From metal to melody

I have a client who is very interested in anything heavy metal — the clothes he wears, the guitar he has, and, of course, the music he wants to hear and learn. I have had a lot of difficulty finding ways to engage him musically, though he speaks of little else. Last week, I asked him to bring in CDs that he likes, and thankfully, he did. So my night began with some Rammstein — yes, we listened to “Du Hast,” among other tracks. He was immediately attentive, and his affect changed immensely. (I was not surprised in the least, but there are many other factors that are attached to this client’s sessions.)

My very next client is much more enraptured by live music (not to say that my first client wouldn’t be, were I to have the ability to pull off live music that had a metal sound), but we did use some recorded music tonight, too. However, this client’s recorded music was written and performed by a good friend of mine, who also happens to be an MT-BC. Lynn O’Brien writes outstanding music. Not only does she work as a music therapist, but she also is an actively gigging musician. Many of her songs would likely work well with adolescents and young adults. You can find two of her CDs out there in the world — iTunes, for instance. Find more information on Lynn here.

Oh, how different music can be for you and for me.

A plan to plan

Because I do not have much time in a given day to plan for my upcoming sessions at the care center, I am always excited when I come up with something novel and engaging. I have approximately 20 minutes at the beginning of the day to put together my entire day’s doings, and most days I facilitate five group sessions of 10 to 20 residents with a wide range of ability. So, to bridge this gap in preparation time, I’ve come up with a variety of techniques. One technique I use is to focus on one domain for the entire week, and then fashion a series of similar experiences that I adapt for the group for which I’m facilitating (may sound like common sense/knowledge, but I stressed about this for weeks). This week, I’ve designed an experience that went really well with a group of my most independent residents, and has also been very successful with my memory care group (whom I see daily).

Anyway, my point is that it took a great deal of planning to compensate for the lack of time I actually have to plan!

Does anyone else have similar challenges? How much time do you spend planning?

Resource for activities

I feel like a real private contractor. I just spent about two and a half hours on paperwork. And I feel good about it.

I have a resource to share! What? From me? Well, it’s definitely not geared toward music therapists, but, we are creative creatures…

Because I am technically a member of the therapeutic recreation department at the care center where I work, exactly all of everything my colleagues do is related to activities. Enter Activity Connection. I’ve had opportunity to browse this resource only minimally, but I enjoy some of their visual aids and ideas. They do offer a “Music Matters” section where I found “Top 100 Songs of 1911.”

Like I said, there isn’t much having to do explicitly with music, but we can re-design some of the activities, should we want…

Have you heard of this site? Used it?

MTAM Fall Conference

Happy Monday.

For those of you who live in Minnesota, or who are in traveling distance from Minneapolis, the Music Therapy Association of Minnesota will have its Fall Conference this coming Saturday, October 1. You can find details here. (And, if you go, fill me in; I will not be in attendance.)

The entertainer

I have several music therapy colleagues who all enjoy performing. I am not in their company. Every Friday at my care center, we have what is called “Happy Hour,” and I am enlisted to provide the “entertainment.” Sometimes I bring my violin and will play (recently, I’ve been using it for PSE in co-facilitation with physical therapy), but a lot of the time I play guitar and sing. Almost every week I am on the first floor where the residents are in memory care and palliative care. Today, however, I played on the two higher functioning levels. The auditorium was filled on one floor and the dining room on the other. I was organized enough (I’ve done this before– the woman who usually performs is sometimes unable), but I just don’t care for the experience. I don’t really like entertaining. (This being said, today’s Happy Hours were the most fun for me.)

Do you like performing/entertaining? Do you ever have to fill this role at your workplace?

You’re nobody til somebody loves you

I had a thought today: There is no way I could ever leave my job at the care center because I couldn’t stand severing my relationship with those residents on a voluntary basis.

I am happy I had that thought; I am happy I love them all so much. I am happy I am able to see them engage in music, something most other staff members are not able to do.

I also feel much better about the way my private client sessions are going. We are two weeks into the fall session, and I am feeling better prepared and more acquainted with my clients. This being said, I have one client who is a master mystery. I have never felt that I have given him what he needs in order to be successful, even though I try, almost every session, to approach my goals differently.

Apparently there is much controversy over recent comments made by Pat Robertson regarding divorcing spouses with Alzheimer’s. I think there are a multitude of considerations. Life changes for everyone involved, at that point. What do you think? (I wasn’t able to embed the video, but you can get in from the link.)

Alzheimer\’s and divorce

 

 

 

The importance of connection

Ah, welcome. Welcome to the new, prettier home of my music therapy reflections and accounts.

Thank you to Thomas for helping me with the set-up. (And the whole idea, to be honest.)

I read through the minutes of the last Music Therapy Association of Minnesota meeting, and its Fall newsletter, and reading made me look forward to a time when I don’t isolate myself from my fellow colleagues. There is a conference coming up soon for which I am not available, but I look forward to hearing about it from the colleagues with whom I do keep in close contact.

How active were you in your state organization during your first year as a professional?

Time before the game

On weekends in the care center where I work, I typically do not provide music therapy sessions. Usually, I assist with other events or sessions or… well, I’ll just admit that sometimes, on weekends, I call BINGO. 
(Actually, I don’t hate it. I use my performance-enhanced enunciation and public-speaking-volume, and much of the time I get compliments from the residents. So there, it’s a morale-booster.)
Every so often, I get the chance to spend time catching up with the residents while we wait for the game to start. Today I had that chance, and I am so grateful to be reminded how much I love these people. One of the residents’ roommates just died, and I was able to listen to her relate how sad she was. I can’t imagine how bizarre it must be to become friends with people, live with people, whom you realize may not survive the month. 
Some people are really impressive. I am sorry for their loss.

In sickness

I have been really ill this week, and didn’t go to work for one and a half days while also canceling my private clients this week as I tried to figure out what was going on. I have a better idea, but even though I worked through a whole day today, I still felt/feel somewhat miserable. And this distraction I feel leads me to feel something else: guilty for not providing my residents my full attention. (What’s funny is that my guilt may be aggravating my “sickness.”) I am sure no one likes being sick, but being sick while working as I do turns out to be really difficult for me. I can just hope that soon enough I will be able to give all that I want.

And we’re (hopefully) back

Finally, I am finding some inspiration again.
Tonight was the first night of my private clients’ Fall session, and I saw two of them. I realize that the less time I spend doing something, the more I absolutely panic surrounding planning for it– because I am still rather new to my private practice and the clients, and because we’d had a break at the end of summer, I had a lot of anxiety going into this evening. But, as has been the case with my care center work, I imagine I will find comfort somewhere down the line.
I actually used technology in the studio tonight. 🙂 My fiancé has given me a set of iPhone/iPod/iThings speakers (probably not the most correct name for it), and– guess what– I used it. Now, I need to find some metal to add to my library as well as some Justin Bieber. Two very different clients…