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Top 10 Times You’re an Advocate and You Don’t Even Know It

Kimberly — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:32:34 +0000

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This month, everyone in the online music therapy community has been talking about advocacy.

Advocacy, Advocacy, ADVOCACY!

What is advocacy? Simply put, advocacy involves passion for an idea and commitment to a cause. Advocacy is a language–it’s using your words and your stories to get someone else interested in what you have to say. And a large part of advocacy is perseverance–it’s building a relationship of trust that occurs over time and with multiple moments of connection.

Anyone and everyone can be an advocate. You may be reading this, thinking, “Ha! Not me…I’m not an advocate!” Well, I’ve got news for you…you ARE an advocate. You may just not know it yet.

In that spirit, here are 10 ways you are already an advocate…and you don’t even know it:

You talk to your supervisor about increasing your equipment budget so that you can purchase those Orff instruments and djembes.
You read an interesting article that highlights someone else’s music therapy work and you share it with your clients, family, and friends through email, Facebook, and Twitter.
You give an in-service at your place of work in an attempt to help them understand what makes an appropriate referral for music therapy services.
You willingly answer the question “what is music therapy?”
You facilitate an educational workshop at your local community center, Rotary club, or Chamber of Commerce.
You answer the questions of a parent or potential client.
You respond as patiently as possible when someone sees you in the elevator, guitar strapped to your back, and says “Yay! The music lady is here!”
You purchase copies of The Music Never Stopped or Sing You Home for family members as gifts.
You give a presentation at a non-music therapy conference.
You introduce yourself by saying “Hi! My name is _____ and I’m a music therapist!”

I invite you to read what other music therapy bloggers and podcasters have to say about music therapy advocacy. Click this link to catch up on the latest.

P.S. Guess what? There’s another one to add to the list! Here is #11, courtesy of Dr. Dena Register:

Every year when you write that check to renew your AMTA dues. If you haven’t done it yet for this year…go to it Those are dues that keep you in the know, keep people employed to advocate for you in Washington and around the other states in our nation and keep the music therapy “machine” going.

The Music Therapist’s Guide to State Recognition

Kimberly — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:56:49 +0000

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I am writing today’s post with my “CBMT Regulatory Affairs” hat on.

This month’s Social Media Advocacy project is an off-shoot of a larger, national initiative to get state recognition of the music therapy profession and our MT-BC credential.

State recognition can be a tricky concept to wrap our heads around. “Do you mean licensure?” “Why isn’t our MT-BC enough?” My hope and intention with this post is that it will answer some of your questions and address some of your concerns.

What is state recognition?

As the name implies, state recognition refers to the policies and processes by which state governments and agencies recognize a particular profession. It is genuinely state-specific as each state recognizes and/or regulates professions differently.

What’s the point of state recognition?

As with everything we do, this is for our clients. We want our clients to be able to 1) access our services easily from 2) a qualified individual. Put in another way, it’s about recognizing quality services and allowing state citizens to know they are available and to be able to receive them.

How does state recognition work?

There are several ways state recognition can occur:

Regulatory Changes. Regulations refer to the rules that run a state and that are written to implement state laws. For example, a particular state agency (e.g. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, etc.) have written into their regulatory code what professions (e.g. PTs, OTs, etc.) are eligible to provide services to citizens that department covers. In some states, this is very specific and in other states it is not. Some states include music therapy in their regulations and some do not. In some states, getting added to the regulations may be enough for state recognition and in other states, you need another form of recognition before you can be added.

The next 3 options require legislation be passed to create this type of recognition.

Registries. A registry is basically a list that says “the people included here have met X, Y, and Z, requirements and are allowed to perform ___ services in the state.” There are no boards and not much quality-control oversight, but a registry often provides title protection and does offer state recognition.
Certifications. A state certification is a step up from a registry and a step down from a license in terms of quality control oversight. Some states still maintain state certifications, though is seems that most do not.
Licenses. This is the “gold standard” of state recognition. A state license generally includes a board that oversees (e.g. regulates) the profession and there many be state-specific training requirements before one can apply for a license (e.g. a mandatory reporting workshop). A state license offers the most in terms of title protection and public protection. It is not uncommon for a license to be the only way a state recognizes a particular profession.

