Music Therapy Maven » Guest Posts

(Guest Post) Show Us What You Got: Tips for Shining Throughout the Internship Application Process

Kimberly — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:00:44 +0000

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I absolutely love my clinical work at United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), where I have the privilege of working with amazing children with special needs every day. In addition to my role as a clinician, I also serve as a supervisor to music therapy interns. This role is just as fulfilling, but in a different way. As a supervisor, I have the opportunity to witness the transformation from student to clinician every time I have an intern.

As the Internship Director at UCP I am responsible for handling student inquiries, reading applications, and interviewing and auditioning prospective interns. Thus, I have a few tips for students applying for internship.

Although this post is directed towards students, it is also applicable to anyone applying for a music therapy position. Here are a few tips to help you shine as a candidate throughout the application process.

Make your first contact with the Internship Director stand out

I can’t tell you how many generic requests for information letters/emails I receive. For example, “Hello, I found your internship site on the AMTA national roster and found it to be very interesting. Please send me information and application materials. Thank you.”

Make your request for information stand out. This is your first impression, and you know what they say about first impressions! Here are some easy ways to do this:

Address the director by name. Rather than “Hi!” say “Hi Ms. Kalas.”
Make your letter specific to the internship site. You can do this by naming United Cerebral Palsy, for example, rather than saying “I am interested in your internship site.”
Be specific about why you are interested in that particular internship site. For example, state that you love working with children, you like the treatment approach, etc.
Explain briefly about yourself and what makes you stand out. Yes, you can toot your own horn!
Refer to something specific that was listed in the National Roster listing. For example, something unique to the internship at UCP is the opportunity for the intern to co-treat with speech, occupational, and physical therapists. If that interests you, mention in your letter that is an opportunity you would love to have.

Read all application instructions carefully…and follow them!

Each internship site has different requirements for the application process. Be sure to read and follow all instructions carefully – they are made for a reason!

For my internship, I made it a point to request that all application materials be sent together in one packet. This is for a very specific reason. I used to receive letters of recommendation separately, sometimes even before I would receive the actual application. It became very hard to keep track of all the letters being sent to me. So, I am very specific on my application instructions that I would like all materials to be sent together in one packet.

Choose audition pieces that are appropriate for the clinical population at the site

Your audition pieces should be specific to the population for you which you are applying to work with. For example, as much as I love the Beatles, I don’t want to hear “Let it Be” in an audition to work with children at UCP. I am looking for original songs that are appropriate for children birth-age 7. The songs don’t need to be Grammy-worthy, just appropriate for children!

Follow up…be proactive!

Internship directors are busy people. If you don’t hear back after calling or sending an email, be proactive and follow up. This serves as a friendly reminder, but also shows that you are sincerely interested in pursuing the internship at that facility.

Another nice gesture is to send a thank you note to the director after interviewing at the facility. This is courteous and again shows your genuine interest in the internship program.

As an Internship Director, what makes a prospective intern stand out to me?

Genuine interest in working with children with special needs
Strong musical skills on guitar, piano, and voice
Strong grades in core music therapy classes
Strong letters of recommendation
Creativity and initiative
The ability to articulate their own personal definition of music therapy and philosophy of music therapy.

Remember that the ultimate goal is for you to stand out from the crowd and shine!

If you are interested in the internship program at United Cerebral Palsy, visit www.ucpmusictherapy.shutterfly.com or send me an email: amykalas@yahoo.com. Our next opening is for June 2012 with application materials due by December 1, 2011.

About the Author: Amy Kalas, MM, MT-BC is employed full-time as a music therapist at United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Miami, where she works with children birth – age 7 with special needs. She is also the Clinical Training Director for the internship program at UCP and has supervised interns since 2007. In addition, Amy runs a private practice, Wholesome Harmonies Music Therapy, and provides music therapy services in the Miami area. Her website and blog can be found at www.WHmusictherapy.com.

Guest Post: The Day My Business Died

Kimberly — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:36:59 +0000

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I’m so excited to introduce you to music therapist, blogger, and boomwhacker extraordinaire Kat Fulton. Kat blogs at Rhythm for Good and runs the San Diego-based private practice Sound Health Music. Her infectious personality shines through her writing and she’s brimming with great ideas. Keep reading to learn more…

I’d like to share the three steps that helped me reset my entire business practice when I thought I lost everything and had little hope for recovery. Maybe these steps can help you in challenging times, too.

Lecture yourself as if you are your own daughter,
Use an outstanding therapy business start-up resource, and
Rate your clients from A thru F.

First, let me tell you about the day my business died. I remember it was January because in the months before, I was laser-focused on self-producing my DVD. When I say laser-focused, I mean the nothing-else-matters, do-or-die kind of intensity. This laser-focus had gone so far as to cause some substantial bookkeeping negligence.

