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Monthly meetings

On Saturday, the Minneapolis Area Music Therapists will get together again for our monthly meeting. I’ve invited a couple of music therapists I know to attend via Skype, as they live in two other states. One of them had done her internship here in the cities before taking a full-time music therapy position in Indiana. I’m excited to see how we can connect on screen. 

We will be looking at another set of articles (I believe), and sharing songs we are using on a regular basis in our work. I plan to bring an original song that I “wrote” while in a session, and have been using more and more now.

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Expansion

I presented on music therapy to a group of speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists on Wednesday (was that really only yesterday?), and since then I’ve been thinking more and more of the importance of collaborating. Each therapist’s purpose when working with a client is to help him or her reach a goal, and what I have in common with other creative arts therapists and “traditional” therapists is that I want to help move a client in a positive direction. I know that knowing more about each modality would be tremendous for me as a clinician and for my clients as well.

Much of the current event information and inspiration I get regarding music therapy is from other music therapists’ blogs. So, today I subscribed to 20 speech-language pathologists’ blogs. 🙂 This isn’t to say that I will know exactly what they’re talking about, but I will hopefully have a better understanding of what they do, in some respect. I will also be looking into other avenues of education (presentations, podcasts, etc.).

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Kid Talk: Advanced Children’s Therapy

Today I presented to speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists at Kid Talk in Victoria, Minnesota. Half of the group was familiar with music therapy, and all of them seemed very supportive and interested in it and its work toward speech goals for their clients. I shared some resources I have, and was happy to receive some new resources from them as well. Not surprisingly, many of the speech-language pathologists shared that they use music in their treatment.

A few days ago I posted here that I’d love to co-facilitate sessions with other therapists. This topic came up in my talk this afternoon. Perhaps I will have such an opportunity in the near future. 

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Co-facilitation

Tomorrow I present to a group of speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists on the application of music therapy in a setting that serves children with developmental disabilities. I have not seen, in person, a music therapist co-facilitate a session with a therapist or specialist of another profession, but have had a chance to see video of co-facilitation with physical therapy. I don’t necessarily expect that I will be doing anything of the sort with the children at tomorrow’s site (should I even meet these children), though I think co-facilitating with another specialty would be fantastic. Not only would I hopefully see progress in a client, but I’d also have a better perspective of the processes of the other facilitator. 

I just listened to this month’s episode of Music Therapy Round Table in which the subject addressed was the “bucket list” of music therapists. I’ve always wanted to write and publish, but perhaps a more timely goal to have is to work in some co-facilitation.
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Not a newfound podcast, but a good one

I am always looking for great reads and great podcasts, and there is one podcast that has not let me down yet. The Coffee Klatch had a fantastic interview of Dr. Duncan McKinlay, a psychologist who works with children and adolescents in clinical and school psychology. Dr. McKinlay has written about his own diagnosis of Tourette syndrome and shed some new light on this diagnosis.

If you’re interested in learning more about The Coffee Klatch, go ahead and click here.

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Newfound podcast: …in their words

As I am now working almost entirely with children, both neurotypical and those with special needs, I am in search of more resources, relevant material, and tools.

I drive a lot. When I drive, I love to listen to a variety of podcasts.

Over the past couple of days I’ve been listening to the podcast …in their words, which is published by the American Music Therapy Association‘s early childhood online magazine, Imagine.

I’m curious about the podcast, though, because I’m not sure whether or not it’s still being created. Does anyone know?

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Next presentation

I have another presentation coming up in the future: Next week, I will be presenting to a group of occupational and speech therapists on the benefits of music therapy for children with special needs. I am thrilled about this opportunity, and will elaborate on it in the next few days.

I will also write about the article I read for The Article Monthly. I promise. I’ll write about it.

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More apps I’ve found

On Tuesday I was surprised with an iPad 2. That night, I proceeded to install several apps. I haven’t yet used any apps with any clients, but I hope to start doing so on a regular basis next week.

Tomorrow I begin my work with a couple of classes of children at a daycare. Though I know those particular clients will be too young to engage in it, I’ve found the app BrainPOP to be potentially useful with typically functioning children of an older age. The app provides a movie that changes on a daily basis. The content of the movies are educational; this month’s “spotlight” is Black History, and today’s featured movie covers civil rights.

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When the majority of a presentation happens in a circle on the floor, it’s a good thing

I had a lovely time tonight, presenting to a group of families who have children with Down syndrome. I was happy that the children seemed interested in participating in the experiences I shared, and also excited to answer general and specific questions about music therapy and how, for example, I might address a child with a short attention span.

We spent about 45 minutes together. I used half an hour with the children and some of the parents in a mini session. We began with a Hello Song, we used some egg shakers, we played some drums, and most popularly, we worked with some Boomwhackers. We closed our mini session with a Goodbye Song, and then the adults moved over to a table where I provided explanations for the experiences I led.

I was happy to work with those children, and to spread the music therapy word a little further. None of the parents there, save my client’s parents, knew about music therapy. I hope I gave them some useful information.