Maybe It's Spring Fever

Crud. I am very frustrated about things at the moment, and the brightest light that I have in my outlook is that my region's conference is this weekend. I really need some music therapy inspiration, and I'll be looking for it in the two presentations that I get to attend this weekend. So, no pressure, fellow presenters - INSPIRE ME!

I am feeling somewhat discouraged with things in my life at the moment, and I'm not sure why. I'm hoping that it is something to do with the change in the seasons, but I don't know. I have very little creative inspiration. I have no ideas for presentation proposals for the national conference (that has NEVER happened to me before), and I'm just feeling like every day is exactly the same. My attempts to change things in my life are falling flat.

This is seeping into my clinical interactions as well. Group sessions have been boring - even for me, the leader! We have not entrained to each other well this week at all. I broke out the rhythm UNO game in desperation because I have no interest in anything at the moment. I have a set of therapeutic music experiences that I keep in reserve for just these types of times - when nothing seems to be working well - things that are easy to implement and still have therapeutic value. 


This situation happens to me every once in a while. When I look back over my blog posts over the years, I find that this theme pops up and it always takes the same pattern - complaining as I try to figure out what is going on, a declaration about how much I don't like feeling this way, and then a resolution to do something different. I can shake myself out of my ruts, but I eventually fall back in. Good thing I have some experience with this type of situation - I know that it is not permanent and that it will work out. That makes this current feeling a bit more tolerable.

Now it is time to work on getting out of that rut. So, change of topic...


I spent some time this weekend pulling together my presentation materials. I'm doing two presentations that include some creative thinking and engagement, so I am collecting the stuff that I want folks to have ready. Here's what my living room looks like right now...

(Isn't it funny that I'm going to be trying to foster creativity in others when I am struggling so much with it myself? Actually, I'm not sure that my situation is a lack of creativity - I'm still composing and creating and painting and making things, but I have little to no interest in using them. I'm in a rut, and it is time to break out of that rut. - Sorry, I ended up in the other topic for a bit...)


I admit that I am probably packing way too much, but we are going to be putting together several visual aids and some other projects as well, so I need stuff for people to play with. (That's my justification for all of this!) I still need to add the large laminating sheets and the laminators to the pile, but then I will be finished with how much I will be schlepping from place to place. Good thing that the conference is being held relatively locally - I couldn't do something like this for the national conference if I had to travel by plane.

I love encouraging people to make their own things. I enjoy watching someone take an idea and make it a reality, and I will get to see that on Saturday morning. I hope the folks who decided to take a chance on my CMTE get some creative inspiration and have some fun in our three hours together. I also hope that my Friday presentation participants get some valuable insight into their own professional development after engaging in the activities that I have planned for them.

It's time to go through those same activities for myself. We'll see what comes out of my brainstorming and dreaming. I hope that you will be joining me in Kansas City this weekend, but if you are not, I hope that you have your own way to dream, to vision, to create, and to get out of your ruts when they happen. I'm going to work on my own now. 

Thanks for reading - "see" you tomorrow.