Music, Therapy, and ME!
I find the origin stories of music therapists very interesting. You know, the stories of how we found out about music therapy, when we knew we needed to use music as a tool to help others, and how we found our preferred populations. I also enjoy the stories about how we sustain ourselves as music therapy professionals in our various facilities. While the origin stories fascinate me, the sustaining stories are part of what keeps me going day after day.
I found music therapy at a Girl Scout Wider Opportunity.
I attended Studio '84 with 103 other Girl Scouts in Evansville, Indiana on the campus of the University of Evansville. I attended as a vocalist, and part of the Opportunity was to explore different careers in music and the arts. We had a lecturer come from the music education department who gave a nice talk about being a music educator. On her way out, she said, "Oh, there is another program here but the professor wasn't able to be here. It's called music therapy, and here's a brochure."
I heard a click in my head as soon as I heard the two words, "music therapy."
That was it for me. I was destined to be a music therapist from then on. It's been 28 years since that chance comment, and I am still destined to be a music therapist.
That story would mean nothing if I didn't have some sustaining stories as well.
There are the countless numbers of clients who have trusted me enough to try something new. There are the kids who have made big leaps in the music therapy room - showing skills that no one else had ever seen. The clients who call me, "Music," when they see my face. The kids who start to sing one of my songs during their free time when they don't know that I am watching them through the observation window. The former clients who remember me and my songs years and years later. The kids who have decided that it is better to engage in a musical experience than to kick the therapist. There are so many sustaining stories that make all of the rest of the challenges more than worth the effort and energy.
Find those stories in your own life. Write them down. Find a way to keep those sustaining stories for those times when you need help remembering why you love the profession of music therapy. If you can't find any stories, do yourself a favor and find something that will sustain you.
What are your stories?
I found music therapy at a Girl Scout Wider Opportunity.
I attended Studio '84 with 103 other Girl Scouts in Evansville, Indiana on the campus of the University of Evansville. I attended as a vocalist, and part of the Opportunity was to explore different careers in music and the arts. We had a lecturer come from the music education department who gave a nice talk about being a music educator. On her way out, she said, "Oh, there is another program here but the professor wasn't able to be here. It's called music therapy, and here's a brochure."
I heard a click in my head as soon as I heard the two words, "music therapy."
That was it for me. I was destined to be a music therapist from then on. It's been 28 years since that chance comment, and I am still destined to be a music therapist.
That story would mean nothing if I didn't have some sustaining stories as well.
There are the countless numbers of clients who have trusted me enough to try something new. There are the kids who have made big leaps in the music therapy room - showing skills that no one else had ever seen. The clients who call me, "Music," when they see my face. The kids who start to sing one of my songs during their free time when they don't know that I am watching them through the observation window. The former clients who remember me and my songs years and years later. The kids who have decided that it is better to engage in a musical experience than to kick the therapist. There are so many sustaining stories that make all of the rest of the challenges more than worth the effort and energy.
Find those stories in your own life. Write them down. Find a way to keep those sustaining stories for those times when you need help remembering why you love the profession of music therapy. If you can't find any stories, do yourself a favor and find something that will sustain you.
What are your stories?
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