Tag: private practice

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Reporting to caregivers

There are a few things about working in private practice that I’m “testing.” One is to report to the parents or caregivers of my clients and students directly (meaning within the same day if they’re clients or students I see weekly, or within the same week if they’re clients I see monthly) following each session or lesson I provide. I’ve been doing this for each of my clients and students for the past three weeks, and am already finding this to be a productive practice in that the parents or caregivers respond to me quickly with questions and ideas.

The reason I do this is because, though I’d like to, I don’t have the ability to meet with the parents and caregivers in person on a weekly basis. Most of the time, my time slots are filled back-to-back. (I may revise this in the future, but for now, this is how I’m operating.) I’m finding that regular and timely reporting via e-mail is the most effective way to include family members.

I try to cover three topics:

  1. Strengths in the session or lesson, and progress being made toward goals.
  2. Progress I see that can be made in future sessions or lessons.
  3. Plans I have for future sessions or lessons.

I’m pleased with this method, but I’ll keep looking for a more streamlined approach.

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Upcoming new music therapists group meeting

I work on my own, as a contractor and in my own private practice. I don’t co-facilitate with another music therapist, and I don’t work on a team (at the moment). For these reasons, I’ve found that seeking out the support of my peers is crucial, not only for feedback or questions, but to answer, “Is there anyone else who is having the same issues/troubles/concerns/successes?”

I’m looking forward to our next new music therapists meeting here in Minneapolis. Currently, the date is yet to be determined because many of us are out of town in the summer, but I will be sure to update this information as soon as it’s solidified.

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And now

Now that I have accomplished my wedding (what an accomplishment that process was, too — I spent a whole lot of energy worrying over that lovely day), I have come up with some new goals for my work and my small private practice. Some of these I had incorporated into my daily routine months before my wedding, but some I have just recently decided I’d like to do. Here are a few:

  1. Record the new songs I create, even if they are written in session and I’m not sure they’d be applicable elsewhere.
  2. Attend a bi-monthly instrumental workshop (one I’m planning to attend is a ukelele picking class).
  3. Incorporate one new, as in current, song at some point throughout each working week.
  4. Professionally interact in some way each day on the social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
  5. Create fact sheets for every condition, illness, syndrome, or disability I encounter for current and future reference.

Most of these particular things I have done to some degree or another, but I feel the need to be more diligent about them. And of course, there are many more needs to fulfill, but those I’ll leave for another list, perhaps.

I’ve taken to use monthly, weekly, and daily checklists, but then let each and every un-checked task haunt me if and when it’s ignored. Any good ideas to help let go of those things that simply did not happen?

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Subway flash mob

I feel rather distant from a number of things lately, but this is because we are so busy getting together the rest of our wedding planning. Obviously I haven’t been writing daily; but I’ve been working daily.

Last week’s UPS included:

  1. Acquiring new clients
  2. Seeing my once-a-month clients
  3. Setting up a high school student observation
  4. Acquiring new instruments and materials for the little ones I see each morning
  5. Getting a $15.00 discount at a children’s store, just by using foursquare

Last week’s NOT-SO-UPS included:

  1. Learning that I won’t be seeing a really special client after the Spring session
  2. Becoming frustrated with my (in)ability to continuously engage my little ones
  3. Becoming frustrated that I’m finding it more and more difficult to separate my wedding planning from my every thought
  4. Realizing I can’t keep up with everything I’d like to be doing right this minute
  5. Succumbing to feeling overwhelmed

Have a good week, everyone.

 

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The bells will be ringing

I have missed blogging with my regularity this past week, however I am in need of any extra time I can find; I’m getting married next month and I have ohsomuch planning yet to do. So, with this upcoming, life-changing event (a wonderful one), I am going to post to this site only once a week in this month of May. I’ll see how life treats me in June…

This being said, I have to say I was heartbroken when I heard this news story, and I want to share it. (Not because I want you to be heartbroken, too, but because I find it a notable story.)

