Regional Conference
Just returned from part of my regional conference. It was within driving distance (my major requirement for attending a regional conference is driving distance), and I passed through the towns where my dad's parents and grandparents lived. I enjoyed driving through those small towns. So, double bonus - trip to my past and time with music therapists.
Regional conferences are VERY different from national conferences. They are smaller, so there are lots more opportunities to get to know people. They are also less hurried or rushed. We only had 4 concurrent sessions going on at a time, so it was easy to choose what to learn about. I could only stay for the afternoon and then the first morning of the conference, but it was a renewal of my music therapy spirit and motivation.
The local committee did a wonderful job of finding a venue that functioned well, supported presenters, and had plenty of room. I didn't stay in the conference hotel, but I spent time in the space. My only complaint was that the hotel pumped in some sort of scent in the lobby area that permeated the space. I had a reaction to it - asthma and a sore throat. Blech, but that was my only complaint about where we were.
I had an opportunity to spend time with a friend of mine. She was an intern a long time ago, and has moved into the role of colleague and friend. She took me out to dinner and dessert, and we just talked and talked about music therapy, our jobs, our lives, and all sorts of things. It was a good way to relax after the stressors of being around lots of people! Then, I went to sleep and returned to the conference for my own presentation.
As part of my presentation, I had my attendees sit and do some brainstorming about how to accomplish our goals. Several people stated that they started with one idea of how to get clients towards goals but ended the conversation with 10 new ideas. This is what I love about getting together with other music therapists - the ideas just start to fly! I wish we could have these types of interactions more often.
Thank you, folks, for the opportunity to talk, share, and learn!
Regional conferences are VERY different from national conferences. They are smaller, so there are lots more opportunities to get to know people. They are also less hurried or rushed. We only had 4 concurrent sessions going on at a time, so it was easy to choose what to learn about. I could only stay for the afternoon and then the first morning of the conference, but it was a renewal of my music therapy spirit and motivation.
The local committee did a wonderful job of finding a venue that functioned well, supported presenters, and had plenty of room. I didn't stay in the conference hotel, but I spent time in the space. My only complaint was that the hotel pumped in some sort of scent in the lobby area that permeated the space. I had a reaction to it - asthma and a sore throat. Blech, but that was my only complaint about where we were.
I had an opportunity to spend time with a friend of mine. She was an intern a long time ago, and has moved into the role of colleague and friend. She took me out to dinner and dessert, and we just talked and talked about music therapy, our jobs, our lives, and all sorts of things. It was a good way to relax after the stressors of being around lots of people! Then, I went to sleep and returned to the conference for my own presentation.
As part of my presentation, I had my attendees sit and do some brainstorming about how to accomplish our goals. Several people stated that they started with one idea of how to get clients towards goals but ended the conversation with 10 new ideas. This is what I love about getting together with other music therapists - the ideas just start to fly! I wish we could have these types of interactions more often.
Thank you, folks, for the opportunity to talk, share, and learn!
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