Welcome to 2014: Declaring Our Independence

Today I very pleased to share a guest blog from Dr. Dena Register as part of the 2014 Music Therapy Social Media Advocacy Month!

Welcome to 2014: Declaring Our Independence

Dena Register, PhD, MT-BC

Regulatory Affairs Advisor, Certification Board for Music Therapists

The end of the year always brings with it a great deal of reflection. It feels good to look at the accomplishments of the year at its close, set new intentions and imagine new heights for the year ahead. My own professional reflections for this year brought the realization that over the last eighteen years I have enjoyed a rather diverse career in music therapy with roles as a clinician, educator, consultant and professional advocate. One of the most interesting components of wearing so many different “hats” is trying to imagine how those you are working with perceive music therapy.

There is a constant effort to try and imagine how I can best help others understand what music therapy is and the many benefits for our clients. I feel the need to have an analogy for every situation, description, and population. I can’t imagine that I’m alone in this challenge. I know many music therapists that adapt in this chameleon-like fashion when it comes to how we describe our life’s work. We build rapport with our various audiences by searching for some common ground or understanding to use as a point of departure in hopes that they will have that magical “A-ha!” about the many benefits of music therapy. While these experiences help us develop remarkable skills in story sharing and empathy, we are constantly altering the description of our professional identity in order to help others understand us. This task is a complex one for professionals and is one of the challenges that both students and new professionals find difficult to navigate early on in their careers.

I get to teach a class in philosophy and theory of music therapy. Over the last several offerings of this course the students and I have spent hours exploring what music therapy has in common with other therapeutic and creative arts professions. Each semester produces fascinating discussions, diagrams and reflections on the shared aspects of our professions and, more importantly, how music therapy is notably distinct from any other profession or practice. Successful participation in our profession is reliant upon years of skilled musicianship, and a balance of both scientific and artistic knowledge and understanding. It is highly unlikely that an individual who does not have any prior musical training can make their way through varied and rigorous coursework of a music therapy degree and successfully complete the academic, clinical and musical requirements needed.

In the sixty-plus year development of our profession we have learned to be both flexible and savvy in our descriptions of music therapy. These well-honed skills have built a foundation for our profession to grow and expand in ways we didn’t think possible. And, in most recent years, ouradvocacy efforts  have brought us to a place of greater acknowledgment and public awareness than we have ever experienced before. What comes next? It is the era of INDEPENDENCE.

With an increased focus on research about the numerous impacts of music as a therapeutic medium, greater access to quality services by licensed professionals and continuously growing clinical offerings music therapy is positioned for continued, exponential growth. Now is the time for continued clarification to others regarding who we are as a profession as well as our unique qualifications. In 2014, it is imperative that we declare “I am a music therapist”  and understand how to articulate our unique qualifications and distinctions from our other therapeutic partners. How will YOU celebrate your ‘independence’ this year?

About the Author: Dr. Dena Register is the Regulatory Affairs Advisor for the Certification Board for Music Therapists (http://www.cbmt.org) and an Associate Professor of Music Therapy at the University of Kansas (http://music.ku.edu/programs/memt/faculty/register/). She can be reached at dregister@cbmt.org

The Intern Chronicles: New Neighbors, Old Friends, and Other Amusing Anecdotes

This past weekend we moved 90% of the things I am bringing into the new apartment and had all kinds of delightful adventures! Here is the highlights reel for all the friends and family who'd like to know.

The Apartment

I have a bath and a half, one bedroom apartment that isn't actually terrible at all. My favorite parts so far are my kitchen and my "dining nook" because I have a giant Lazy Susan  in one cabinet and lower cabinet shelves that slide out for reaching pots and pans.  My "dining nook,"  is so named because I moved the table and chairs over into the corner by the window so I can sit in the sunlight. You all know sunlight is a very, very good thing for me.

If you know about my general tendency toward clumsiness, you will also be happy to hear that since my apartment was designed for older adults, I have safety rails along all the hallways, a clumsy-proof shower, and emergency pull switches in every room that will contact security and emergency medical personnel when activated. I sincerely promise to do my level best not to need any of the above features!  

Other highlights include the fact that I now have a 30-second commute to the hospice music therapy office, and there is a pool just downstairs from me. I also don't even have to go outside to get to my new bank. It's part of the same building and is about as far away from me as the hospice office. 

New Neighbors

Everyone I have met so far has been incredibly welcoming and friendly! There is a drummer that lives at the end of the hall, and apparently he drums during business hours. I know this because my new banker told me so when I went to open my internship checking account. The drummer lives above the bank. I live above an accounting firm, but now that I know about the drumming, I don't feel as bad about needing to practice in the apartment. Maybe Mr. End of the Hall and I can start a few building-wide jam sessions. ;)

I also briefly met one of my next door neighbors and he was also incredibly warm and welcoming. I think I'm going to like it here. 

