What is a TME?
This is an excellent question, and one that is not that difficult to answer, but the rationale and ideas behind both the question and the answer are not as easy to explain.
A TME is an acronym that I use for the term, "Therapeutic Music Experiences." I opted to choose this term (which I think originated with an intern who came from Western Michigan University) to describe what I do with my clients in the music therapy setting. It's a completely arbitrary term, but it felt better to me than "application" or, SHUDDER "music therapy activity." Because it felt better to me, I decided to use it as my term of choice.
Here's why I like it...
It emphasizes that everything I do in a session has a therapeutic purpose for its application.
Why is this important? It's important because the administrative staff at my facility do not know what I really do. Sure, we call my service "music therapy," but more often than not, the service is termed, "music." My administrators don't see what is under the surface of what they can see. They know that music therapy has one of the lowest needs for hands-on safety assists, the lowest number of Assistance Team calls, and seems to turn kids from undesirable reactions and responses to more desirable moods for learning. They like what they see - "Happy children making happy sounds." By labeling my TMEs, I reinforce that there are lots of things going on in each event and invite more conversation from those who really don't know what is happening in the session.
I also like the term, Therapeutic Music Experience, because it exemplifies that the event is planned, purposeful, and somewhat focused before the client even enters the session space. Once the client enters, however, the Therapeutic Music Experience has to change to accommodate the things that the client brings into the session. Often, the way I think things will go during a session are SIGNIFICANTLY different from how things go once the client walks into the music therapy space. Hmmm, maybe it would be better to name these "Therapeutic Music Strategies." Maybe. I wonder if I could change now??
It is just as important to understand why I don't like some of the other terms - application, activity, intervention. In my experience, stating that I do music therapy activities seems to make those who don't know what's happening think that anyone can run the activities. Seriously. They don't see the level of sophistication needed to provide effective music therapy services. Application always sounds to me like the client doesn't have much choice or effect within the therapy space. Intervention sounds like there is a problem that I have to intercede in rather than assisting the client towards their own realization and growth. I prefer something that indicates more of a partnership as I believe that music therapy cannot be effective unless the client is willing to engage as an active partner.
So, I call what I do in sessions, Therapeutic Music Experiences or TMEs. It is a personal choice, and I feel it adequately reflects my treatment style, focus, and aspirations as a music therapist to those who don't know.
(By the way, my Art Therapist peer calls what she does in her sessions, Art Therapy Directives. I find that interesting. Just, by the way...)
A TME is an acronym that I use for the term, "Therapeutic Music Experiences." I opted to choose this term (which I think originated with an intern who came from Western Michigan University) to describe what I do with my clients in the music therapy setting. It's a completely arbitrary term, but it felt better to me than "application" or, SHUDDER "music therapy activity." Because it felt better to me, I decided to use it as my term of choice.
Here's why I like it...
It emphasizes that everything I do in a session has a therapeutic purpose for its application.
Why is this important? It's important because the administrative staff at my facility do not know what I really do. Sure, we call my service "music therapy," but more often than not, the service is termed, "music." My administrators don't see what is under the surface of what they can see. They know that music therapy has one of the lowest needs for hands-on safety assists, the lowest number of Assistance Team calls, and seems to turn kids from undesirable reactions and responses to more desirable moods for learning. They like what they see - "Happy children making happy sounds." By labeling my TMEs, I reinforce that there are lots of things going on in each event and invite more conversation from those who really don't know what is happening in the session.
I also like the term, Therapeutic Music Experience, because it exemplifies that the event is planned, purposeful, and somewhat focused before the client even enters the session space. Once the client enters, however, the Therapeutic Music Experience has to change to accommodate the things that the client brings into the session. Often, the way I think things will go during a session are SIGNIFICANTLY different from how things go once the client walks into the music therapy space. Hmmm, maybe it would be better to name these "Therapeutic Music Strategies." Maybe. I wonder if I could change now??
It is just as important to understand why I don't like some of the other terms - application, activity, intervention. In my experience, stating that I do music therapy activities seems to make those who don't know what's happening think that anyone can run the activities. Seriously. They don't see the level of sophistication needed to provide effective music therapy services. Application always sounds to me like the client doesn't have much choice or effect within the therapy space. Intervention sounds like there is a problem that I have to intercede in rather than assisting the client towards their own realization and growth. I prefer something that indicates more of a partnership as I believe that music therapy cannot be effective unless the client is willing to engage as an active partner.
So, I call what I do in sessions, Therapeutic Music Experiences or TMEs. It is a personal choice, and I feel it adequately reflects my treatment style, focus, and aspirations as a music therapist to those who don't know.
(By the way, my Art Therapist peer calls what she does in her sessions, Art Therapy Directives. I find that interesting. Just, by the way...)
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