Two of my day-to-day choices for the last 5 months of 2010 follow:

Which one would you choose?

That first month of 2011, I was experiencing minor post-partum depression after birthing the DVD. But in order to get out of it, I needed to return my attention to my beloved music therapy practice and address the bookkeeping issues. I needed to take action.

I remember my trembling fingers on the track pad, slowly rolling over the ominous Quickbooks icon. I waited for the golden icon to jump out of the computer and give me the big, wet, slobbery kiss of business death. I knew it was coming, and the anticipation was painful.

I had not followed up with delinquent clients for months, and I was sure that one of them owed me over a thousand dollars. I kept sending monthly invoices, but I knew I wasn’t getting paid for all of them. In the past few months, one particular client would speak on personal terms and redirect any conversations about the account. But I continued to see the residents anyway. I had no idea what else I would uncover.

I opened the dreaded Quickbooks application and scrolled through my client balances. I saw the expected $1,200 overdue, I saw a few who owed a couple hundred, and then I saw … $3,000 overdue. That was $4,200 in outstanding invoices between two clients.

That was the day my business died.

I was stunned. I put my head down and cried until I couldn’t cry anymore. The feeling in the pit of my stomach was excruciating. My thoughts raced, and I couldn’t help but think about what I could do with $4,200:

Hire a professional video crew to document my Grandfather’s WWII stories
Spoil the heck out of my nieces and nephews
Take a nice Hawaiian vacation
Pay for 6 months of body-sculpting boot camp
Design a jungle-themed patio with live animals (and you *know* I would)

The worst part of it all was that it was all my fault. I’m the business person. I’m the one sending out statements (or not). I’m the one in charge of the accounts. I’m the one to blame. I had murdered my own business.

That’s what it felt like, so I rolled with the feeling. My business was dead. The end. When I was finished wallowing, I realized that my options were to 1) Get a job or 2) Start a new business. I couldn’t go on with the old ways of my old business.

I took three steps in starting a new business.

Step #1– I sat myself down as if I were my own daughter and lectured me. I asked myself “What would I say if my daughter were going through this dilemma?” Here’s what I would say: “Kathryn, you may not know it or feel it or believe it in every moment of the day, but you deserve to be treated with respect. You deserve payments that arrive on time. Life is too short to work with clients who pay late, or don’t pay at all. Chin up, kid. Do you ever go to the grocery store, and say ‘Oh, I’ll have to pay you next month Thanks for understanding,’ Of course not…”

I went on and on and on. It was a good lecture.

Step #2– In order to start my business on the right foot, I turned to The Therapy Business Blueprint. I re-created contracts based on the templates in the Blueprint. Ah ha! My contracts now included a clause about late payments! I also went through all the action items listed at the end of each chapter in the Blueprint, and made sure I was on the right track. Reading Kim’s “From The Trenches” stories kept me feeling engaged and understood, like I wasn’t alone.

At a time when I thought I just didn’t have it IN me to run a business, this resource saved me. Reading through the Blueprint helped me reframe my perspective and start fresh. Going through the Blueprint’s starter steps made me feel like a witness to my situation rather than a victim.

And fortunately for me, I had inherited a “dead business” with some slight traces of life. Obviously, I used the same business name. And I kept all my good clients, all of whom I am immensely grateful.

Step #3– I rated all of the clients I kept from my dead business. A+ thru F-. Literally. I developed a spreadsheet and assigned values to specific behaviors and characteristics. My F- clients are long gone, and I continue to whittle away when necessary. Meanwhile I give my A+ clients extra special attention and love.

It all turned out to be ok.

I was paid the $4,200 eventually, and swiftly fired those clients. I never announced anything to anyone about my dead business. But the impactful piece of the experience to me was the renewed mindset of running a new business with higher sets of values, higher standards, and a much greater capacity for growth and development.

Now, when a client is late in a payment, I send an email with the contract attached. I remind the client of the late fee, and there is rarely a problem getting paid. Running my business now is like night and day compared to the old days!

And, aside from whipping my regular clients into payment shape, I’ve opened up some web-based business. Now, it is crystal clear to me that late payments are absolutely, undeniably unacceptable. Imagine the payment process for online sales: The customer expects to pay *first* before the goods are delivered. My service side has taken a lesson from my products side, and trust me, there is no turning back! I’m spoiled from getting paid first for the value I offer.

I would go so far as to say that services should be paid either COD or in advance. Those are my A+ clients =)

Growth is healthy and necessary for success. Needless to say, my clients take me seriously when I point out the contract terms now.

There is a moral to the story.

I want to continue to evolve and shed the old skin of bad habits that do not serve my higher purpose, personally and professionally. In other words, I can’t grow and evolve if I stay with the same old late-paying clients.

I must close some doors to open new ones. I must allow my self-respect to pour into my business practice and overflow.