I live directly across from the housekeeping office and down the hall from the building's locksmith. The housekeeping staff have been incredibly helpful and kind so far. We didn't have sheets the first night we got there and there was nobody in the office the next day, but we improvised fairly well with packing blankets. Fortunately, I have sheets for the bed now! 

Speaking of kind and helpful, I forgot to mention that my internship director is plenty of both! She and her husband came up to the apartment on Saturday evening to greet us and help us get oriented and settled. She was also kind enough to get a sandwich platter for us, followed by directions to the nearest grocery store. I cannot wait to start learning from this awesome lady. 

Old Friends

The best part about my new location is that it brings my husband and me closer to a lot of people we have missed since they moved to the KC area. On Sunday night, we had one of Andrew's oldest and closest friends over. He ended up staying pretty late and crashed on our couch. 

If you're one of the people that crashes on my couch at home, rest assured, my open-door, open-couch policy still applies to my apartment and apparently the new couch gets a seal of sleepy friend approval. So in other words, please come by and visit me! 

Miscellaneous Adventures

On Saturday night we successfully navigated our first grocery shopping trip in Lee's Summit and I am now the proud owner of a Price Chopper card. Do I get to call myself a local yet? 

On Monday morning, I had to report to the JKV (John Knox Village) health clinic for my pre-employment drug screening and TB test. Embarrassingly enough, I showed up for my drug screening with very bloodshot eyes. I hadn't quite gotten the hang of my very adjustable shower head yet and managed to blast myself in the face with the hot water. Oops! 

Once we got past the awkward discussion of how I got my eyes so red, I got to advocate for music therapy by teaching the nurse all about it. Well, or as much information as we could discuss in the time it takes to say "Ahh" and get a TB test. 

On my walk back from clinic I encountered a super friendly dog named Angie. Angie's owner was very nice, too, but not incredibly pleased about having to pop out of the back balcony door in her PJ's to stop Angie from trying to follow me home. 

I can't wait to get down to the hospice music therapy part of all this! I'll be reporting for my first day bright and early Thursday morning. Wish me luck and write me letters!

The Intern Chronicles: Preparing to Disembark

Almost exactly 24 hours from now, I will be meeting up with my internship director and getting the keys to my new apartment.

This is currently blowing my mind.

I can hardly believe that I am finally finished with my undergraduate classes and now I finally have the opportunity to provide music therapy services to hospice patients and their families all day, every day.

I am thrilled that I will have the opportunity to intern with Village Hospice out of John Knox Village in Lee's Summit, MO.

I needed to reread that sentence a few times to be sure it was really real.

I'll be keeping a running commentary on my adventures as an MTI (Music Therapy Intern) here so the folks at home can follow along.

I was very fortunate to receive an iPad Air for my birthday/Christmas and I'm busy learning how to upload all my song sheets into On Song, which is the most awesome app for music therapy, hands down. One of my brothers was kind enough to gift a keyboard to me so I can practice in the apartment. There are so many exciting opportunities just around the corner and I can hardly wait for my first day of work, which is January 2nd!

For the moment, though,  I need to go round up a few more instruments and some extra guitar strings because here we go! 

Saturday Shout Out: Rob Blevins

It's been a while since I've done a Shout Out, but this one is timely and necessary.

Every so often in life, you get the chance to share a little bit about someone who made you who you are, and my older brother, Rob Blevins, is one of those people.

I want to share just a few of my favorite Rob stories to help you see how this incredible man has helped make me who I am. I know I wouldn't be on my way to becoming a music therapist without him!

Once in 7th grade, I came home from school crying because I had been picked on by a boy at school. Rob casually asked his name. The next day and from then forward I was never bothered by this bully - or any others - again. Years later my brother admitted that he had gently but firmly picked up this troublemaker and set him against the fence at the middle school football game and had a very serious discussion about not making his baby sister cry anymore.

When I was first learning to play the flute, family funds were very tight. I desperately needed a better instrument and lessons to keep making progress. Rob was 16 years old, in school full-time, working his first part-time job to earn money for his own college fund. He went in 50-50 with my parents on my new flute and covered a few months of lessons from time to time, as well.

All along the way, Rob has encouraged me and encouraged my pursuit of music. He listened to all my early attempts at making music and barely even winced. He pushed me to take every opportunity and every audition, and stayed up late with me to get audition results.

