Things I Now Know About Music Therapy That I Wish I Had Realized Earlier in My Career
One of the things that I wish I had been required to do was a introduction to business course. I am starting that process now, but I really wish I had been in the know for my entire career. I am now trying to learn about being a small business owner as I am trying to figure out my next steps.
I knew, from the very beginning of my career, that I would never escape the question, "so, what is musical therapy, anyway?" I have had many different ways of explaining what I do, but it has always been interesting to see how people respond and what they ask about our profession. I should keep a tally of the times that I explain my job. That would be a fun game.
There are jobs available, but they are never going to be top salary or ideal. You make your job fit you, and if it doesn't fit, then it is time to leave that position. Walking out of school and expecting a job that pays 80 thousand dollars a year is not realistic for most therapy jobs. Period. If I decided to go into teaching music therapy, I would have to take an insane pay cut! After almost 30 years at my school district, I am finally in a financial position where I feel comfortable, but I am one more medical emergency away from needing to go back to strict budgeting and payment plans to the hospital. You learn to budget. You learn to prioritize, and you learn that you are not as valuable or original as you think you are.
I think that may be the most important thought to have about yourself as a therapist.
I am not as valuable or original as I think I am.
It may be difficult to find music therapists to fill all open positions in the world, but I am not everyone's ideal. I am not what everyone thinks of when they think about a music therapist. That doesn't mean that I have to change to what they want, but it does mean that not every position is the best one for me. I am not as important in the lives of my clients as I hope I am. It is a bit humbling to think about, but music therapy often plays a small part in the lives of our clients. It is my job to make their music therapy experience something that lasts for them, but music therapy cannot be a fully immersive experience 24/7.
I am not as valuable or original as I think I am.
I am a unique person working in a field that offers many different opportunities to both me and my clients.
There is no one who does this job the same way I do this job. That's okay. I do things that are good, that are fun, that connect - but others can do the same thing in their way. Neither is wrong, per se, but there is nothing that says that the next music therapist at my facility has to do things the way that I do them. In fact, they will not, and that is okay.
I have always told my interns that their job is not to become a mini-me, but to take the things that they are comfortable with in what I demonstrate and to find their ways of being a music therapist. If they take more away than I think they will, well, that's an honor. If they decide to abandon everything that I have modelled and required, then that's fine. I do what I do the way I do them because that's what works for me.
There is no script for being a music therapist. We all find our ways into being a therapist. I need the stability of a job. Others want the freedom of being an entrepreneur. Others do what they have to do whether they like it or not. My path has not been the same as my peers', and that is fine. It took me a very long time to come to that conclusion, by the way.
Some of the thoughts that are happening on this Saturday morning as I try to figure out the week ahead. I think I might need chocolate.
Happy Saturday.
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