Who is working on this?

From the beginning (i.e. since 2005), the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) have worked jointly and collaboratively on this initiative. About seven years ago, representatives from each association got together and crafted the State Recognition Operational Plan.

Now, Judy Simpson (Director of Government Relations for AMTA), Dr. Dena Register (Regulatory Affairs Adviser for CBMT), and I (Regulatory Affairs Associate for CBMT) work together to facilitate the implementation of this Plan. We work with task forces from each state to implement the Plan and determine what is the best way for music therapy to be recognized in that state.

Why isn’t our national MT-BC enough?

Although there are many factors that contribute towards why we are focusing on state recognition, one of the primary reasons is due to a shift in government. Over the past 10-15 years, state governments, as opposed to the federal government, have taken more control over the oversight and regulation of professional occupations. The Plan is our attempt to take a proactive approach to get states to recognize our national MT-BC credential.

Will it cost me money?

This depends on the state in which you live, but any registry, state certification, or license will cost some money to cover administrative fees. We do not know how much because, again, that is determined at the state level and each state operates and functions differently. Just know that those working on this Plan are working for you and in your best interests.

Do I get a say in this?

Of course! All the task forces work hard to communicate regularly with the music therapists in their state. Most of this correspondence happens through email, so be sure to read what your task force sends! Nothing moves forward without the consent of the membership.

If you want to be more involved, I invite you to visit the CBMT State Task Force map, click on your state, and contact your task force to see how you can be involved.

Conclusion

In conclusion, here’s more information about the State Recognition Operational Plan:

Since 2005, the American Music Therapy Association and the Certification Board for Music Therapists have collaborated on a State Recognition Operational Plan. The primary purpose of this Plan is to get music therapy and our MT-BC credential recognized by individual states so that citizens can more easily access our services. The AMTA Government Relations staff and CBMT Regulatory Affairs staff provide guidance and technical support to state task forces throughout the country as they work towards state recognition. To date, their work has resulted in 35 active state task forces, 2 licensure bills passed in 2011, and an estimated 10 bills being filed in 2012 that seek to create either a music therapy registry or license for music therapy. This month, our focus is on YOU and on getting you excited about advocacy.

P.S. If you haven’t been reading these already, there are music therapists writing some FABULOUS articles about advocacy. I am blown away by their knowledge and by the diversity in posts. I’ve been keeping this page updated with new advocacy articles and invite you to do some reading yourself.

It’s Social Media Advocacy Month!

Kimberly — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:07:01 +0000

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The 2nd annual Social Media Advocacy month has officially launched!

If you read other music therapy blogs or listen to music therapy podcasts, you’ll notice a lot of us will be talking about advocacy. That is because over two dozen music therapy bloggers and podcasters are participating in a project in which we use social media to talk about and get people excited about advocacy.

You can read more about the project here and I highly encourage you to support all the participants by reading and sharing their posts.

For my part, I will be talking about advocacy and about this project every week this month. If you’re excited about this project–as I know I am!–and want to get into the action as it happens, be sure to follow the #mtadvocacy hashtag on Twitter.

In the meantime, I will leave you with a video I recorded and posted last year all about music therapy advocacy. Happy watching!

P.S. Did you know we have a “What’s Your Advocacy Personality?” quiz? It’s a fun, Cosmo-style quiz that will help you determine your most natural, comfortable advocacy style. Jump over here to check it out…and be sure to let us know your advocacy style in the comments section!

(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.

All You Need to Know About the Designations Behind a Music Therapist’s Name

Kimberly — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:04:22 +0000

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I got an email this week from fellow music therapist Dean Quick, who blogs at The Music From Within. Dean wrote:

I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of a list containing all the different professional designations a MT-BC may hold. I am curious of what is out there that I may not be aware of.

