Author: Erin

I am starting most of my work from scratch. I am new to music therapy, I am still relatively new to the cities (so I don’t know a large number of music therapists here), and I am really new to working with kids and people with developmental disabilities. And, I have never worked as a music therapist who is an independent contractor. 


So I thought it was fortunate and opportune that when Thomas and I walked into Target yesterday, the whole front portion of the $1.00 bins were dedicated to children’s items (like dry-erase boards, beginner’s math workbooks, etc.). I can do $1.00 for most of that. 

Today, I officially began practicing as an independent contractor. I had only one client tonight, and will have three on Thursday. I am excited for what could lie ahead. 


I will be using much more piano with these clients than guitar, which is absolutely out of my comfort zone. But everything about this private practice is out of my comfort zone, so why not add a main accompaniment tool? I am starting from scratch with these clients; I have very few instruments to use, and not a whole lot of experience with this population. But, I have to start somewhere. 


‘Twould be nice to have Nordoff-Robins training, and another music therapist for co-facilitation. Not in the cards.


Tired and ready for another day at the nursing home…

I love my work. I’m bored with the songs I use, but I still love my work. 


One of the hardest, but most special, parts of today was when a resident pulled me aside and asked that I explain to her what is happening. She had just been hospitalized, and had before lived on a high-functioning floor, when now she lives in palliative care. I did my best to describe to her what changes she is experiencing. She was thankful for the explanation. 


I get so mad at myself about thinking I don’t know enough, but sometimes being able to spend time with the people I see seems to be exactly what they need. 


Last week, one of my co-workers suggested she could run a residents’ play. This immediately made me think of the movie, “Young@Heart.” Watch this movie, if you’re a person. I love it. 

I have been in the habit of posting to this blog on a very regular basis, either on workdays or every day of the week. This week I have taken a break, as you can attest, because I am splitting the blog into three. Eventually, I will relocate this blog, but not at this point.


Here is where I will talk about my music therapy and music performance experiences. Here is my “professional blog.”


As I have mentioned in the past, I do have a website in progress for the specific purpose of housing my professional web presence. We’ll see how formal I get, but I do have some goals.


I will be taking over four individual clients as an independent contractor, starting next week. Yet another transition, and definitely one that is important for me to do. I look forward to the challenge. Also, I was asked today to consider facilitating music therapy for a group home (which is entirely separate from anything I am currently doing). I was asked what I charge. I’ll tell you: I don’t know. That’s pretty much what I said, in some different language. 


Work is going well the care center, despite the fact that I had to use a loaner violin today. Dang. The sound is absolutely, in all respects, different, and it’s hard for me to play it. I don’t recall ever playing someone else’s instrument. I look forward to reuniting with mine early next week. 


Beginning next week, I will be co-facilitating sessions on the palliative care unit with the other music therapist in the facility. I have been feeling like I have not been able to provide for these clients the way I should, and so I am positive having another pair of capable hands will be beneficial for everyone involved. 


Luckily, however, I feel much more adept this week than last. I’ve found that the more detailed I make my session plans — even if I don’t actually follow the plans — the more goal-oriented my sessions are. Unfortunately, I haven’t got everything figured out yet. 🙂

I had to give up my violin today. My bridge is warping, and it snaps out of place while I am playing. Frequently. And it freaks me out. So I am having them replace the bridge and re-mount my chin rest (two separate issues), and I won’t have my violin for at least a week and a half. I have a loaner, but I am having some separation anxiety about this distance that has been created. I remember sleeping with my violin in its hard case when I was little. I don’t sleep with my violin anymore, but, still. 


Oh, I miss it.


Now that I will be working as an independent contractor, I have needed/wanted to come up with a name for my “business.” I don’t know what I’m doing in the business world, but whatever I am doing is exciting. But yes, I have decided on a name. I will bring it to you in later posts…

I am pretty excited right now. I have just returned from the first night of meeting some of my new clients, and though I am experiencing a very strong element of terror going into this new work, I do definitely feel thrilled as well. These clients each have developmental disabilities, and most of them are young. These are the terrifying elements, as I haven’t had a lot of experience with either population for quite some time. 


The past few days I have felt pretty ineffective at work at the nursing home. I have already vented about my frustrations to another music therapist today, so I don’t have that need anymore, but honestly, man, I hope I come up out of this hole soon. Of late I have been focusing on physical wellness, specifically fall prevention. I would love to co-facilitate with our physical therapists, but I am having trouble deciding how to approach them about this. 

My favorite picture of these two together. 🙂 Maybe we’ll get to the yard tomorrow, in the 90-degree heat.

On other fronts: We started showing the Harry Potter movies last night. We thought ‘twould  be fun to review before the new one comes out in July. 

I knew today would be difficult, given that it was the first after a three-day, huge weekend. And given that I was/am still invested in the wedding planning that is going on. 


For future reference, Thomas and I have created a wedding blog. Should you want to know what’s going on in that realm, you can find out at To Be Married in Minneapolis.

A massive weekend is behind us. Thomas and I have just come home after having seen three movies in as many days. Thanks, Groupon. 

Oh yes, the length of my hair will be right about here this time next year. I just won’t have that mustache.

We also reserved our reception site for the wedding. I made sure to warn him that my hair is quite likely to resemble William H. Macy’s in “Lincoln Lawyer” by that point (yes, this is one of the three movies we saw over these past few days). I will have to dye it a nice off-blond, just like Will. 


One reason I have to believe I am actually in my mid-eighties: I complimented (truthfully) one of the residents I had in a my music therapy groups on his delicious choice of footwear. Yes, Velcro played a major role in the construction of this shoe. And yes, there was food on the shoe. 


On the wedding front: I had a dream the other night that our guests were falling asleep at our reception because the music was so poor, but I saved the day by calling the DJ of my high school prom(s). Those guests were much happier dancing to Shania Twain, Sublime, and the like, than to the nothing that we had apparently provided.


In other words, the Memorial Day weekend has been very nice. Now, to another week. 

Tonight I hosted a group for music therapists and interns who live in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area. The group went well– we shared songs, improvised, and even got to Skype with one of our newer colleagues who recently moved to Indiana. 


I have visions for this group. I’d love for us to meet on a monthly basis and facilitate workshops for each other, such as guitar maintenance, vocal warm-ups for those therapists who were not trained in voice, and even how to utilize social media. Hopefully, more of the music therapy community will join. Ideas abound. (One of the perks for hosting this group is that Thomas bakes chocolate chip cookies for anyone who is there. Damn good cookies.)


I also have visions of conducting research in the future. But that’s for another time.

I will keep this short. I just got home from my first softball practice. My first fastpitch softball experience of any kind in nine years. 


I can hardly type, nor can I properly grip my beer. 


Now I have calloused fingertips on my left hand from playing guitar and violin, and a possibly- soon-to-be calloused index finger on my right (from pitching– who knows how much I’ll actually do at this point).

Wear your gem sweater. (Another picture not taken by me.)

One of my best friends just informed me that he is going to get married next summer, too. Here is what he and his fiancé will be enjoying. Lucky.


“If you want to survive, just shoot them in the brains.” — Leslie Hall