Oops! Stradivarius cello broken in accident…

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One for two

I’ve decided to add another challenge to my days this week. Not only am I busy planning my wedding, but I’ve decided I need to direct more energy at my musical skill development. I’ve challenged myself to writing one song (defined, in my head, as two verses, one chorus, and one bridge) each day this work week.

How am I doing? Today is only Tuesday, and I am one-for-two…

But, I am happy enough that yesterday I wrote in a minor key, which is something I’ve rarely used recently, and I’m using some different strumming techniques. I am all for professional musical development.

My excuse for not writing today is that my fiancé and I were too busy learning the subject of the YouTube video in preparation for our upcoming wedding… Hurrah for old-time music at our reception.

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Newfound site: Rethinking Autism

In the last podcast episode of The Coffee Klatch, Dana Commandatore interviewed her husband, actor Michael Broderick, about his experience as a father with a son who has autism. Commandatore and Broderick are the creators of Rethinking Autism, a site where the two create and share videos that are aimed at education and support for those affected by autism. 

I enjoyed the interview and conversation. You can find it and other interviews here.

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Vitamin M

I am having trouble with my site at the moment, so I’m hoping that this post at least shows up… Oh, how technology can (and does) make and break my day.
I want to say that on Saturday, a smallish group of music therapists in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area met for our monthly meeting to take the opportunity to support one another and to share resources. We’ve created a group on Facebook that we call Vitamin M. Feel free to ask to join if you are a Minnesotan!

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GoodReader and its helpfulness

I have a tendency to acquire tools, materials, apps, and even instruments that I enjoy knowing I own, but do not actively use for as long as months after I buy or receive them.

Enter: GoodReader. My fiancé happens to be a computer and technology genius and seems to have daily tips and advice, and showed me GoodReader probably months ago. Not until this morning did I use it.

Essentially, GoodReader opens PDFs on an iPad or iPhone, but what’s great about it is that it allows the user to highlight text and save edited copy. I’d been reading my music therapy articles from the real live paper journals and had been highlighting passages with a real live highlighter. Though I love handwritten notes and paper planners, I find that GoodReader’s capability is really useful since I will likely be finding more material online now than in the older research I have in printed form.

Ah yes, my handwritten planner

Tell me: Do you use GoodReader? How else do you use it?

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An Article Weekly: “Research Snapshots 2011: Music and Early Childhood Development”

On Mondays, I will be writing up a short, non-academic review of an article I’ve found interesting. These articles will be taken from music therapy literature. 

Today I read a piece by Blythe LaGasse, Ph.D., MT-BC, Assistant Professor of Music Therapy at Colorado State University. This article appeared in imagine, the online magazine published by American Music Therapy Association.
“Research Snapshots 2011: Music and Early Childhood Development”
imagine | 2 (1) 2011
I haven’t explored imagine probably as much as I should, so I was happy to find a reason to do so today. I have been working in early intervention for a few weeks now and am finding that my methods are evolving. I am also noticing that the one-year-olds I see on a weekly basis seem to be really attuned to some rhythmic qualities of the experiences, much more so than I anticipate going into the class. Many times I’ve picked up my guitar with a movement song in my head and thought, “Maybe I can promote a little bit of movement with this.” As many times as I’ve thought that, I’ve been surprised by the dancing that happens by those same one-year-olds.
One question LaGasse poses in the article is, “… [A]re we hard-wired … for music engagement?” (pg. 29).
Two answers to that question are:
  1. Infants moved their heads with classical music but not with random sounds (pg. 29),
  2. Infants moved significantly more with rhythm or music than they did with speech (pg. 29).
 One excerpt from the article that I particularly enjoyed is as follows:
“… [R]esearchers found that children engaged in an arts-enriched preschool (early learning, music, visual arts, and creative movement) improved in language, literacy, mathematics, and science skills, regardless of ethnicity and economic disadvantage. This growth was in comparison with another ‘high quality’ preschool, suggesting that an art-focused program can enhance early learning goals” (pg. 29).
I began my music instruction at the age of two. I wonder what kind of adult I’d be today if I hadn’t begun so young (or at all)!