Do you have similar stories? I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights.

Kat Fulton is a music therapist in San Diego who writes regularly at her music therapy blog.

Guest Post: A History of Music Formats

Kimberly — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:18:53 +0000

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This blog post is a departure from typical Maven posts. But it incorporates 3 things I love: music, technology, and history. So when the author, Michael Springman, approached me about writing this post, I thought “Why not?” I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane…and maybe even learn something new in the process

The devices we use to enjoy our favorite music have changed drastically since the first recorded sounds were produced in the late 1800’s. While we thought our cassette tapes were groundbreaking back in the 70’s, technology’s exponential advancement has brought us to the digital recording we listen to today. The following is a timeline of how we’ve listened to music over the past 100+ years.

1877 – The Phonograph

Also known as a gramophone and record player, the phonograph is still treasured by some throwbacks today who vow that you just can’t recreate the sound of vinyl. The phonograph was invented by Thomas Edison, who was the first to create a device to reproduce a recorded sound, by using a needle to trace the wavy lines that are etched, scratched or engraved onto a rotating disc or cylinder, thus reproducing sound waves. Edison’s first ‘record’ was a tinfoil sheet cylinder.

1921 – Radio

Nikola Tesla, a Serbian who had moved to the US in 1884, is widely credited with the invention of the radio, with his first transmissions of coded signals being sent in 1896 over a mile. James Maxwell showed theoretically that electromagnetic waves could transmit through the air, and many others demonstrated it in laboratory settings. But radio as we know it today, able to transmit voice over the air, came in 1921.

1965 – 8-track Tape

William Powell Lear (of Lear Jet) invented the 8-track in the early 1960s, officially released in 1965. The first portable audio format, the single reel device was popular for 15 years. It was infamous for bad sound quality, held about 40 minutes of music, and today stands as an icon of outdated technology.

1970s – Cassette Tape

Magnetic tape was being used in music studios during the 1950s, but the portable cassette tape was not until the late 1970s. More compact than the 8-track with far better sound quality, the cassette tape meant the end of the 8-track, especially when Sony introduced the Walkman. Remember mix tapes?

1982 – The Compact Disc

James Russel is credited with inventing the compact disk back in 1965. The CD is an optical disc that is capable of storing digital data. In development for nearly two decades, Sony introduced the first ever album released on CD (Billy Joel’s 52nd Street). Even with the advent of the MP3, the Compact Disc remains in use today by many.

1987 – Digital Audio Tapes (DAT)

Digital audio tapes were and still are the standard in professional recording circles, but the high cost of the players prevented them from becoming very popular to the average consumer. They were intended to replace the audio cassette tape, but aside from the expense there was also concern over unauthorized digital copies.

1989 – Moving Pictures Experts Group (MP3)

Invented in Germany, the MP3 has changed the face of music dramatically. With the boom in personal computers followed by the dawn of the Internet, the MP3 format allows millions of users to access music in a whole new way. The compression format shrinks digital audio files without any noticeable sound degradation, making it possible to store large quantities of music files onto your computer or your MP3 player (introduced in 1998).

2001 – Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)

Debuted in 2001 at the Consumer Electronics Show, this new audio compression technology has rapidly become the new standard. It produces smaller file sizes, better sound quality than the MP3, and features integral copyright protection. AAC is supported by a wide array of electronic devices from the iPod and iPad to the Windows Phone and iPhone and even gaming consoles such as PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

About the Author: This blog post was written by Michael Springman of FLV.com. FLV.com offers a free FLV Converter, a free FLV Player and a free FLV Downloader allowing users to save, convert and play their favorite FLV (Flash Video) files from sites like YouTube on their own computers. Whether you are looking to convert FLV to AVI or FLV to iPhone, you can always find the tools you need to enjoy your favorite videos at FLV.com.

3 Ways to Make Your Presentations Sparkle

Kimberly — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:56:51 +0000

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I am thrilled to introduce you to Natalie Mullis, a South Carolina-based music therapist who’s the brains behind Key Changes Music Therapy. Natalie (or @KeyChangesMT on Twitter) has spent the last several years building her private practice and, along the way, sharing her knowledge and adventures with her readers. Enjoy!

As a music therapist, I can tell you what I do, how I do it, and what the results are in my sleep. Since educating others about our field is something music therapists do nearly every day, knowing how to be remembered is vital to our individual success, as well as our success as a field.

So how do we make sure that we stand out in the minds of potential employers? How do we make sure that, when the decisions are being made, we stand out from the volunteer musicians, the counselor who plays guitar, and the retired music teacher who has experience with special education?

The automatic answer is this: research, board certification, objectivity, data, etc. Music therapy is a unique field, so as a result, shouldn’t we automatically be remembered?

