If you can’t tell by my multiple postings, Facebook updates, and tweets…I love conference time! The learning, the energy, and the connecting makes me feel refreshed, recharged, and ready to go.
Some of my favorite highlights from last weekend’s conference (including links to hopefully useful information for you) include:
Hill Day. A group of us participated in an extended advocacy training with Dena Register. If you ever get to do this training (offered for free at the national conference), it’s fabulous. The highlight was a field-trip to the Colorado Capitol in Denver, where we met with and gave information to our state senators and representatives. It’s another step on our journey towards state recognition of our clinical training and MT-BC credential!- Passages Conference. The Midwestern region students organized and hosted their first “Passages” conference. And it was a huge success! Almost half of the conference attendees were music therapy students. Congratulations music therapy students!
- Poudre Valley Hospital Rehab Team Presentation. Many of you know that I work as a relief music therapist for Sarah Johnson at Poudre Valley Hospital. This means I have the distinct pleasure to work closely with PTs, OTs, and SLPs. So I have a pretty good idea of what they do. A group of them gave a presentation where they explained their profession to us. And it was so cool! First of all, I had never heard an OTs, PTs, or SLPs describe their work. Secondly, it was validating to hear them share struggles they have that are so similar to ours–like an OT always having to answer the question “What is OT?”
- Clinical Rhythms. One of the winning Music Therapy Maven sponsors had her official launch at conference last weekend! I got to check out her materials first-hand, and they’re pretty cool: a “Reimbursement Tips” book, software for keeping track of gait parameters during RAS training, and information about a new clinical consultation program for Neurologic Music Therapists. I highly recommend you check it out:
- Positive Innerchange. If you struggle with stage fright (either as a musical performer or a presenter), Sally Bonkrude offers some creative, warm, and accessible strategies for reaching your full potential. Click here to learn more information.
- Listen and Learn Music. What a pleasant surprise it was to visit the exhibit booths and see my friend Rachel Rambach’s songbook at the CSU table! Turns out Rachel is providing the CSU music therapy student association a fund-raising opportunity: they help sell her book and they get some of the proceeds. Great idea!
- Presentation on supervision. Andrew Knight, a music therapy professor at University of North Dakota, gave a fascinating presentation on the pedagogy of supervision. I have supervised graduate student and interns, but don’t have any formal training for how to do it. Andrew’s presentation was interesting and enlightening–and I hope to hear it again!
- Kleen Slate. A friend introduced me to this company’s products. Although mostly geared towards a classroom setting, I can envision them being useful if you work with school children or for our music education friends. Imagine aasy note recognition and rhythm training tests! (Plus, they look like paddle drums. Bonus!)
- Kalimba Magic. If you have never heard this beautiful instrument, you are missing out. It’s easy to play and has a great sound. I didn’t buy one at this conference, but it’s definitely on my list! I can imagine using this to help work on some fine motor skills, attention, learning/memory…
Finally, a big THANK YOU to everyone who worked so hard to make this conference a success: Jennifer Fiore, the MWAMTA Board, Blythe Lagasse, Bill Davis, the Local Committee, Ronna Kaplan, Dena Register, CSU students, MWAMTAS Board, and every single conference attendee.
P.S. The next installment of the Private Practice 101 series will be posted this Thursday. Thank you for your patience!
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
This post is simultaneously making me sad I couldn’t attend my regional (GLR) conference and super excited for national conference in November! Thanks so much for the shout-out, too 🙂
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..Recharged and Ready to Roll =-.
Nice highlights! It was fun to follow your tweets for #mwamta, too. Seems like all the regional conference were a big success!
.-= Kat Fulton´s last blog ..9 Great Self-Care & Music Therapy Posts in the Past Week =-.
Excellent highlights!
I would love to see and hear the kalimba at work, and various similar instruments.
Easy note recognition with the board is terrific.
The Rehab Team presentation: it’s hard when you don’t know what your fellows do and how their work fits in together with yours.
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You can look up Mark Holdaway playing on YouTube. He’s a great kalimba player! ~Kimberly
I use Mark’s kalimba’s in working with couples as a mode of expression. I have heard oneof my students use a similar instrument, the Imberra with the use of story. beautiful.
That’s great, Susan! I hope to purchase and use one some day. It was a beautiful instrument–and is “musician-proof” so to speak. ~Kimberly
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