Simplify
It is one of my major quests in life to simplify things.
The definition of "simple" is:
I crave a simple life. I want an existence that is "not ornate" and "unaffected; unassuming; modest." Since that is something that I crave in all areas of my life, I seek to find ways to make one of the most important parts of my life, my profession, simple as well.
Okay, people, I am not saying that being a music therapist is simple or easy. It isn't. If you are doing it right, it is immensely complicated, but there are things that we, as professionals, can do to make our implementations easier to understand and easier to explain to others. Also, if one of us has a good way to do things, why not share it with others so we can all learn how to do things more efficiently?
There are several things that affect my quest for simplicity. I am a packrat who has difficulty throwing things away. Sigh. My home is full of things. Lots of the things that I have have a use, but I probably would be able to live without much of this stuff. I am overly nostalgic, so I keep things around me for much longer than necessary. I have many of my class notes from my degrees. Why? I don't know! It's just what I do. Again, sigh.
As a music therapist, I try to make my interactions with clients as genuine as I can. To that end, I spend as much time as possible outside the session organizing my ideas, but I am also the type of therapist that is able to give it all up and just follow my client wherever he or she leads me. Preparation before the session makes the session experience better and easier to implement. If I have my list of TMEs that I have developed, practiced, and thought through, I can focus on adapting those TMEs to best fit the client sitting in front of me. I can focus on changing the musical elements to support the client's goals, and I can be a better therapist.
Establishing this process is not all that simple. It takes time, practice, and dedication to develop your way of preparation. Once you have decided how you want to simplify your life, you have to then do it. (That's one of the things that I stumble over all the time!) I've managed to find ways to make my own life a bit more simple, but it took time and experimentation to find my way through the world.
Here is what works for me.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/simple?s=t
The definition of "simple" is:
sim·ple
1.
easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.: a simple matter; simple tools.
2.
not elaborate or artificial; plain: a simple style.
3.
not ornate or luxurious; unadorned: a simple gown.
4.
unaffected; unassuming; modest: a simple manner.
5.
not complicated: a simple design.
I crave a simple life. I want an existence that is "not ornate" and "unaffected; unassuming; modest." Since that is something that I crave in all areas of my life, I seek to find ways to make one of the most important parts of my life, my profession, simple as well.
Okay, people, I am not saying that being a music therapist is simple or easy. It isn't. If you are doing it right, it is immensely complicated, but there are things that we, as professionals, can do to make our implementations easier to understand and easier to explain to others. Also, if one of us has a good way to do things, why not share it with others so we can all learn how to do things more efficiently?
There are several things that affect my quest for simplicity. I am a packrat who has difficulty throwing things away. Sigh. My home is full of things. Lots of the things that I have have a use, but I probably would be able to live without much of this stuff. I am overly nostalgic, so I keep things around me for much longer than necessary. I have many of my class notes from my degrees. Why? I don't know! It's just what I do. Again, sigh.
As a music therapist, I try to make my interactions with clients as genuine as I can. To that end, I spend as much time as possible outside the session organizing my ideas, but I am also the type of therapist that is able to give it all up and just follow my client wherever he or she leads me. Preparation before the session makes the session experience better and easier to implement. If I have my list of TMEs that I have developed, practiced, and thought through, I can focus on adapting those TMEs to best fit the client sitting in front of me. I can focus on changing the musical elements to support the client's goals, and I can be a better therapist.
Establishing this process is not all that simple. It takes time, practice, and dedication to develop your way of preparation. Once you have decided how you want to simplify your life, you have to then do it. (That's one of the things that I stumble over all the time!) I've managed to find ways to make my own life a bit more simple, but it took time and experimentation to find my way through the world.
Here is what works for me.
- I have a box for each place that I go to for music therapy sessions. There is a box for Monday/Wednesday groups and a box for Tuesday/Thursday groups. Each box has a folder velcroed to the lid next to the pen and pencil velcro strip. I keep all the visual aids that I need, any instruments, and my session plans in that box.
- There is a place for everything in my cabinets (I miss my cabinets during our renovation!!). I put things back in the same place every time so I can find those things easily.
- I write down TME ideas and keep them in my card box (or on my TME jump drive). When an idea arrives, I write it down as soon as possible. The idea may sit in my box for months or years, but the idea stays in one place.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/simple?s=t
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