I didn’t know of such a list, so did some digging…and found absolutely nothing.

I could not find a single comprehensive list of all the various music therapy-specific designations and acronyms available. So what do I do? I decide to create my own.

The following list is divided into 3 broad categories: 1) national professional credentials, 2) state-level legislative designations, and 3) specialty training certifications. So let’s see what we have…

National Professional Credentials

These are what’s issued to a music therapist who has met certain educational and clinical training requirements and, according to today’s standards, has passed a national board certification exam. Currently, the only national certification offered is the Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) credential, which is awarded through the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT).

However, there are three other national credentials you may see out there. These certifications were awarded by our two former national organizations, the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) and the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT). When these two organizations merged in 1998 to form the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), they decided to only use the MT-BC credential.

That said, you still may see a music therapist who is a Registered Music Therapist (RMT), issued by the former NAMT, a Certified Music Therapist (CMT), issued by the former AAMT, or an Advanced Certified Music Therapist (ACMT),also issued by the former AAMT. According to the 1998 merger agreement, these certifications will be valid until 2020.

State-Level Legislative Designations

These designations are issued and regulated by state governments and are generally either a license or a registry. There are currently 2 states that offer a Licensed Board-Certified Music Therapy (MT-BC/L) license, Nevada and North Dakota, and 1 state, Wisconsin, that offers a registry, the Wisconsin Music Therapist-Registered (WMTR).

There are certain states and situations in which a music therapist is eligible to apply for a non-music therapy state license and these are typically for music therapists who work in the mental health field. One example is the Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) designation in New York. You may also see MTs who, in certain states and with some extra training, are eligible to apply to be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). It’s important to remember, though, that these are not music therapy-specific designations.

Specialty Training Designations

There are certain trainings professional music therapists can take that will provide the MT with a designation that indicates they have taken the training. These are not “recognized” in the same way that board-certification and state licenses and registries are. But they are a nice indication of the specialization and interests of the music therapist.

Here are the specialty training designations I’m aware of, along with links to where you can do to find more information:

Analytical Music Therapist (AMT): I had difficulty finding where this was offered, but it seems through the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function
MTs who are trained in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) may apply to become Fellows of the Association for Music and Imagery (FAMI)
The Center for Music Therapy in End of Life Care issues the Hospice and Palliative Care Music Therapy (HPMT) certificate
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit-Music Therapist (NICU-MT) certificate is awarded to those who have completed FSU’s National Institute for Infant & Child Medical Music Therapy training.
The Neurologic Music Therapist (NMT) designation is issued to those who have completed the Training Institute offered by CSU’s Center for Biomedical Research in Music.
NYU’s Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy provides the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapist (NRMT) designation to those who have completed their training.

One final note: To avoid confusion between all these different designations, the AMTA last year outlined a policy whereby they suggest music therapists only list acronyms for their degrees, state-level legislative designations, and national credentials. Specialty training designations such as the ones listed just above are to be spelled out. You can read more about that policy by clicking the first link on this page.

So…did I miss anything? If so, please let me know by leaving a comment in the field box below.

Secrets to being a Successful Music Therapy Student

Kimberly — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:42:17 +0000

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I got a great question recently from Maven reader and music therapy student Caitlyn W. (@caitlynmarie123), who wrote:

I would love if you would write posts directed toward music therapy students. I know that as a college student, I love to hear other people’s stories of their college experience, how they balanced all the classes, internship tips and stories…Basic starting out facts BEFORE starting your own business.

Caitlyn’s question hit close to home because I, too, am about to become a student again! And even though this blog is more geared for the professional music therapist, perhaps it’s time for a little change of pace…

So, with that in mind–and thanks to the wisdom of many other music therapists–here are some top-notch secrets to help you great a successful student experience for yourself:

Save Your Class Notes

I forgot about this until music therapist Amy K. (@AmyMTBC) reminded me. She wrote: Save all your music therapy books, class notes, music, practicum folders–you never know where you’ll end up!

