A Community of Friends
Do you know one of the best things about being at a music therapy conference?
The immediate recognition that music is an important therapeutic medium for many, many people!
It is refreshing to be in a place where nobody asks, "So what is musical therapy anyway?" It is great to be in a place where music therapy is the first focus rather than shrouded in mystery.
This conference has been full of discussion about the future of music therapy as a profession. If you don't know by now, AMTA is talking about moving from a Bachelors Level Entry to a Masters Level Entry. My time at this conference has been predominantly centered around this topic. The conversation has been fascinating, challenging, and just plain old time-consuming. I think my active engagement in the discussion will slow down tomorrow, but who knows?
I am in a place where there are 1600+ music therapists. Two young ladies, walking down the hallway, started chatting with me about how it was their first conference, their education, and that I was an internship director. We chit-chatted down the hallway, and I encouraged them to attend the Internship Fair the next morning to talk to us all. What a great little interaction.
The conference has been full of these little interactions. What a renewal of the spirit these past three days have been!
The immediate recognition that music is an important therapeutic medium for many, many people!
It is refreshing to be in a place where nobody asks, "So what is musical therapy anyway?" It is great to be in a place where music therapy is the first focus rather than shrouded in mystery.
This conference has been full of discussion about the future of music therapy as a profession. If you don't know by now, AMTA is talking about moving from a Bachelors Level Entry to a Masters Level Entry. My time at this conference has been predominantly centered around this topic. The conversation has been fascinating, challenging, and just plain old time-consuming. I think my active engagement in the discussion will slow down tomorrow, but who knows?
I am in a place where there are 1600+ music therapists. Two young ladies, walking down the hallway, started chatting with me about how it was their first conference, their education, and that I was an internship director. We chit-chatted down the hallway, and I encouraged them to attend the Internship Fair the next morning to talk to us all. What a great little interaction.
The conference has been full of these little interactions. What a renewal of the spirit these past three days have been!
I laughed out loud when I read "It's refreshing to be in a place where nobody asks, "So what is musical therapy anyway?" That does seem to be our curse, doesn't it? :- )
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of the conference! Wish I could be there!
I have to restrain myself from rolling my eyes when someone asks, but I don't.
DeleteConference was exhausting, as always, but it was nice to see people. Missed you!