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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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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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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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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.

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Presentation tomorrow

Tomorrow evening I present to a group of families who have a child with Down syndrome. I am excited for the experience. The first portion (maybe even half) of my presentation will be engaging the children in experiences on a 1:1 basis as well as in a group. I do not know how many people will be in attendance at this meeting. But, I do know that most of the parents aren’t too aware of music therapy (as was told to me by the family who invited me to speak).

For this reason, I will be breaking the presentation into these pieces:

  • Mini music therapy session with the group of children (complete with the therapeutic arc)
  • Repeated mini music therapy session with the children’s parents taking the place of the children
  • Explanation of some goals I’d have for children in this population
  • Explanation of how the experiences I implement targets those goals
  • Instruction for parents of one experience that will help generalize and build skills, that they may utilize in the home

I’m looking forward to the event. I’m even looking forward to the fact that there are many mysteries involved.

Wish me luck. 

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Breaking Boundaries Dance Company

Though this isn’t exactly music therapy related, this post is my therapy related.

For my birthday, my fiancé Thomas had the perfect idea to purchase tickets to four different modern dance performances throughout this season. After the first performance a few months ago (of the Zenon Dance Company), I was inspired to go to an “open dance class.” I decided the word “open,” and the words directly under that text on the flier, “open to anyone,” meant that I, having taken some modern and some jazz back in the day, would be able to attend the class.

Best $10.00 workout I’ve ever had. I was sore in every part of my being for a week.

Turns out the words “open” and “open to anyone” didn’t quite include me. However, I absolutely loved being in a dance space with real dancers.

We went to a Breaking Boundaries Dance Company performance tonight. Enter my therapy. I have always loved dance, but never so much as to attend more than one performance in, say, five years (they’re pricey). I have to acknowledge that my discovery of one of my favorite artists, Tom Waits, was at a dance performance back in college. I saw a dance choreographed to “God’s Away on Business,” and I won’t ever forget it. For a few months following, I was consumed by Tom Waits, and that particular song.

My point is simply that I am fascinated by this other art form. I love the physicality of the music. I love that I have no idea what the story is, most of the time, and that I don’t have to figure it out. I adore how dance activates and agitates me.

Stupendous.

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Termination of treatment

I have experienced my first private client’s leaving. I have seen her on a bi-weekly basis since June, and her last session with me was last week. I have a variety of paperwork to write up surrounding her treatment termination. Is there anyone out there who is willing to share some templates?

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Join us

On February 7, a group of us will get together to report on articles of our choice. Some of these are:

“The Effect of a Music Therapy Intergenerational Program on Children and Older Adults: Intergenerational Interactions, Cross-age Attitudes, and Older Adults’ Psychosocial Well-being,” by Melita Belgrave, PhD, MT-BC; “Bereaved Parents’ Experiences of Music Therapy with their Terminally Ill Child,” by Kathryn J. Lindenfelser, Denise Grocke, and Katrina McFerran; and “Music Therapy for School-Aged Individuals with Varying Exceptionalities: A Content Analysis (1975-2009),” by Sarah B. Klein. Care to join us?