and helping professions, such as in New York state where music therapists are licensed under a Creative Arts Therapist license.

This is not the direction we'd like to see music therapy licensure take in MO. Oftentimes, when someone asks us, "Music therapy? What's that?" we respond by saying, "We do this that's like occupational therapy, and this that's like psychotherapy, and this that's like speech therapy, and this that's like physical therapy, and, and, and..."

Dr. Register proposed that while this is a useful way to communicate with people who have never heard of music therapy, perhaps it's time we begin to stand alone because none of those other professions work across the life-span with any and every diagnosis like music therapists do. We love and respect our peers and colleagues in the other helping professions, but as Dr. Register pointed out, you are not likely to see an art therapist working in the NICU, or a dance therapist working in hospice and end-of-life care.

The other therapists tend to define themselves by the area they practice in: speech, occupational, physical, development, psychology.

We call ourselves music therapists because music is the main overriding factor that ties all our work together. Music can be clinically beneficial to every age and diagnosis, from labor and delivery through the very last seconds of life.

It's time that we chose to stand up and be counted as an independent, fully-functioning profession. The other professions have worked hard and deserve the state recognition and understanding that they receive.

Music therapists are music therapists. Nothing more, nothing less, and it's time that we be ourselves.