Who Inspires You??

A post from NASA on my Twitter feed asked me the question above, and it started me thinking about inspiration and the people who inspire me.

Over the years, I've been inspired by music therapy professors, by co-workers, and by clients. In every situation, my interns inspire me - to be a better therapist for my clients, to be a better mentor for each one of them, and to just be better. As I've matured as a music therapist, I've been less inspired by my original music therapy mentors and more inspired by fellow music therapists.

I'm not sure who I would list as an inspiration these days, but I know this. I am inspired by my music therapy friends who go out there everyday into an uncertain music therapy world to do good things for the people who need music therapy services. I find comfort in knowing that we all have our ups and downs in our music therapy lives and inspiration in the way that my friends keep working for the benefit of their clients and employees.

I am inspired by the music therapy students who come into this profession so full of interest and passion for a profession that is not easy. I am trying to talk more and more to music therapy students to hear what they want and need from the music therapy educational system.

I am always inspired by my clients - especially by the ones that show significant growth and benefit from music therapy services. Right now, I am inspired to find some set ways to communicate with a couple of students that seem to do things differently in music therapy than in other parts of the school. I want music therapy to be a place where they can grow, learn, share, and be challenged to be what they want to be. So, my clients are my biggest inspiration of all! 

Isn't it interesting that researchers are not on my list?? I'll have to think a bit more about that. I know why, of course, but maybe I should try to find someone who is a researcher who can be an inspiration. Maybe I'm just so far away from that world that it really isn't something that I have to do...something to contemplate.

So, who inspires you? Who are the influences in your life that lead you to do the things that you do every day in this world of music therapy?