Monthly Music Therapy Meets

Tonight is the third meeting for our Monthly Music Therapy Meets, and I am looking forward to it. We are going to learn a bit about Google Slides and how to make virtual interactive elements for sessions. I am always up for learning more about technology, especially if that technology adds to my clinical repertoire.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I have not been doing anything resembling streaming music therapy services this year. I have been working live with my clients most of this past year, with one short hiatus where we were quarantined from our clients and I dabbled with a bit of content creation since the other alternative was worksheets which doesn't really work into my idea of what my clients need. So, I haven't had the opportunity or need to develop Google Slides or other ways of incorporating interaction into sessions via technology. We are not set up for Zoom streams into living areas or classrooms, so I did not have to do what others have done in order to continue to educate students. I am ready to learn, though.

It's nice to have the start of a music therapy community where we are dedicated to learning from one another. I have been missing this type of music therapy connection - mostly because I have taken myself out of some of the interactions that used to make me feel a bit more connected - things like social media groups and attending conferences for our national and regional associations. I have not found a compelling reason to spend so much money for the limited returns that I get from those things these days.

There are a couple of things that I want you to know about these Meets. First, I am dedicated to offering free resources to music therapists, so attendance at these meetings is free. Second, I also believe in offering Continuing Education opportunities at every opportunity, so I can offer CMTEs for a fee to any music therapy profession who wants them!! There is a charge for CMTEs to cover the costs of CBMT fees and Zoom fees and all that, but I strive to keep the price low for all of us out there who don't make lots of money. Third, I hope that we are able to connect as music therapists and solve some of the problems that we have as music therapists that no other people understand. Fourth, I want to facilitate community and information sharing within our group.

It has been fun to get to know some music therapists that I would not have met otherwise, and I hope that these continue for a nice long time!! 

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