Amy’s right! Believe it or not, I still refer to my old class notes from graduate AND undergraduate school. So put a plan in place to process and file your class notes after each semester. You never know when they’ll come in handy.

Learn from All Your Classes

Most of you are probably going to receive a liberal arts-type of education that includes english, history, science, and math training. Don’t underestimate how useful and important those classes are, even if they’re not part of your core music therapy training. Apply yourself in all these classes.

Why? Because you never know when the knowledge will come in handy. I remember a story one of my mentors shared where she was able to understand and “crack” a client’s behavior based on information she remembered from a history class. Turns out she was right–and her esteem grew in the eyes of the doctors and other treatment teams members who were struggling for months with this problem.

Start Networking…Now

You can–and should–start networking as a student. How do you do this? The primary way is to get involved. Join and be active in your school’s music therapy association. Attend workshops and conferences. Even you you can’t make the national conference, attend a local, state, or regional event. There are many friends and colleagues I collaborate with today that I first connected with as a student. It’s never too early to start!

Learn from the Best

If at all possible, make sure you take a class with a really good teacher…even if the class is not within the scope of your training. Most college programs provide opportunities for you to take electives. Don’t fill them in with an “easy” class. Fill them in with a class taught by the best, most inspiring, most thought-provoking teacher on campus.

Be Diverse

This tip came from music therapist JoAnn J. (@JordanEM)…and many, many music therapists agreed with it! She wrote: Accept practicums with as many different populations as you can. It will help you find your niche.

She’s right! AMTA has designed your clinical training in a way that allows you to work with different ages, different sites, and different clinical populations. Even if you go in to music therapy “knowing” what population you want to specialize in, this is your time to branch out and try something new, different…and possibly scary. And who knows? Perhaps that will turn into your favorite one.

Stay with the Music

Rachelle N. (@RachelleNorman) wrote: Get as many varied music experiences in college as you can, then keep making music for yourself once you graduate.

Remember that you are a musician first. And, believe it or not, it can get harder and harder to stay involved and invested as a musician after you leave school. So don’t ignore the musical side of who you are…and plan to nurture that after you leave, too.

Enjoy the Journey

Being a student provides you with a unique opportunity to learn and grow as a professional and a person that likely won’t ever happen again. So, as best as you can, enjoy all parts of being a student. The learning, the social aspect, the opportunities…everything. Or, put another way my music therapist Michelle Erfurt (@michelleerfurt): Enjoy it while it lasts!

Final Thoughts

Sharon G.: Adapt, adapt, adapt!

Healing Sounds Music Therapy: learn to trust your intuition. And keep all your stuff.

Marie C.: Keep on going with music and don’t change course…….stay focused on music therapy and all its applications that will be expanding in the future!

Erin B: Jump in as early and as soon as possible. Be as fearless as possible.

—————————————————————————-

If you’d like to learn more, there are some great blogs outs there geared for (and often by) music therapy students and interns:

Diary of a Wimpy Music Therapy Student

Music Therapy Backpack

Music Therapy in Thailand

Do Music Therapists “Own” Music?

Kimberly — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:16:02 +0000

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I received an awesome comment from Maven reader Brid this week. He wrote:

Hi Kimberly, I’m perusing your site with particular interest at the moment. I’m actually a ‘nearly’ graduated occupational therapy student (just three weeks from the finish line!) and I’m also a keen musician – I have a MA in performance and a lifetime of playing, composing, performing and teaching.

I’d be interested in your thoughts on other disciplines using music as part of their therapy – is this something you support (given the therapeutic value of music) or do you feel other disciplines would muck it up without specialized training?

