I Wonder...
Yesterday, a bunch of high school seniors from a high school class came to visit my facility. I have no clue what class they were taking, but they were brought around the facility and then three of them came to one of my music therapy sessions. I was kind of taken by surprise when the first group came around and the tour leader asked me to explain how to become a music therapist. When the second group came around, I was a bit more prepared.
"How many of you have heard of music therapy?" I asked. No hands were raised, no recognition of the title, very little interest conveyed. "That's not a big surprise. My goal as music therapist is not only to teach my clients how to make music, but to use music for the completion of non-musical goals. For example..."
I wonder how many high school students out there know about music therapy as a career.
Now, this was not a class of musicians. Like I said, I'm not sure what the title of the class is, but it wasn't my usual audience - I've found that musicians have a vague awareness of music therapy. I hope that most musicians have at least heard of music therapy, but I was definitely hoping that at least one of the 30+ students that toured yesterday had heard of this profession. No such luck.
I wonder if there will be a time when I say, "I'm a music therapist" and the other half of the conversation will always say, "Oh. I know what that is." I hope that it happens someday.
Now, I do have to note that there is much greater recognition of this profession at this point right now than there was when I started out as a music therapist. Many of my friends have an idea about what it is I do. They can kind of describe what I do and some of them have even experienced music therapy sessions (these are my non-music therapy friends, by the way, not those of you who are also music therapists!). At least all of my friends and many of my relatives recognize that I am a music therapist and will send me things - articles and links - about music therapy or related things.
It is much more common to see some recognition in the faces of strangers when we get into our talk about what it is we do. It is getting better, and I have to remind myself of that on a regular basis. We are moving in a forward motion.
I wonder if there will ever be a day where all students in special education programs have the option of not being in music therapy (rather than having to fight to get the service onto IEPs to begin with).
I wonder...
"How many of you have heard of music therapy?" I asked. No hands were raised, no recognition of the title, very little interest conveyed. "That's not a big surprise. My goal as music therapist is not only to teach my clients how to make music, but to use music for the completion of non-musical goals. For example..."
I wonder how many high school students out there know about music therapy as a career.
Now, this was not a class of musicians. Like I said, I'm not sure what the title of the class is, but it wasn't my usual audience - I've found that musicians have a vague awareness of music therapy. I hope that most musicians have at least heard of music therapy, but I was definitely hoping that at least one of the 30+ students that toured yesterday had heard of this profession. No such luck.
I wonder if there will be a time when I say, "I'm a music therapist" and the other half of the conversation will always say, "Oh. I know what that is." I hope that it happens someday.
Now, I do have to note that there is much greater recognition of this profession at this point right now than there was when I started out as a music therapist. Many of my friends have an idea about what it is I do. They can kind of describe what I do and some of them have even experienced music therapy sessions (these are my non-music therapy friends, by the way, not those of you who are also music therapists!). At least all of my friends and many of my relatives recognize that I am a music therapist and will send me things - articles and links - about music therapy or related things.
It is much more common to see some recognition in the faces of strangers when we get into our talk about what it is we do. It is getting better, and I have to remind myself of that on a regular basis. We are moving in a forward motion.
I wonder if there will ever be a day where all students in special education programs have the option of not being in music therapy (rather than having to fight to get the service onto IEPs to begin with).
I wonder...
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