Unfortunately, that answer isn’t shiny and sparkly enough to stick in the minds of most busy moms, dads, and CEOs who are constantly bombarded with sales pitches. Making a razzle dazzle sales pitch is something I’ve figured out and I’m going to share my secrets with you!

Know What You Bring To The Table

Research who you are pitching your services to and tailor your presentation accordingly. When listing areas of functioning that music therapy has shown effective in, reading skills in young children does not belong on the list for your local nursing home. The more your tailor, the better you look. I even like to use names of the people attending in scenarios and examples. It makes it personal, it makes them smile, and it makes them remember you.

Be Authentic

No one likes a robot. If you are discussing a particular aspect of what you can offer a person or facility, and it happens to get you really excited, tell them! If you have an applicable anecdote to share that highlights aspects of your personality, share it. Odds are that your audience has heard someone pitch a service before. You want them to realize that they aren’t just purchase your music therapy services, but that they are purchasing your music therapy services as well as your spark, drive, and ingenuity.

Let your Passion Show

After my introduction, I start every talk I give with a disclaimer that goes something like this:

I want to let you know that I have a tendency to get really excited when I talk about music therapy. It might send me off on a tangent, so if this begins to happen, could someone please just wave to me to remind me to get back on track?

My audience knows right from the start that I am passionate about music therapy and that I whole-heartedly believe in it. To this day, I’ve never been waved at, but I think it’s because they are enjoying my tangents as much as I am. I’m far from a perfect speaker. I laugh nervously at mistakes, I bounce around the stage, and I often say “really”, “awesome” and “amazing” far too much. But it’s those obvious signs of excitement that have landed me contracts with companies I didn’t even know were in the audience. It’s what made a parent call me 6 months after my talk because they still can’t get me out of their head. It’s what makes people tell their friends about me.

What can you do to give your presentation some sparkle?

About the Author: Natalie Mullis is a board certified-music therapist and owner of Key Changes Music Therapy Services (founded in 2010). She provides music therapy services to children, adults, and elders with a wide range of abilities through the midlands of South Carolina. She is the president-elect for the Music Therapy Association of South Carolina, as well as a member of the SC legislative task force. Natalie can be found at www.keychangesmusictherapy.com

Using Social Media to Build Your Music Therapy Services

Kimberly — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:35:34 +0000

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I am very excited to share with you the wisdom of Tamara Suttle, mastermind behind the blog Private Practice from the Inside Out. Tamara is a licensed professional counselor out in Denver, CO who’s been practicing since 1991 and blogging since 2009. Needless to say…she’s got a lot of good information to share!

What I know about music therapists online is that there’s not nearly enough actively engaging with social media. And, the hunch I have is that, for some, this wild, wild world of social media feels a bit overwhelming…a tad too chaotic…and downright cold and impersonal. In other words, I wonder if some of you are just plain scared.

Since I’m a bit tech-phobic myself, I thought it might be useful to tell you what I have learned about some of the social media tools over the last two years.

Hanging Out Your Shingle

Having a website is a bit like hanging out your shingle. If your goal is to help your ideal clients find you online, then it’s not sufficient to have a directory listing with Psychology Today or a Facebook page declaring you are online. You need a really good website.

Kimberly and I are both fans of WordPress platforms. They are varied enough that your site doesn’t look exactly like the music therapist’s site who sat next to you in school. And they are flexible enough that they will grow with you as your practice grows.

Of course, having your own website is not enough to grow your music therapy practice. It’s just the hub from which effective online marketing takes place. I suspect many of you know this already…if you have a great website but no traffic to your website, your practice is still virtually dead (pun intended).

Not to worry, though! There are lots of ways to dip your toe into the social media waters. And any one of these tools is much simpler and wildly more productive in helping you build an online reputation than simply hanging out your shingle and waiting for the masses to find you.

The Old-Fashioned Way

Most of my geeky friends are too young to even acknowledge that online discussion lists and forums really were the first types of social media. I mention them for two reasons. One, I’m old enough to appreciate a nod to those who paved the way for modern day social media (and that’s exactly what they did). They introduced us to new rules for interacting online and they introduced us to a smaller world.

And, two, online discussion lists and forums continue to be an excellent way to demonstrate your expertise and resources to other. If you venture no further than this, consider joining the Music Therapy Listserv (you can find details on the American Music Therapy Association’s website) and at least one other list outside of your discipline (Here’s a list of online discussion lists for mental health professionals across disciplines.)

Once you master the basics of an online discussion list or two, you are ready for the power tools of social media…

Power Tools to Build Your Private Practice in Music Therapy

Blogs Rule for Engagement

Nothing helps you engage with the general public, referral sources, and even your own clients more than blogging. By posting relevant information, resources, and your own ideas, you build your professional reputation by establishing trust and credibility online. To build on that trust and credibility, you can comment on other people’s blogs and also choose to allow commenting on your blog – building a dialogue and transparency that furthers your own professional image. Nothing else online allows you to do this with such ease!

