Where to Start?

This post is late because my co-author, Bella-cat, refused to leave me alone until we cuddled a bit. (Sorry, Janice.) We've had our cuddle, she's left me for the peace of the comforter, and now I can spend some time thinking about what I want to write about today.

I see some blog posts about the type of blog posts you SHOULD write to drive more traffic to your site. I read them and don't really feel that things work for what I want to write about, so I ignore them all.

The title of this post comes from the lofty goals that I have for myself this week. I need to clear out and clean up my home. It's been a long time since I've been able to do what I need to do for housework, so things really need to be done. I also have a need to get things organized and cleared out so I can have a pet sitter come and sit for the cat. I am often spurred on by people coming to visit, and no one has for the past year, so things have piled up.

So, now I am sitting here, trying to frantically write something that is relevant to music, therapy, and/or me before the cat finishes her drink and decides that she needs to "supervise" everything I am writing, and simultaneously trying to figure out where I am going to start on my cleaning odyssey. The options are pretty overwhelming.

I could start in the bedroom, or the living room, or the office, or (shudder) the craft room. Wherever I start, I will have to move things from one place to another until the first place is clean, so things will be in a bit of disarray for the next week. That's part of the journey.

Lately, I've been thinking about how to be a therapist. Not really the why we're therapists, but the nuts and bolts about being a therapist. I'm working on a project that I'll be revealing soon that is targeted towards music therapy students and interns.

What does this current conversation and journey have to do with music therapy?

Here's my idea - it may be a bit of a stretch, but...

There are times when starting a client relationship is lots like my current situation. You have to make a decision about where to start your treatment protocol. Some of my students come to me with difficulties in academic areas, issues with relationships, post-traumatic responses, and a slew of other things. I, as the therapist, have to decide where to start and then work through the process of helping the client clear out in order to focus on his or her goals. Sometimes the client and I go on a path which is not the most effective. Sometimes we have to prioritize what we address in order to find some sort of amelioration. The first, and most important part is to start.

(There you go - a segue into music therapy...)

Not only does she try to sit between me and the screen every chance she can get, she also takes my chair when I leave it! Maybe she should start her own blog??