Session Planning - My Way
Today, I have three music therapy groups - two short duration groups and one long duration group. I know that we are going to have our Musician of the Month reveal this week and two themes to incorporate, but that is all that I have planned at this point. It is my plan to arrive at work, arrange the room the way I like it, and then plan the rest of my sessions for the week.
Here's how I do this - please keep in mind that this is just how I do things. It is not a requirement for others to do it this way or even to like what I do. This works for me, and that's what's important for me.
I do not write large, detailed session plans. I do write detailed Therapeutic Music Experience (TME) plans and could use those to write more detailed session plans, but I've found that to be a waste of my clinical time. My session planning consists of writing down one or two targeted TMEs for every group session that I'll run during the week. These tend to be the same across all groups (for example, the Musician of the Month reveal will happen in some way for all of my clients). After I have those targeted TMEs, I also write down several other TMEs to use as options for my groups. I write down any materials I need to compile before I start my treatment day. That way, I don't have to leave the group area for the cabinet area. Every time I leave the group area, I lose client attention.
I view my session plans as possibilities rather than requirements. I've always been one to attempt to match the client in the musical space he or she starts the session in and go from there. This is much easier to do when I am working with only one or two clients. It is much more difficult when working with a group of 12 clients, but it can still be done. Meeting the clients where they are strengthens their attention to what we are trying to do in the session.
My session format is fluid. I make clinical decisions about what to do when based on how my clients are interacting with me, with each other, and with the music throughout the session. Since their attention levels change, my plans also change to accommodate them. If a group comes in and everyone seems angry, they will probably not be as interested in listening to the background of a musician as they might be in line dancing or drumming. Once they are able to express or release their emotions, they may be in a better place for listening.
When I was a young music therapy student, I had a practicum supervisor who wanted me to write very detailed session plans and then follow those plans like a script. She would check off what I did when I said I would (in my plan) and then would ask me to justify why I didn't do what I said I would do after the session. I guess I was able to justify this enough because she awarded me "the most flexible therapist" award at the end of the semester. For me, it just made sense to flip-flop the order of the session to give my little children clients a chance to wiggle before sitting down to do an academic task. It didn't seem as obvious to her. That still fascinates me.
Again, this is my routine. Hers was very different from my own. I learned lots about myself through working with her.
If you are currently a music therapy student or intern, here is a takeaway for you - learn to write things the way that your supervisor tells you to. Think about how things work for you and then translate what your supervisor tells you into what works for you. When asked to justify your decisions, be strong and explain your reasoning. If you cannot explain your reasoning, you can't do things the way you want to do them. Once you can explain your reasoning, you have learned the primary lesson - figuring out what works best for you is important and something to strive for rather than to avoid. Just because your supervisor is teaching you in a particular way, you do not have to use that method forever and ever. You have to use that method for the semester you are being supervised by that particular person. That's all. Once you grow up, you can do things the way that works best for you. Try to figure out what that way is for you.
So, this week's sessions will include some discussion about our Musician of the Month, some talk about weather and the other theme (I can't remember it right now), practicing our graduation songs, and doing other TMEs - some formally planned, some improvised, some by client request. Every session will be different because every group is different, and that is okay. That's therapy.
Happy Monday, all.
Here's how I do this - please keep in mind that this is just how I do things. It is not a requirement for others to do it this way or even to like what I do. This works for me, and that's what's important for me.
I do not write large, detailed session plans. I do write detailed Therapeutic Music Experience (TME) plans and could use those to write more detailed session plans, but I've found that to be a waste of my clinical time. My session planning consists of writing down one or two targeted TMEs for every group session that I'll run during the week. These tend to be the same across all groups (for example, the Musician of the Month reveal will happen in some way for all of my clients). After I have those targeted TMEs, I also write down several other TMEs to use as options for my groups. I write down any materials I need to compile before I start my treatment day. That way, I don't have to leave the group area for the cabinet area. Every time I leave the group area, I lose client attention.
I view my session plans as possibilities rather than requirements. I've always been one to attempt to match the client in the musical space he or she starts the session in and go from there. This is much easier to do when I am working with only one or two clients. It is much more difficult when working with a group of 12 clients, but it can still be done. Meeting the clients where they are strengthens their attention to what we are trying to do in the session.
My session format is fluid. I make clinical decisions about what to do when based on how my clients are interacting with me, with each other, and with the music throughout the session. Since their attention levels change, my plans also change to accommodate them. If a group comes in and everyone seems angry, they will probably not be as interested in listening to the background of a musician as they might be in line dancing or drumming. Once they are able to express or release their emotions, they may be in a better place for listening.
When I was a young music therapy student, I had a practicum supervisor who wanted me to write very detailed session plans and then follow those plans like a script. She would check off what I did when I said I would (in my plan) and then would ask me to justify why I didn't do what I said I would do after the session. I guess I was able to justify this enough because she awarded me "the most flexible therapist" award at the end of the semester. For me, it just made sense to flip-flop the order of the session to give my little children clients a chance to wiggle before sitting down to do an academic task. It didn't seem as obvious to her. That still fascinates me.
Again, this is my routine. Hers was very different from my own. I learned lots about myself through working with her.
If you are currently a music therapy student or intern, here is a takeaway for you - learn to write things the way that your supervisor tells you to. Think about how things work for you and then translate what your supervisor tells you into what works for you. When asked to justify your decisions, be strong and explain your reasoning. If you cannot explain your reasoning, you can't do things the way you want to do them. Once you can explain your reasoning, you have learned the primary lesson - figuring out what works best for you is important and something to strive for rather than to avoid. Just because your supervisor is teaching you in a particular way, you do not have to use that method forever and ever. You have to use that method for the semester you are being supervised by that particular person. That's all. Once you grow up, you can do things the way that works best for you. Try to figure out what that way is for you.
So, this week's sessions will include some discussion about our Musician of the Month, some talk about weather and the other theme (I can't remember it right now), practicing our graduation songs, and doing other TMEs - some formally planned, some improvised, some by client request. Every session will be different because every group is different, and that is okay. That's therapy.
Happy Monday, all.
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