Once you master blogging and commenting on others’ blogs, you are ready for the speedway!

Twitter to Connect and Share Quickly

Twitter is one of those tools that I avoided like the plague…because I didn’t understand how useful it could be to me as a small business owner. It is fast! It is short (just 140 characters)! And, it is ridiculously unorganized!

After reading Twitter Power 2.0 by Joel Comm, I’ve finally figured it out! It’s not about telling the world what I had for breakfast. Who cares? It’s about connecting with others (both in and out of my profession) who can, in turn, connect me with others who can…connect me with others. Get it?

Twitter helps me feel not so isolated as a solo practitioner and…it helps me get the word out about projects and causes that are important to me and…it helps me find resources quickly that support my clients and me.

If you are needing to connect with other people and share information and resources quickly, Twitter ROCKS!

LinkedIn is Your Professional Network

I’ve only been on LinkedIn a few months and I’m still learning how to finesse it all. However, it is designed to be your professional network. I’m emphasizing this because I started out doing it all wrong by inviting (accidentally) everyone I know and their mother to connect with me on LinkedIn. By reading The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success by Wayne Freitbarth, I’ve since learned that in order to maximize the effectiveness of your LinkedIn network, you really do want to be selective in your invitations to connect. By doing so, you actually strengthen (and organize) your professional network.

LinkedIn has lots of discussion groups for you to join (so that you can build your online presence by participating in them); it also allows you to engage with like-minded professionals to expand your professional network.

Your Professional Page on Facebook

As a music therapist, your involvement with Facebook can be (but doesn’t have to be) a little dicey. (It’s why I’m not there yet.) Facebook’s policies on privacy settings continue to change and that has been an ongoing concern for many of us in the mental health professions.
Keely Kolmes, Psy.D. provides comprehensive suggestions for integrating Facebook into your marketing toolbox.

I can only add to it by encouraging you to take a proactive approach (as Kimberly has) in deciding ahead of time exactly what information is and isn’t appropriate for public viewing. I have heard Kimberly state on the Music Therapy Round Table podcast that she uses her professional Facebook wall (i.e. page) as a “resource page” posting links to a variety of information, resources, websites and blogs, including her own, that her professional Facebook “friends” may be interested in. Equally important, she saves the more personal and intimate details of her life to display on her personal Facebook wall (as opposed to her professional wall ) for only her close and selected friends and family to see.

And…About Getting Those Clients…?

So here’s the deal…in whatever ways you are venturing out online to help your clients find you…each one of these tools can help redirect potential clients and referral sources back to your great website…but only if you use them. I have found that I do best by learning to use these power tools one at a time.

Each time I add one, the traffic to my website increases exponentially. If you are like me…a bit tech-phobic and highly tech-challenged but motivated to dip your toe in the water…hold on to something…a colleague’s hand, one of the books I’ve recommended here, or Kimberly’s blog and email address…because as you learn to strategically use and integrate new elements of social media into marketing your music therapy services, you will grow your private practice, too!

About the Author: Tamara G. Suttle, M.Ed. has established three successful private practices during the last 20 years in both Texas and Colorado as a licensed professional counselor and a certified clinical hypnotherapist. She is also the owner of Private Practice from the Inside Out, where she provides coaching / consulting services to mental health professionals who are interested in building strong and vibrant private practices.

Guest Post: 3 Cs to “Selling” Music Therapy

Kimberly — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:18:22 +0000

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I am incredibly exciting to bring you this guest post! I presented with the author, music therapist Sarah Thompson, at our most recent regional music therapy conference on offline and online marketing strategies. As soon as she explained the 3 Cs outlined below, I knew you’d want to know about it. So I asked Sarah if she’d be willing to write it up as a blog article…and she graciously agreed.

3 Cs to “Selling” Music Therapy

by Sarah Thompson, MM, MT-BC, Neurologic Music Therapist, Fellow

In my 8 years of clinical practice, I have started many new contracts and programs, and encountered a wide variety of situations. While we aren’t always given insight as to why we win some contracts and not others, I have found a very useful tool to use in my marketing approach.

Author Michael McLaughlin provided some great tips in his book Winning the Professional Services Sale. One of things I have found helpful is his discussion of the 3 C’s.

1) Connect

This is the process of preparing and completing your in-person discussion with a potential contract. I think we often miss 2 key points in this step:

Do your homework. First, I think many music therapists are not as prepared as they should be for their meeting. Learn everything you possibly can about the company and the leaders in the company before the meeting so that you have an easier time connecting with them. This includes learning about every possible funding source they could use to pay for you.
What problem are you solving? Second, I think we often focus on selling ourselves and forget to uncover what problem the facility is really looking to you to solve. Is the staff overworked by unhappy patients? Are the nurses getting burned out because they can’t get patient’s pain under control? You may not be able to figure out what issues they are facing in the initial meeting, but you can anticipate and predict what many facilities who serve that population struggle with.

