Sentimental Sunday: Post #452 - Back to 2013

Time for another randomly selected post to spark some thoughts about the profession and about my role in music therapy as well as my role as a human being. Today's post number is 452 which takes us back to November 16, 2013. 

This particular post was titled, "An Introvert at AMTA," and it occurred right before the American Music Therapy Association's conference in 2013. I cannot remember where that particular conference was held but I know what it was like for me. I was rooming with someone who was about as busy as I was in the music therapy world, and I spent more time in meetings and conversations than I did in presentations. This was the third of five years where my role was to pay full price for the conference and not experience anything other than work for the association. It was simultaneously energizing and enervating.

I am not someone who misses in-person conferences. I have no problem with virtual conferences because I can still see people and do not have to go through tons of hugs. While I do not miss the fuss or the cost, I do miss the travel opportunities. I enjoy traveling, so not getting to go to conferences means one less trip per year. The rest of it? Well, I am fine with not going to all that bother.

I find that conferences now are just not all that relevant to me anymore. During the World Congress, a friend from my undergraduate days and I discussed this fact. We've decided we are now considered "vintage" music therapists - not quite "antiques" yet, but definitely weathered. 

I find that presentations are repeats of the same sort of stuff that I attended back when I started out. There aren't many things that are directly applicable to my music therapy practice or interests any more. As a result, I don't find them worth the cost. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed going to the World Congress and seeing music therapy friends from around the world, but I didn't get any new information or an influx of ideas to use with my clients. What I got was lots of hugs and some really good one-on-one conversations with music therapists, so there were benefits. I just don't feel like I need to go to every conference now.

I wonder if others feel this way.

Perhaps I am feeling like every little thing that I do in my music therapy practice is habitual now. I want new ideas and new ways to interact with my clients, but nothing seems to be coming out of the music therapy world or research to spark new ways of interacting. Perhaps this is just how others feel when they reach a certain stage in their profession? 

These feelings are part of why I do other things - making visual aids for other people to purchase and access, work for the Online Conference for Music Therapy, Inc., craft and create, and try to develop music therapy communities with other clinicians. I would love for the music therapy world to develop more periodicals like Imagine - things that are focused on working with clients rather than gatekeeping research periodicals. There has to be a place where music therapy clinicians are valued and connected by the Association - I do not feel like that is present at this time.

I wonder if those things have just passed me by... am I missing something? Let me know, please, if you know about things that AMTA does that are specifically directed towards clinicians...

I want to think about this concept for some time. I would like to find this type of community - I know that there are subscriptions and communities out there that offer these types of things, but I am often unable to pay for the fees. I wonder if there is a way that this could be enfolded into the AMTA membership options - I have to be a member of AMTA if I want to be an internship director, so those dues have to happen. The others do not, they are optional and additional and I do not often have the discretionary income available to join. It is time to get going on some of the plans that I have made over the years...

Okay, I have started something related to this conversation.

I am going to host an online event dedicated to brainstorming therapeutic music experiences on Monday, September 25, 2023. I envision a place where music therapists can take a goal or idea and develop it with other music therapists. Gulp. Time to start marketing this...

By the way, if you want to attend, please check out my Facebook page by searching for musictherapyworks.com on Facebook. You can find information about the experience as well as the registration link there. I hope that you will consider being there - or share it with any music therapy person out there that you know - students, interns, professionals - so they can be there. Let's make a clinician community happen, folks!!

I am now a bit overwhelmed and feeling am also feeling a bit nervous about this next step. Time to take my shower and get ready for my Sunday job. See you tomorrow?? Hope so!

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