I’m currently running a music group with clients with enduring mental illness – I’m running it with a social/skills building/therapeutic slant, letting the participants experience a number of different aspects of music (thus far active listening, relaxation, singing, waltzing, hand jiving, exercising and talking about music). I suppose my goal is for the participants to experience music, to realize that music is for everyone, to develop skills like attention, memory and coordination and perhaps to encourage them to consciously include music in their everyday lives. I’m almost a qualified occupational therapist and believe that the sessions are benefiting clients – the hand jiving session was wonderful fun – totally infectious!!

So I wonder how you (and others) as music therapists feel about OTs or SLTs or psychologists or nurses or doctors running music groups or using music as therapy?

Although I answered Brid in the comment section of that article, it’s a question worth an entire blog post. Brid is not the first person to ask whether music therapists are “okay” with other professionals using music in their work.

The short answer is: of course!!! Music therapists in no way “own” music. We understand the power of music and think it’s wonderful when other professionals incorporate it in to their work.

But does that mean those professionals are “doing music therapy.” Well…no.

When I run a music and exercise group, am I “doing OT” or “doing PT” because I’m using many of the same exercises they use? No.

When I incorporate oral motor and respiratory exercises to strengthen the speech of an individual with Parkinson’s, does that mean I’m “doing speech therapy?” No.

And when I use active listening techniques when facilitating a group therapy session, does that mean I’m “doing counseling?” Absolutely not.

So…then what’s the difference?

The difference is that each professional listed above is trained to follow and adhere to a Scope of Practice and a Code of Ethics for their field. We have a deep understanding of the theory behind our practice, of what works and why it works, and how to best incorporate it in various situations.

In the case of music therapists, we have a solid foundation in music playing, music theory, composition, improvisation, and music psychology. In addition, we are trained in psychology and the sciences and learn how our brains and bodies respond to music and rhythm.

A music therapist not only understands the art of music as therapy…but also the science of it. And we can do amazing things with that knowledge.

I welcome anyone who–as long as they are working within their own training and scope of practice–uses music in their health, healing, and educational work. I say this with an understanding and a guarantee that how they use music won’t match what a board-certified music therapist can do.

Music Therapy Is…Music Re-Learning?

Kimberly — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:56:55 +0000

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My husband is a band director and music educator. He first heard about music therapy over 10 years ago–before we met–after getting his first college teaching job.

Given his first-hand experience of the power of music, he was very interested in learning about music therapy…and, more specifically, in the difference between music therapy and music education.

So he talked to this colleagues. And, over the years, one of them gave an interesting, simplified explanation of the difference between music education and music therapy:

Music education is “music learning.” Music therapy is “music re-learning.”

I’ve thought about this statement a lot. Do I agree with it…or not?

To an extent, it makes sense. Say you work in a rehab setting. You’re working with someone who has Parkinson’s and you’re using rhythm to help them “re-learn” how to walk. To re-teach their motor system to work more efficiently.

Or maybe you work in mental health. You’re working with an adult client, using music to help them understand their current thoughts and behaviors so they can “re-learn” new ones.

But what if you work with children? You can’t really say they’re “re-learning” something, because they haven’t learned it in the first place, right?

Chances are, though, that if you work with children, you’re helping them learn skills…in an adaptive way. With that in mind, perhaps this is a better distinction between the two:

Music education is “music learning.” Music therapy is “music re-learning and adaptive learning.”

I know this is an over-simplification. There are lots of nuances and complexities in our field that can’t be summed up in one statement. But as a profession, we also are looking for ways to define ourselves in terms the “layperson” can understand. So trying to create a concise statement like this can be helpful.

With that in mind, what are YOUR thoughts on this statement? Keeping in mind that this is a statement describing the difference between music therapy and music ed…what do you think fits? What do you disagree with? Please leave a comment in the boxes below to share your thoughts!

4 Reasons Why This Song Is NOT Good For Walking

Kimberly — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:45:56 +0000

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There’s been a lot of exposure and interest in music therapy this spring…and one big reason is because of Representative Gabby Gifford’s therapy treatment. My music therapy friends and I have excitedly been sharing both articles we’ve written and those that have appeared on CNN, ABC, and the local Houston TV station.