2) Collaborate

This is the core of your meeting. These are the stories that you tell during the meeting, and the time that you get to spend listening to them and what they need from you. As music therapists, we often have amazing success stories to tell.

This is also the time when you win them over with your proposal. A key point here is to really show that you are willing to listen and work with them. Don’t just get caught up in selling your credentials. Present your proposal as if they are initial ideas. You want to convey that you are willing to work with them in order to meet their needs.

3) Commit

You already know that you are committed to your profession as a music therapist. This is when you show your commitment to working with that population or community.

Let them know that even if they don’t hire you today, you are going to continue to do wonderful work with that population and in that community. Let them know that you are a resource for them and that you are always around. Ideally, this is where they commit to a contract with you, but if they don’t commit that day, this is where you leave the door open to a future contract. Show that you are committed to the same mission (serving that population/community).

Even if you don’t walk away with a contract, these tips will help you build a good professional reputation and a network of key professional contacts.

About the Author: Sarah is owner of Clinical Rhythms which provides products and consulting for music therapists. She is also owner and music therapist for Rehabilitative Rhythms Music Therapy, her private practice in the Denver metro area. Connect with Sarah on Twitter by following @ClinicalRhythms or by emailing her at Sarah@ClinicalRhythms.com.

Remembering Dr. E. Thayor Gaston (Part 3)

Kimberly — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:00:12 +0000

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For the past two weeks, we’ve delved into the “father of music therapy,” Dr. E. Thayor Gaston. Guest writer Anita Louise Steele, music therapy professor at Ohio University, shares her memories of Dr. Gaston the teacher, Dr. Gaston the mentor, and Dr. Gaston the man.

This article concludes the three-part series:

Remembrances of Dr. E. Thayer Gaston

I also remember that there was a gentle and social side to Dr. Gaston. I recall he had the graduate students several times at his home. If I remember correctly, not only did he have a family but he also grew roses (like my own father). Somehow at the time, I found it hard to realize that he was in his ‘away from school life’ not unlike other less vilified people I had known.

Dr. Gaston took a strong and enduring interest in his students. Though I did not know it at the time, he made several trips to Cleveland, Ohio to deliver lectures on the subject of music therapy. The impact of these lectures contributed greatly toward creating in this arts-friendly city an open door through which music therapy would enter. Soon after his lectures, The Cleveland Music School Settlement (CMSS) put into motion a plan to raise the money necessary to begin the first community based music therapy service program in the country. When asked who could take the position at CMSS and develop such a program, Dr. Gaston suggested me. I had already made plans to interview at a community school of the arts in New Haven, Connecticut however when Dr. Gaston pointed me in the direction of Cleveland, I went. Dr. Gaston somehow knew that this was an organization in which I could be nurtured and could mature as I developed the community based service to private families and to agencies in greater Cleveland area.

My relationship with Dr. Gaston was far too short. During my beginning years in Cleveland, I wrote to him from time to time to tell him of how things were going. There was one letter; however which he did not receive. This was the letter that was returned to me with the word “Deceased” written in large red letters across the name and address. It was a shock to receive the news of his sudden death in this manner and to realize that this awesome individual was gone. I soon realized however that he had given me the underpinnings to be successful in the career I had chosen. I frequently think of the values he instilled in me and others which have far surpassed his lifespan and have influenced the field of music therapy as it is today. I will close this little journey into the past with several favorite Dr. Gaston quotes from Music in Therapy:

“Music is not mystical but it is mysterious.”

These quotes have meant more and more to me the longer I am in the field. I hope Dr. Gaston is listening…

I want to again thank Professor Steele for sharing her memories of Dr. Gaston. They are priceless.

If you enjoyed this series, let me know by leaving a comment below. And if you have an idea for writing your own guest post, email me directly.

Remembering the “Father of Music Therapy” (Part 2)

Kimberly — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:00:04 +0000

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Last week, we started a three-part series written by guest author, and Ohio University teacher, Professor Anita Louise Steele. Professor Steele studied with the “father of music therapy”, Dr. E. Thayor Gaston. Here, in her own words, are her memories of the man and the teacher:

Remembrances of Dr. E. Thayer Gaston

I recall that the first time I met Dr. Gaston was at the orientation for the new graduate students entering the NIH program. For sometime after that initial meeting, I tried to avoid speaking directly to Dr. Gaston out of fear created by his ‘larger than life’ image! Dr. Bill Sears was also part of the KU faculty at that time. Instructors connected with the special project were George Duerksen and Warren George, graduate assistants, and Vance Cotter, field supervisor on the project. These instructors were earning their doctorates under Dr. Gaston and assisted the masters’ students in many, many ways. We often said that we would not have made it through the degree program without them. One example of how important these individuals became to us was our experience with statistics class, a required class. The problem arose when the class, taught by the head of the statistics area, seemed to be impossible for the music therapy students to pass! Dr. Gaston stepped in and created for us a special statistics class co-taught by the graduate assistants. We not only learned the material but we actually grew to like statistics! I hardly think we would have been so lucky if we found ourselves in the same predicament today.

