Friday Focus: Strategizing...
Today is Friday in this part of the world, and I am getting ready to finish my therapy week. As I've stated before, this is a non-group day. I have three individual sessions and then some planning time. I also have peer supervision with a corresponding lunch out and away from my facility. Today, also, I have an appointment with the Worker's Compensation doctor to be cleared for the finger sprain I got about 10 days ago. The finger feels better, but is not at 100% yet, but the doctor will probably clear me and release me from care. I have yesterday's documentation to finish up (six groups!), and some planning to do for next week.
I was thinking about some of my quirks. One of those quirks is that I like having structure. I like knowing that groups will arrive in my room at specific times. I like having my weekly foci. I like having a plan for how I will finish tasks and get things done.
This was all started by making some early airline reservations for my winter break. I usually go home on Christmas Day and leave on New Year's Day. This year, it was cheaper to leave on New Year's Eve, so I'll be arriving home just before the New Year starts for an entire day at home before having to go back to work. So, I like to make my plans nine weeks out. This gives me enough time to pay for the ticket, arrange my transportation (I'll ask my sister to come get me at the early hour of 8am), and organize the shipping of presents to my family members without stressing about the flights home and back again.
I splurged on a ticket where I could actually choose my seat rather than the cheaper seat where I didn't get to choose my seat. I like to plan where I sit. I'm pretty particular, and I am fine with paying a greater amount (within reason, of course) so I can pick my window seat on the left side of the plane that is close to the back. Ah, structure.
I like making plans - for everything but music therapy sessions. Isn't that a bit strange?
I don't make session plans anymore. I make session strategies.
For some, I bet that doesn't sound different, but I find that there is a difference between planning and strategizing. For me, session plans always reminds me about writing scripts for my undergraduate coursework and being challenged when I didn't follow that written script. (I got criticized lots for not following the written script.) Session strategizing, on the other hand, is not a script. It is a series of options available for me and for my clients.
My session strategies are currently in my planning bullet journal. I'll try to remember to bring that home with me in order to show you what things look like now in my bullet journal. Nothing much has changed, but my process is evolving a bit as I am getting more comfortable with the process.
So, how do I strategize?
I start with the weekly focus. For example, next week's focus is coping skill development. I am going to focus on safe expressions of emotion. I have a book to read (thanks to Music Therapy Mailings), and I have my Anger Monsters. We are going to do the Anger Monster Mash by naming our monsters after things that cause anger in ourselves and then mashing them. Today's strategy session will include looking over all of my therapeutic music experiences (TMEs) and listing everything else that can be included under this particular idea of safe expression of emotion. Voila! Session strategy! Every possible TME to support the desired outcome.
When I look at each of the TMEs, I can see further strategies in those documents. In the past several years, I've spent some extra time analyzing the music used in each TME for where I can adapt the music presentation to further support my clients in the moment. If my students arrive at the session in angry moods, I'll know how to change the music in order to use the ISO-principle and engage them more fully in music therapy treatment from the get-go. If it becomes clear that sitting and listening to a book is not appropriate for the group at the moment, I will have several other things to do that still address our desired outcome.
Lots of options make for session flexibility and (in my opinion) more effective music therapy interactions. It's the sessions that I haven't really thought through that seem to be the least effective for me. When I have a strategy, I feel more prepared and I seem to be able to facilitate better music therapy for my clients.
So, I continue to strategize.
Today, I will spend some time thinking through the next several weeks. I have an absence for conference and for some additional training, so I will need to offer ideas for sub-plans to my students - that takes preparation time. I will also try to figure out some clues for my next two Musicians of the Month. Time to strategize for November and December.
First, though, I need to take my shower and get dressed in my facility-appropriate Friday garb.
Happy Friday, all!
I was thinking about some of my quirks. One of those quirks is that I like having structure. I like knowing that groups will arrive in my room at specific times. I like having my weekly foci. I like having a plan for how I will finish tasks and get things done.
This was all started by making some early airline reservations for my winter break. I usually go home on Christmas Day and leave on New Year's Day. This year, it was cheaper to leave on New Year's Eve, so I'll be arriving home just before the New Year starts for an entire day at home before having to go back to work. So, I like to make my plans nine weeks out. This gives me enough time to pay for the ticket, arrange my transportation (I'll ask my sister to come get me at the early hour of 8am), and organize the shipping of presents to my family members without stressing about the flights home and back again.
I splurged on a ticket where I could actually choose my seat rather than the cheaper seat where I didn't get to choose my seat. I like to plan where I sit. I'm pretty particular, and I am fine with paying a greater amount (within reason, of course) so I can pick my window seat on the left side of the plane that is close to the back. Ah, structure.
I like making plans - for everything but music therapy sessions. Isn't that a bit strange?
I don't make session plans anymore. I make session strategies.
For some, I bet that doesn't sound different, but I find that there is a difference between planning and strategizing. For me, session plans always reminds me about writing scripts for my undergraduate coursework and being challenged when I didn't follow that written script. (I got criticized lots for not following the written script.) Session strategizing, on the other hand, is not a script. It is a series of options available for me and for my clients.
My session strategies are currently in my planning bullet journal. I'll try to remember to bring that home with me in order to show you what things look like now in my bullet journal. Nothing much has changed, but my process is evolving a bit as I am getting more comfortable with the process.
So, how do I strategize?
I start with the weekly focus. For example, next week's focus is coping skill development. I am going to focus on safe expressions of emotion. I have a book to read (thanks to Music Therapy Mailings), and I have my Anger Monsters. We are going to do the Anger Monster Mash by naming our monsters after things that cause anger in ourselves and then mashing them. Today's strategy session will include looking over all of my therapeutic music experiences (TMEs) and listing everything else that can be included under this particular idea of safe expression of emotion. Voila! Session strategy! Every possible TME to support the desired outcome.
When I look at each of the TMEs, I can see further strategies in those documents. In the past several years, I've spent some extra time analyzing the music used in each TME for where I can adapt the music presentation to further support my clients in the moment. If my students arrive at the session in angry moods, I'll know how to change the music in order to use the ISO-principle and engage them more fully in music therapy treatment from the get-go. If it becomes clear that sitting and listening to a book is not appropriate for the group at the moment, I will have several other things to do that still address our desired outcome.
Lots of options make for session flexibility and (in my opinion) more effective music therapy interactions. It's the sessions that I haven't really thought through that seem to be the least effective for me. When I have a strategy, I feel more prepared and I seem to be able to facilitate better music therapy for my clients.
So, I continue to strategize.
Today, I will spend some time thinking through the next several weeks. I have an absence for conference and for some additional training, so I will need to offer ideas for sub-plans to my students - that takes preparation time. I will also try to figure out some clues for my next two Musicians of the Month. Time to strategize for November and December.
First, though, I need to take my shower and get dressed in my facility-appropriate Friday garb.
Happy Friday, all!
Comments
Post a Comment