Thrifty Therapist

It is time for a new series - The Thrifty Therapist - something to happen on Tuesdays because I like alliteration and themes. Here's what I'm thinking...

One of the things that unites us all is a quest to get more for less. We music therapists are no different from anyone else - we want things that work for us for less money. So, I am working on ways to do just that.

Now, this does not mean that things will be free, but there are ways to find materials, share ideas, and stay within a firm budget as a music therapist. This series is going to be a way to share ideas and things that have worked for me in my decades of being a music therapist. There will be products that I use, things that I offer and sell in various places, some free things to download and use right away, and some questions and surveys of the music therapy world. I have recommendations for gifts for music therapists and for equipment, instruments, and supplemental materials for working with different populations of music therapy clients.

I have big ideas for this theme... and for my website!

So, here is the first post for this new theme - The Thrifty Therapist!

(Please also keep in mind that this is not just directed at music therapists, but at any therapist who wants to maximize their budgetary dollars, so not everything will be directly applicable to all music therapists.)

This was my very first infographic. These four things are things that I have used over and over in my life as a school-based music therapist. Three of the four have a cost associated with them, but they are things that will make life as a therapist easier. The last one, the idea box (can you tell that this was designed before electronic devices took over our lives??) is something that is completely free but takes some mental energy and output.

I don't think that you can find free laminators or Velcro often, but you never know until you ask. Places like Facebook Marketplace and Buy Nothing groups can offer some stuff occasionally. I find big bags at thrift stores and through my local Buy Nothing group for little to no money. I like having different bags for different types of sessions.

What types of things do you use in your music therapy practice that helps you work smarter and not harder?


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