music, therapy, and me

Well, I woke up later than usual (yay,me!), so this might be a quick post. "That client" had no negative responses yesterday. That's two sessions without screaming and huge tantrums requiring assistance to remain safe! Two sessions!! The heat hasn't broken but might today. Might. I have five sessions between me and the next break, and I am more than ready. I will have my room to myself today - the other two people who now share my space have taken today off. That means blissful, glorious silence during my rare non-session time. I think I am ready for the next steps in my medical journey. I have almost everything that I need already. I just have to go get a couple of last minute prep materials, and I'm all set. I am nervous, anxious, and just plain old tired.  On Monday, that step will be over, and all that will be left will be the recovery process. At least, let's hope that is the case. There is so much still unknown about what is going on with me. Five sessio...

When I last wrote, my future was very unclear to me. At this point, my future is still unclear, but I know that I will NOT be having to rearrange all sorts of stuff to accommodate surgery. Turns out that I have a partial tendon rupture in my left middle finger to go along with a fractured left ring finger, but my hand specialist thinks that three months of splinting will heal things up a bit. Now, while I am grateful that I am not trying to juggle two interns and significant time off from work, I am still a bit scared about what this hand injury means for my future, but I am going to try to focus on other things now. Thank you for reading about this. 2020 has really been strange, hunh? So, me and my very strong left-side dominant self are trying to figure out how I am going to do even the most basic of things. My recent self-care practices are on hold because I can't use my left hand to do much of anything. Writing is out, typing is difficult, but I still need to be engaging in sel...

I am currently in the middle of a dilemma. My lease agreement came up this week, and I have to decide whether I am going to re-up or find a new place to live. My rental company is becoming difficult to work with, and I really want to buy a home, but I am scared of the entire realty thing. My fears are paralyzing me a bit. If I decide to go ahead with the lease, I will have to sign something that I will break eventually. If I don't re-up, then the company will bring people through my house any time that they want - with no pre-arrangement. I think I will re-up, and then start the process of looking for a house of my own. I will break the lease when I am ready to leave and not before. It would mean losing a security deposit, but that ship has sailed after living here for something like 14 years. I think that's how I will proceed. In addition, I will get my ducks in a row and go talk to a realtor. My word for the year is "courage." I've done some things that I ...

I am so very excited to be spending a day in front of the computer, working on website design. Part of the excitement comes from the fact that I love visual design, but the rest of the excitement comes from a special thing that is FINALLY happening on July 20th. My first ever Continuing Music Therapy Education course will open for registration on July 20th! Here comes Composition and Creativity ! I have spent many years thinking about this, dreaming about this event, and preparing myself for this very moment. My first ever CMTE course, generated and overseen by me!! I spent lots of years trying to pinch enough pennies to pay the fees required to be a pre-approved CMTE provider through CBMT, but life always interfered - surgery, student loans, tuition bills, broken fridge, etc. Last year was when I was first able to afford the application fees, and now it is here - the first CMTE offered by me at musictherapyworks. Today is the day that I've set aside to revamp my website to of...

This has been a strange week for me. Yesterday, over half of the school went on a field trip so my usual pattern was interrupted. I only had two groups - one is one of my most favorite and the other is one of my least favorite. My Creative Arts teammate and I received recognition from the other clinicians for our work on the Super-Secret Special Event that happened last week. I settled my worker's compensation case yesterday - first time I've ever been sworn in - so, that's over. I've had moments of anxiety, joy, and absolute frustration this week. It's really worn my out. But... It is FINALLY FRIDAY! (I apologize for the strength of the text, but I am really happy to have made it to the end of this week and this month!) Today is my plan/preparation day. I have a classroom visit this morning and then the entire school tromps through my room to go shopping in the STARS store, so it is impossible to have therapy sessions while folks are walking in and out. So, I...