My Music Therapy Resolutions (For AMTA and All of Us Who are Music Therapists!)

'Tis the season for making goals and having good intentions to follow through, making ourselves healthier, wealthier, and wiser, right? I set my goals for each year in August when the new school year begins, so I am about halfway through with my intentions - I'm not doing too badly, but there is always room for improvement (check out this blog post if you want to know more about my intentions for 2018-2019). So, because I am already finished with my self-reflection for this upcoming year, please indulge me as I make some resolutions for our profession - all of us who are music therapists...

(NOTE: These opinions are completely my own and are in no way meant to be interpreted as fact by anyone. They are OPINIONS, and, since this is my blog, I get to spout those opinions as much as I want. I do not receive any financial compensation or benefits or perks based on the things that I write here. If you find that you do not like my opinions, feel free to comment below [note that I moderate all comments] or just stop reading. Seriously, go outside and get some fresh air!)

1. To seek understanding with those who think about music therapy differently than myself. I think this one is a bit blatant, but I am going to explain it anyway. The music therapy profession is made up of creative, passionate folks who have strong feelings about how and when and where music therapy can and should be done. We all have our very strong opinions, but we often move away from recognition of those same opinions and find ourselves promoting those opinions as facts...as the reality of all. We then disagree with each other about things that are not really factual. We argue, we make comments on social media about how "others" are wrong, and we head towards a division in a very small profession. It is difficult to engage with people who are just as convinced that their way is the only right way as I am, but it is also essential for the health of the profession that we try. There are factions out there in the world of music therapy. We see that when people post their very public announcements about leaving our professional organization. We see that when someone posts an opinion as if it were an absolute fact. We see that when people insist that their viewpoint is the ONLY viewpoint, and it leads us to confrontation and hurt feelings. So, my resolution for us all is to ask questions and to seek understanding when these situations come up. I want us all to take a breath before responding to someone who is spouting opinion as fact and consider different viewpoints.
2. To allow those who need to go to just go. Oh boy. There are a whole lot of people who disagree with the path that our organizational leadership has taken who are publicly announcing their departure from the organization. This has stirred up issues that have been resolved already for a whole new crop of music therapists out there who had no idea of what was happening. Lots more drama for an organization that is already full of drama. (This goes along with those different opinions referred to in the section above.) My resolution for us all is to allow those who need to leave for whatever reason to leave. The other part of this particular resolution is to keep the doors of membership and communication open so that those who choose to leave know that they can always return. I think this is important for several reasons. First, if folks want to leave, then they are going to leave. We cannot force ANYONE to be a member of our professional organization, and believe me, I have worked with several people who felt like they were forced to be part of something that they did not agree with AT ALL. It was not comfortable for them or for anyone that had to work with them. Second, if membership decreases, then the organization has to change. A leaner organization will eventually become a more efficient one that is more reflective of the members. If you do not agree with the direction a professional organization is taking, then either step up to change that organization from within or leave the organization and allow others to steer for a time.
3. To recognize that my life path is not the only life path. I get so frustrated with people who insist that they cannot earn more than $30 thousand per year as a music therapist because that is not my reality. I've always earned more than that as a music therapist, even at the beginning of my career, 26 years ago. I have a real hard time realizing that my life path is not the reality of everyone. My biases come out, and I find myself thinking thoughts like, "Well, they OBVIOUSLY don't know how to negotiate," or "Well, I wonder what is wrong with them that they cannot get more money." Isn't it interesting how my opinions and life experiences lead me into judgment? Again, refer to the very first resolution - my opinions (and their opinions and realities) are very different, and it takes an effort on my part to step back and consider that there are places in the world where music therapists do not make more than $30 thousand per year. It is not my reality, so it seems absurd to me, but that is the point of this entire post. My reality, opinions, and situations are not the universal path of all music therapists - they are my experiences only.
4. To truly listen. This goes along with all of the other points that I am trying to make today. In order to be a strong profession - one that advocates for all music therapists and one that supports all who are proud MTs, we need to have people who are willing to listen to each other. Listening is a two-way street, and we can't have one group who just spouts off all the time and another group who is expected to accommodate that first group's demands. Strong professions and organizations do not work that way. We need to have some committed individuals who are willing to listen, to seek common understanding, and to work very hard towards finding that common ground that we all share. We also need to be patient with each other as we go through this painful and tedious process. I, as an individual, have a responsibility to make my voice heard, to express my opinions in a rational manner, but I also have to acknowledge that my opinion is not the only opinion. One of the things I talk to interns about is conflict resolution - seeking a win-win solution to difficult situations. As a human being, I often fall into the trap of erroneous thinking that my way is the best and ONLY way that anything should happen. My vision becomes limited to "my way or the highway," and I forget that there are others out there who have just as valid points and ideas and recommendations. My resolution for all of us is to become more bent on listening and less apt to react in an emotional manner.
5. Lastly, to remember the reason we are music therapists - our clients. In all of our squabbling and in-fighting, I think we sometimes lose sight of the persons we serve. There should always be a consideration of how a divided music therapy organization and profession affects the people who seek out our services. We cannot agree on education and clinical training requirements, so we have music therapists out in the country who are not trained to do therapy. We do not support our professional organization, so we do not have representation at the governmental level to be part of important discussions about insurance, reimbursement, levels of care, and regulations. This affects our clients. Someone makes a public statement about the effect of music on a specific human characteristic, and we do not always approach that person from an educational standpoint but from an attitude of competition. This affects our clients. My resolution for us all is to start every conversation, every social media post, every committee meeting, every business meeting, with a consideration of the persons we serve - how will our decisions as a profession affect the most important people in the therapeutic triad - our clients!

If you made it this far, congratulations, and thank you. I hope that this post has brought up some feelings in you - whether they be feelings of support, feelings of disagreement, or feelings of disgust. Feel free to comment, but know that I moderate the comments that are published - that's how this blog is set up, and I like it that way.

Happy New Year.