In 1964 we had no music therapy text books. There were a number of books about the effect of music in healing and its use in medicine; however these were not text books and none written by someone who practiced music therapy as a career. It was left to Dr. Gaston to solidify the field of music therapy as autonomous and separate from music education. We students had the privilege of reading a late draft of “Music in Therapy” edited by Dr. Gaston with contributing editors from among the most forward thinking in our field at the time. Our tests in the NIH program consisted primarily of books written by philosophers, learning theorists and musicologists. Dr. Gaston’s approach to higher education was to teach students to think logically and systematically and to apply that thinking process to both clinical work and research. We were required to read and discuss in class one book a week from a required reading list. Such readings greatly expanded by thinking along with a required class in philosophy and debate.

In thinking about Dr. Gaston’s unusual ability to get to the heart of a matter, I am reminded of something which happened while I was on a rotation at the developmental center for advanced clinical work and research. There was a communication problem between my field supervisor, a doctoral candidate, and the director of music therapy at the center where we did our placement. I was caught in the middle of the controversy which brought Dr. Gaston to the clinical site to resolve the issue. When he met with me he looked at me with those piercing eyes and asked, “Louise, what do you think the problem is here?” (In essence he was using the issue at hand as a ‘teaching moment.”) I responded in a non-committal manner, presenting both the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of the issue. I tried very hard not to break down but the strain got the better of me when he said to me, “Now, Louise, tell me what you really think.” I then gave my analysis, with which he agreed, but left with the one and only migraine headache of my life! I took from that episode an important lesson. That lesson was that even though one must objectively assess two sides of an argument, one must still arrive at a workable solution. That solution requires a commitment to one perhaps less than perfect viewpoint but one which allow you to move forward for the greater good. That lesson has served me well in my professional life.

Next week: Remember the personal and social side of Dr. Gaston.

Remembering the “Father of Music Therapy” (Part 1)

Kimberly — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:54:06 +0000

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Last month, I heard fellow music therapist Janice Harris interview Professor Anita Louise Steele on her podcast, The Music Therapy Show with Janice Harris (to listen to the interview, which I recommend cause it was a good one, click here).

They touched on a number of topics, but what struck me the most was when Louise talked about the importance of understanding our history. A knowledge of where we’ve been as a profession can only serve to guide us towards our future.

I couldn’t agree more.

You can’t talk about the history of music therapy in the US without mentioning Dr. E. Thayer Gaston from the University of Kansas. Dr. Gaston was a pioneer in our field, the Thomas Jefferson of music therapy. He was instrumental in helping form our first professional organization in 1950 (the National Association for Music Therapy, or NAMT), started the first graduate program in music therapy at KU, and wrote the first music therapy text, “Music in Therapy,” in 1968.

I’ve read about Dr. Gaston in books and heard of him in lectures. But Professor Steele studied under him and got to meet the man himself.

In this three-part series (parts two and three will be published over the next two Tuesdays), Professor Steele brings Dr. Gaston to life and tells us more about the man.

Enjoy.

Remembrances of Dr. E. Thayer Gaston (Part 1)

by Professor Anita Louise Steele

I certainly did not know Dr. Gaston as intimately as a number of other students who preceded me at the University of Kansas however I am happy to share what I do recall as well as the impact he made on my professional life. It was in Lucerne, Switzerland that I received a telegram from my parents indicating I had been accepted into the music therapy graduate program at the University of Kansas. Dr. E. Thayer Gaston, “the father of music therapy’, had obtained funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to provide student stipends and faculty salaries to prepare twenty-five registered music therapist (the original credential earned) for the master’s degree. The graduate program was rather unique at the time. The plan alternated semesters between classes work on campus and supervised clinical work and research at a training and research center for individuals with developmental disabilities located two hours south of Lawrence.

Looking back now, I recognize Dr. Gaston as a true visionary. He realized that although the clinical effects of music therapy might be obvious to many, a research base was critical to the advancement and acceptance of the field. Thus it was that I found myself in late August of 1964 in Lawrence, Kansas. I was excited about this new challenge but more than somewhat overwhelmed by the prospect of studying under the Dr. Gaston.

