Something Something Sunday - Systems in Music Therapy

I am ready to make a change to my Sunday posts. I try to do some themed, predictable posts during the week - I used to do a TME Tuesday, I do a Thoughtful Thursday, and Sunday has been all sorts of things - Song Conversion Sunday, Synthesis Sunday, Just a Song Sunday, Supplemental Sunday. It's been all those things at one time or another. It is time for something new.

I like having a theme to write around on these days in the week. It helps me to focus on what I want this blog to be - a place for me to center my writing on music therapy and on what it means to me as a middle-aged woman in the United States. This is the place where I post my opinions (as I am no longer looking at certain social media feeds due to some people who are [in my opinion] acting like trolls out to quash anyone who doesn't see their way as the only way. Themes give me a focus that help me contribute my thoughts in a way that is easy to track through the blog - I use the same labels in the posts, so a person who wants to read all of my Synthesis Sunday posts can find them by using the search function in this blog. It also seems to help me to have a direction - something that I lack at times when I am trying to figure out what to work about.

Lately, I've been very interested in the systems that we have in music therapy. Actually, this is something I've always been interested in, but I've finally found a term that I like to describe what I've been thinking about. I could do a series on Systems - that is alliterative (which is something I find VERY important to my sensibility. I bet no one else even notices, but I do...), and look at all the things that we therapists do to finish the parts of our job that happen all the time. Working smarter, not harder, you know.

I've already started this topic, just not really in a formal manner. Perhaps it is time to start writing more frequently and more purposefully. I'll have to think about that as I go into the brainstorming process. 

What systems do I use as a music therapist in my job? Are any of those systems something that others might be interested in doing? Are there other ways of doing things that I've never considered? How will I find out what those other ways are? Is there only one "best" way to do things? What types of things can I offer to help other therapists do their jobs? Are there things that are unique to being a therapist in a school job that cannot transfer to a therapist in a hospital job? (Add other settings as appropriate.) What are alternative terms for systems? What is leftover from generations past? What is being developed now? What have we adopted from other professions? What is uniquely music therapy?

I love it when an idea forms in my brain and then starts to take over my thinking process.

Okay, it is decided. Sundays will become system focused for a bit of time. I already have a graphic for the blog posts, so I think I am ready for it all. Systems Sunday!

Systems in Music Therapy 



It is Sunday, everyone, so that means that it is time to talk Systems - the things that we do in music therapy to make our lives a bit easier, organized, and predictable. I think that we all do things differently, so let me show you how I do things in an attempt to help you find some time saving practices that will allow you to work smarter and not harder. As always, if you have ideas, comments, or questions, feel free to comment below. I'd love to know what types of systems you have developed for yourself and how they came about.

What is a system?

So, you may be thinking about the words that I am using. I have selected the word, "system," because it is common parlance these days in professional interactions. It is a buzzword, but it is also a term that makes sense in my head when I am thinking about something that has always fascinated me - how and why we do things the way we do them.

Here are some links to examine if you want to know more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_theory
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/system.html

So, what sorts of routines do you have that make your music therapy interactions work for you and your clients? I have theme boxes, ways to document, my bullet journal (I know, Janice!), my TME development format, my TME database, my song analysis worksheets, my morning routine, my way to do bus duty (I'm guessing that most of you don't have to do that one!), and many more. I'm going to spend some time unpacking why I do what I do, examining whether it is an efficient process for me in my role, and figuring out what others are doing out there to see about alternatives.

I'll see you next Sunday for another blog post.

As always, comments, questions, suggestions, and ideas are welcomed below. I'm kinda picky about what I publish on my blog, so when folks leave spammy comments, they do not get published. Just so you know.
 

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