Although the circumstances are tragic, this type of national exposure and interest is great. We, as a profession, have a unique opportunity to educate the public about what we do best.

But I have a confession. There’s a song that keeps appearing in the stories…and it’s driving me nuts!

This song has been used as an example of how music is used to help someone re-learn how to walk (otherwise known as gait rehabilitation). This particular song is great, but…

Okay, I’ll just say it:

“When the Saints Go Marching In” is NOT a good song to use in gait rehabilitation!

Yes, it has “marching” in the title. And, yes, it’s a great song for music therapists to have in their repertoire. But when you’re looking at songs to help someone with a neurological insult re-learn how to walk? It’s not the best choice. Here’s why:

The strong beats are on 2 and 4. To me, this is the biggest reason why this song isn’t the best choice. In general, songs with the strong beats on 1 and 3 are better choices for helping a person’s brain organize it’s motor system. This song begs for you to clap on 2 and 4. (And for a funny reminder of the difference between the strong beats on 1 & 3 versus those on 2 & 4, check out this video of Rev. Wright demonstrating the difference.)
The melody has lots of long, sustained notes. Think about it…”Oh when the SAINTS go marching IN, oh when the SAINTS GO MAR-CHING IIIIINNNN….” All those words in CAPS are long notes that don’t provide lots of musical information. Of course you can provide that extra information through your accompaniment…but why not have the melody help?
The melody starts with a pick-up. All aspects of the music should help facilitate the motor movement. And having a moving melodic line that doesn’t start on a strong beat? Probably not the best facilitator. (Note that this isn’t a deal breaker–as you’ll see below–but the combination of these reasons in “When the Saints” is what makes it a not-so-good choice.)
It loses it’s musical integrity if played too slowly. There are some songs that still “work” when played too slowly…but “When the Saints” isn’t one of them. As a therapist, chances are that when working with a client on gait rehab, they will be walking slowly. Very slowly. So you need a song that still works when played slowly. And that’s not this song. (To be fair, you can make this song work for some clients if their gait is fast enough and you can play this song at a more “normal” tempo.)

This all boils down to understanding that, as music therapists, we need to pick songs–and play them–with musical qualities and characteristics that work best for our clients. Melody, timbre, harmony, dynamics, rhythm…all are important qualities that have the potential to enhance the therapeutic benefit.

Now that I’ve mentioned all the reasons why “When the Saints” isn’t a great choice for gait rehab…here are other songs that work better:

“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”
“You Are My Sunshine”
“This Land Is Your Land”
“Battle Hymn of the Republic”
“Oh Susanna”
“Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”
“This Little Light of Mine”

This post is dedicated to my good friend Sarah Johnson, music therapist-extraordinaire at Poudre Valley Hospital (Fort Collins CO). Sarah is the guru of music therapy and rehabilitation and she taught me the importance of using music in a functional way.

#MWAMTA11 Handouts and Updates

Kimberly — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:12:43 +0000

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It’s been quite a weekend! I’m fresh off the Midwestern Regional Music Therapy Conference that took place in Kansas City. It was great to see my friends, learn from students and professionals in the field, and have an overall great time.

I’m excited to share with you the handouts and slideshows from two of my presentations this past weekend. This first is a set of handouts from 5-hour training co-facilitated by myself and Denver-based music therapist Sarah Thompson, of Clinical Rhythms. During the training, we shared information about online and offline marketing strategies. Click the link below to download the handouts:
Click here to download a handout (pdf) from this presentation

I was honored to be invited to give the Keynote presentation for the student’s Passages conference last weekend. Congratulations to the organizers of the event for having over 60 students attend! It was also a fabulous opportunity for the to try out Prezi. Click here to watch the presentation: http://prezi.com/eiugphddybvr/passages-keynote/

I was also incredibly honored to receive the 2011 Regional Service Award. Thank you so much!

I’ll be sharing some of what I learned on this blog over the next couple weeks, so stay tuned