Twenty-One Years Ago Today...

March 26, 1993 - Location: Phoenix, Arizona at the Center for Neurodevelopmental Studies, Inc.
Event: I finished my internship and started on my journey as a professional music therapist.

(By the way, this is "Make Your Own Holiday" Day, so I'm declaring this March 26th, 2014 as "MJ became a Music Therapist" day!)

I usually don't spend lots of time thinking about my professional anniversary, but it occurred to me that this was the day that I stopped being an intern and became A MUSIC THERAPIST! I decided to talk about it. I posted it on Facebook and in the Music Therapists Unite group! It seems important to me this year for some reason!

I've been thinking lots about the past 21 years.

My ways of doing music therapy have changed. The way I think about the use of music as a therapeutic medium has changed. These changes have been good as they have led to my further development and my therapeutic skill. I have also spent quite a bit of time thinking about the importance of changes and changing as a therapist. Without change, we do not grow. We stagnate, we burn out, and we leave the profession. I think that the process of defining and redefining ourselves is essential to our continued dedication to the profession and the clients that we love.

My conviction and love of this profession and the work I do every day has changed - it has deepened. I am more passionate about the importance of music as a therapeutic medium now than I was when I graduated from my internship. I am so happy and pleased to share this important role with all of you music therapists out there! Thank you for challenging my beliefs on music therapy, for making me explain myself, and for going into sessions with your own clients, day after day, to do this important job!

Here's to the next 21 years! (Oy!!)

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