He did manage to save up that college fund, and now he has a master's degree in technical writing. In typical Rob fashion, he's been using those writing skills for years to proofread all my papers.

It was Rob who made it very clear to me that even though funds were still tight, I was going to college, and he would steer me toward the scholarships to make that a reality.

I finally got the chance to repay a tiny bit of everything Rob has done for me by teaching him to play the guitar. Again in typical Rob fashion, he started writing songs that are WAY better than mine, but he's still cool enough to let me jam with him anyway.

Now that you know a little bit about my awesome brother, I do have one small request. You could help me help him fulfill one of his lifelong dreams. Rob is in a contest to win an internship with his childhood hero, Steve Young. I would consider it a personal favor if you went to his page and "liked" and shared it!

Thank you, Rob, for pushing me to pursue music and helping me all along the path to becoming a music therapist!

The Power of Intention

Music therapists are fantastic resource hounds. Everything we see on a daily basis can become the material for truly excellent interventions for our clients and patients. It makes a lot of sense that usually we learn from our life and then apply what we've learned to our sessions.

Sometimes, though, the lessons flow the other way. A truth learned in music therapy needs to come with us into our lives.

While most music therapists have the potential to develop an infinite number of goals, objectives, and interventions for each client, they don't. They realize the constraints of their client's abilities and of the time-limited session. We cannot address every worthwhile objective in every session.

We realize we only have an hour with each client every week. So we understand that we have to pick and choose how to best spend that time.

In other words, we exercise our power of intention. We are deliberate with how we structure a session.

So, how is that we can be so good at this skill when it comes to our clients, but many of us our lousy at it when it comes to the rest of our lives?

I've noticed a trend with myself and my fellow college students, especially. I call it Liberal Arts Syndrome.

Liberal Arts Syndrome looks something like this: "I stayed up really late working on this homework and I don't think I understand it really but I got it done. Now I have to go cram some practice super fast because I have meeting for XYZ club tonight and I missed the last one because of ABC club so I need to see if I can make up the service hours..." Etc. Day in and day out.

We try to say "Yes," to every good and worthwhile opportunity that comes along. We commit to so many things that we end up only partially involved in everything we do. This partial involvement does not sit well with us, somewhere deep down. We feel bad when our understanding of important concepts is tenuous and our practice has been shallow.

We aren't utilizing the power of our intention.

This semester, I made a greater commitment to be intentional with how I spent my time. I flexed my "No" muscle much more than I ever had in the past. I turned down opportunities that would have, theoretically, been good for me because I did not have the resources to commit to them 100%.

This is still an experiment in progress, but I can't tell you how great it's felt to show up for nearly every rehearsal and feel focused. Or to show up to clinical sessions and feel nothing but energized to work with my patient.

As of now, I am loving being intentional!

What about you? Have you struggled with this in the past as well? Currently struggling? Any advice for me? Discuss!

Why I am "Frundraising" and What You Can do to Help

If you have seen my posts on social media the last few weeks, you may have found yourself wondering, "What on earth is 'frundraising' and how can I get Emily to shut up about it already?"

It's a pretty simple concept, really, and a pretty brilliant one, if I do say so myself.

I can't take any credit, though. I was just lucky enough to stumble across Andrew Knight and Michelle Kennemer on Twitter.

These brilliant music therapists and runners had the great idea to try to raise money for the American Music Therapy Association using something we already love to do: run!

So, when you take fundraising, and add running, you get frundraising!

That is how I ended up planning to run this awesome 10k (my first!) October, and I am hoping to raise $1,000 for the AMTA while I train for the race.

That's the basic WHAT of frundraising.

The WHY is simply that I believe in music therapy with all my heart.

I have personally seen so many lives touched and changed in amazing ways through the work of dedicated music therapists. I can't put into words how much I believe in the power of music therapy.

Because I believe in music therapy with a passion that's out of this world, I also believe that the national governing body for music therapists deserves our support.

The AMTA is a music therapist's first line of defense for help with advocacy, starting a program, getting access to quality research and publications, finding a job opening, helping the public find a board-certified music therapist, you name it. The AMTA can help.

Supporting our non-profit organization is one of the very best ways to assure that quality music therapy services continue to reach the clients that need those services.

So, without further ado, I offer you the link to my First Giving page: Panther Run 2013.

This page is a secure and easy way to supporting my frundraising efforts. As an added perk, my highest donor gets to determine what I will wear on race day. It can be goofy, embarrassing, uncomfortable, or maybe even with a shirt or banner for a cause you care about. Oh, the possibilities.

I won't beg (at least not yet!) but I would ask you to consider supporting the AMTA through my frunning efforts.

See you at the finish line!

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!