Thoughtful Thursday: The Digital Divide

Happy - uh, I want to say - Thursday? 

One of the things that is difficult for me right now is telling time - especially what day it is! The hours are not as difficult to feel, but the days are. I do not have lots of things that I have to get done these days, so the days just kinda slip away. Having appointments helps with discerning which day is which.

Last night, I met with three others for a discussion about working with people who have a specific type of diagnosis. We had a good conversation about ways to work with this population. The other three music therapists were younger than me by about 15 years at least, so it was interesting to hear them speak about their own music therapy tools and materials and to contrast them with my own.

I am a vintage music therapist. I wear that title proudly because I have been a clinician for 33 years now. I have earned the title of "vintage," and I am going to revel in the fact that I am still doing the thing that I love the most even after most of my school peers have transitioned to different professions. It is interesting to be around music therapists who have a bit less experience and to contrast the things that they reach for versus what I reach for when doing sessions.

One of the biggest differences for me is the use of digital materials versus analog or physical materials in sessions. So many people reach for an iPad to share or play music or use a game. I do not. I have an inherent distrust of electronic devices based on years of inconsistent wifi and devices failing at the most inconvenient times, so I do not use tablets or digital devices in my sessions much. I find that younger therapists do use those digital materials significantly more than I do.

When I am strategizing for sessions, I figure out as much as I can do without using a device. The one exception, of course, is a music playback device of some sort. I am also a therapist who believes that recorded music has a place in music therapy sessions. While not every session needs recorded music, for my most recent population, recorded music was extremely reinforcing, so having access to preferred music was essential.

So, I tend to reach for the manipulatives, the visual aids, the Velcroed pieces of cardstock and paper that reinforce what we are doing as interactors. It is just a preference that I have, and my aversion to all things Apple plays into my preferences as well. I would be more likely to use more digital resources if I didn't have to figure out Apple things. I just don't think like Apple thinks. Never have, never will.

I wonder if I am old-fashioned or just working through my own preferences.

I enjoy speaking with other music therapists about what we do in our jobs. In the group last night, we had me, recently retired and old, one who was starting a new job with a new population, one who was shifting to expand her music therapy reach, and one who is in more of an administration role in the profession. It was interesting to hear their perspectives and the types of therapeutic music experiences that they use with their clients. One of them is also one of my Creativity Campers!! It was fun, and I intend to attend next month's discussion as well.

There are times when connections are hard to come by in this profession. It is difficult to find therapists who are just out there, doing their jobs but who also crave interaction with someone who understands what the job is like. That is what yesterday's discussion group was all about - connecting. I am looking forward to more of that now that I have time to fill up...