Umbrella Groupings: Getting the Most Out of Your Conference!

I read a comment on one of my social media pages from a person who is attending conference as an MT-BC for the very first time. This person was a bit confused by the idea of umbrella groupings (as I have been in the past) and was asking questions about how they even worked. So, I rolled up my sleeves and answered the question.

Here's the deal. Umbrella groupings are our opportunity to select presentations that support our individual continuing education needs. So, I get to choose, attend, and justify my selections for as many CMTEs as I can possibly get during the conference.

Umbrella groupings are one of the sneaky little things that we MT-BCs can take advantage of to glean as many CMTEs as possible from our conference fees.

Basically, if you can justify your presentation attendance and demonstrate learning that directly applies to the CBMT Board Certification Domains, you can get extra CMTEs. For example, my presentation selections seem to be primarily based on private practice/marketing topics and supervision topics, so I can do two umbrella groups for this upcoming conference. Most of my selected presentations seem to cover topics in section IV.B - Professional Responsibilities, so I need to sit down, look for common themes, and then get ready to write my statement to get credit.

EASY!


Here's page 17 from the Recertification Manual of CBMT:

Umbrella Groupings
 
The Board Certified Music Therapist may earn up to 100 CMTE credits per
cycle for this category.
 
An umbrella grouping is a group of domain-related events (presentations, seminars, workshops, in-services, etc.) each fewer than 3 contact hours. These must be incorporated under a theme or unifying topic that relates to the CBMT Board Certification Domains and results in a total of at least 3 contact hours. It is not the responsibility of the provider nor the CBMT to place these events into umbrella groupings. Placing events in an umbrella grouping and relating them to the CBMT Board Certification Domains is the sole responsibility of the certificant.
 
The following examples could be combined under a main umbrella topic:
 
a. Models of Music Therapy
1 hour – Introduction to G.I.M.
2 hours – Behavioral Music Therapy Techniques
2 hours – Overview of Creative Music Therapy
Total: 5 hours = 6 CMTE credits
 
b. Therapeutic Drumming
1 hour – African Rhythms
1.5 hours – Facilitating Drum Circles
2 hours – Rhythmic Entrainment
Total: 4.5 hours = 5 CMTE credits
 
c. Current Issues in Learning Disabilities
2 hours – Current Brain Research in Learning Disabilities
2 hours – Non-verbal Learning Disabilities
1 hour – Facilitating Learning through Music Therapy for Students with
Learning Disabilities
Total: 5 hours = 6 CMTE credits
 
Programs that are reported as an umbrella grouping must be reported together
and must be completed within a 12-month period of each other.
 
Required Documentation for Umbrella Groupings
1) The activity title
2) The name of the activity sponsor
3) The name of the instructor
4) A written summary of the learning experience and its application to music therapy practice and the CBMT Board Certification Domains (approximately 250 words)
5) A copy of the brochure or syllabus for the activity



There you go! Happy CMTE hunting, all!

Hope to see some of you at my presentation on Sunday morning - From Many to One! 


Oh! I just realized that it is Tuesday. I don't have a TME this week, but I do have a video of my favorite instrument of ALL time! Here it is!!

Happy Tuesday, all! Be prepared that I will probably not be doing my usual weekly posts this week as I will be out and about and off my regular schedule for some time in the future. Hope to see many of you in Dallas, though.