My prior information about Dr. Gaston came from Dr. Donald E. Michel my instructor at Florida State University and himself a former student of Dr. Gaston. Dr. Gaston was a trumpet player who was first headed toward a medical degree but along the way his love of music and curiosity in the connection between man and music lead him toward a career in music. These interests ultimately resulted in his decision to work toward getting the field of music therapy into gear. Actually, I was among those making up the third generation of students, and among the last students, whom Dr. Gaston taught. A man of small stature, Dr. Gaston had a rather stern demeanor and piercing eyes that could see right through to the heart of a matter and ‘size up students’ very quickly. He sported a mustache and always wore a suite and bowtie. Dr. Gaston’s presence in the classroom was always very scholarly and he demanded the same of his students. I do not recall his smile, though I know he did smile, but I do recall so much of what he taught me and the support he gave me in the three years I knew him.

Next week: Louise meets Dr. Gaston and remembers a “teaching moment” (plus the migraine that accompanied it)

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Guest Post: How Do You Advertise Your Music Therapy Services?

Kimberly — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:00:50 +0000

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I am very excited to introduce you to today’s guest blogger. Rachel Rambach is a music therapist I met online, both through her wonderful blog, Listen and Learn Music, and on Twitter. I have yet to meet Rachel in person (I hope to soon!), but can tell from her writings and our online interactions that she is a warm, giving, and musically-gifted therapist (check out some of the songs on her blog!).

Rachel recently wrote this very informative post. In it she shares advertising ideas and suggestions for the private practice music therapist. (A while back I wrote a marketing post – related, but different. You can read it here.) She has graciously offered to share her post here on the Music Therapy Maven. So, without further ado, here in Rachel’s words are “How Do You Advertise Your Music Therapy Services?”:

This is a question that I get asked almost as often as “what is music therapy?”, only from a different crowd. Fellow music therapists are constantly seeking my advice on this subject, and I always feel that I let them down with my answer. The truth is, I don’t do much advertising. That is, I don’t mail fliers, take out ads in the newspaper, or ask local businesses for referrals. There are other ways of making your services known in the community, and these are just a few that have worked for me:

1. Create a Website
In the year 2009, this is sort of a given for business owners, no matter what your field. I use the free program Google Blogger, which means the total cost of my site is $10 for my domain name (www.musictherapyconnections.org). Not a bad deal. Include your background, an overview of music therapy and the services you provide, and contact information, and anything beyond that is up to you. I keep mine simple, but there are amazing music therapy sites out there that I definitely admire.

2. Print Business Cards and Brochures
This is another “duh” item on the list, but these materials have generated a good percentage of my business. I carry my cards with me at all times, and give them out frequently to people even if they themselves can’t use my services. You never know who they might pass your card along to. I constantly hear from people who say “Oh, I got your name and number from So-and-So” and half the time, I’ve never even heard of So-and-So. Word of mouth is an amazing thing, and print materials help it along.

Here is my brochure and business card, both of which I created myself using the magic of Microsoft and Avery templates. All it cost was the price of the paper on which they are printed. I recommend using a heavy cardstock for both. Be sure to include your website and the basic info you include on your website in your brochure.
I keep a stack of business cards and brochures on a little table right outside of my studio. I always encourage parents to take as many as they want so that they have them on hand to give to other parents.

3. Participate in Relevant Conferences and Workshops
School districts and human service organizations are always hosting conferences and workshops here in Springfield, and many of these events invite service providers to set up booths and tables. I always jump at the chance to participate, because not only is it a good way to meet potential clients, it’s also an opportunity to network with other service providers. Even if they are in different fields, they can still help spread the word about you since you most likely work with the same types of populations.

4. Join Social Networks
There is nothing as hot right now as social networking sites. Twitter and Facebook seem to have taken over the world, which can only work to your advantage if you use them correctly. Use such outlets as your opportunity to connect with potential clients and colleagues on a more personal level. Tweets and status updates can include interesting factoids about your work or your business, and they can spark conversation among “followers”. After writing a new blog post, I always post a link on both my Twitter and Facebook pages.

5. Offer Free Workshops and Presentations
This has been one of my greatest sources of new clients, hands down. I attended several meetings of our local Down Syndrome Society a couple years ago, and I brought with me some of the materials I use in my music therapy sessions. I presented a sample group session in which the children participated, using some of my favorite activities and songs. A week later I had 10 new clients, most of which I still see today. It is so simple to put together a presentation about your work, and if I – someone who is deathly afraid of speaking in front of crowds – can do it, then so can anyone else.

Most of these tips are completely obvious ones, but sometimes we overlook the obvious answers and take more difficult, unnecessary routes to get where we want to go. I have only been practicing music therapy for a little over two years, but in that time I have created a part-time business that allows me to do what I love in addition to my full-time music therapy position. There’s no secret to the strategies I’ve used, and I hope you can use them, as well.