Saturday Slump
I can tell you, morning comes awfully early during conference. I have been driving in every morning and driving home every evening to 1) save money and 2) sleep in my own bed and 3) rest my injured body so I can avoid getting overtired and pneumonia again and 4) cruise into surgery in two and a half weeks without another issue, so my conference experience this year hasn't been the same as in year's past, but I am finding that this just doesn't matter.
Conference is exhausting!
My conference experience these days is to be in meetings and to present information to others. I don't often get to go to concurrent sessions, or CMTE courses, or institutes. Yesterday, I went to two concurrent sessions (my only ones of the entire conference since I won't be at conference on Sunday morning - my choice). I went to one presentation about developmental theories of supervision (very detailed). I felt bad leaving at the time the session was over, but the presenter was still going strong, and I had to go to the other side of the world for the next presentation. The other presentation I attended was about how to present your mission to the world. Julie Palmieri sat next to me!! I started thinking that my mission isn't as clearly defined as I want it to be, so started sliding into my "woulda, coulda, shoulda" goblin point of view (this always happens at conference - an existential crisis of sorts - I blame exhaustion!). Then I spent a stimulating afternoon in a meeting that constantly challenges my way of thinking about the greater world of music therapy. It was a good day.
Today is my other day of talking to people about things and situations that are happening in music therapy. The first days - Wednesday and Thursday - are my talking-heavy days. Yesterday was the only day where I didn't have some form of talk to make to large groups of therapists. Today, I get to blurt out 8 minutes worth of information on The Online Conference for Music Therapy at the Global Perspectives Session. Then, I get to facilitate a discussion between internship directors and academic faculty that is sure to be a doozy. There are lots of things happening in the world of internships, my friends, and I am trying to make sense of it all.
Conference is exhilarating!
In addition to doing stuff for the American Music Therapy Association, I get to see people that I enjoy. I've met a couple of former intern webinar attendees - Thank you for stopping me and introducing yourselves! I've been able to put faces to names on the National Roster. I've seen dear friends in passing. I had a chance to talk to Janice Lindstrom about collaborating on something in the near future - we will talk more about that as we flesh out what we want to do. I have seen two of my former interns - one even attended the Supervision CMTE about how to be an Internship Director and nodded when I made statements about how I do things as an ID. I saw you, Sarah, and it made me giggle!
This time, more than any other time of year, makes me feel proud of my life choices. I am proud of being a music therapist. I am proud of being part of such a diverse community of professionals and students. I am proud of our work right here and now, and I am hoping we take bold strides into the future.
More than anything else, dear readers, I hope that you are able to contribute to and participate in the bigger world of music therapy (that which is outside your own reach). There is such opportunity available for each of us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and it's this time of year when I am reminded that we are not isolated - we are part of a whole. Find something that you love about this profession and step out. Share what you love. Write presentation proposals. Connect with others. Speak to that music therapy hero that you have - they will probably really love to speak to you. Share your favorite things to do with your own clients with other music therapists. Those therapists will share with their clients who will probably love the ideas and TMEs as well.
Conference is opportunity.
Take yours!
Conference is exhausting!
My conference experience these days is to be in meetings and to present information to others. I don't often get to go to concurrent sessions, or CMTE courses, or institutes. Yesterday, I went to two concurrent sessions (my only ones of the entire conference since I won't be at conference on Sunday morning - my choice). I went to one presentation about developmental theories of supervision (very detailed). I felt bad leaving at the time the session was over, but the presenter was still going strong, and I had to go to the other side of the world for the next presentation. The other presentation I attended was about how to present your mission to the world. Julie Palmieri sat next to me!! I started thinking that my mission isn't as clearly defined as I want it to be, so started sliding into my "woulda, coulda, shoulda" goblin point of view (this always happens at conference - an existential crisis of sorts - I blame exhaustion!). Then I spent a stimulating afternoon in a meeting that constantly challenges my way of thinking about the greater world of music therapy. It was a good day.
Today is my other day of talking to people about things and situations that are happening in music therapy. The first days - Wednesday and Thursday - are my talking-heavy days. Yesterday was the only day where I didn't have some form of talk to make to large groups of therapists. Today, I get to blurt out 8 minutes worth of information on The Online Conference for Music Therapy at the Global Perspectives Session. Then, I get to facilitate a discussion between internship directors and academic faculty that is sure to be a doozy. There are lots of things happening in the world of internships, my friends, and I am trying to make sense of it all.
Conference is exhilarating!
In addition to doing stuff for the American Music Therapy Association, I get to see people that I enjoy. I've met a couple of former intern webinar attendees - Thank you for stopping me and introducing yourselves! I've been able to put faces to names on the National Roster. I've seen dear friends in passing. I had a chance to talk to Janice Lindstrom about collaborating on something in the near future - we will talk more about that as we flesh out what we want to do. I have seen two of my former interns - one even attended the Supervision CMTE about how to be an Internship Director and nodded when I made statements about how I do things as an ID. I saw you, Sarah, and it made me giggle!
This time, more than any other time of year, makes me feel proud of my life choices. I am proud of being a music therapist. I am proud of being part of such a diverse community of professionals and students. I am proud of our work right here and now, and I am hoping we take bold strides into the future.
More than anything else, dear readers, I hope that you are able to contribute to and participate in the bigger world of music therapy (that which is outside your own reach). There is such opportunity available for each of us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and it's this time of year when I am reminded that we are not isolated - we are part of a whole. Find something that you love about this profession and step out. Share what you love. Write presentation proposals. Connect with others. Speak to that music therapy hero that you have - they will probably really love to speak to you. Share your favorite things to do with your own clients with other music therapists. Those therapists will share with their clients who will probably love the ideas and TMEs as well.
Conference is opportunity.
Take yours!
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