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 by jsokira

Guest Post: We are…MUSIC THERAPISTS!

 

Judy Simpson, MT-BC
Director of Government Relations, American Music Therapy Association

When I started my career as a music therapist in 1983, it was not uncommon for me to describe my profession by comparing it to other professions which were more well-known. If people gave me a puzzled look after I proudly stated, “I use music to change behaviors,” I would add, “Music therapy is like physical therapy and occupational therapy, but we use music as the tool to help our patients.” Over the years as I gained more knowledge and experience, I obviously made changes and improvements to my response when asked, “What is music therapy?” My enhanced explanations took into consideration not only the audience but also growth of the profession and progress made in a variety of research and clinical practice areas.

The best revisions to my description of music therapy, however, have grown out of government relations and advocacy work. The need to clearly define the profession for state legislators and state agency officials as part of the AMTA and CBMT State Recognition Operational Plan has forced a serious review of the language we use to describe music therapy. The process of seeking legislative and regulatory recognition of the profession and national credential provides an exceptional opportunity to finally be specific about who we are and what we do as music therapists.

For far too long we have tried to fit music therapy into a pre-existing description of professions that address similar treatment needs. What we need to do is provide a clear, distinct, and very specific narrative of music therapy so that all stakeholders and decision-makers “get it.” Included below are a few initial examples that support our efforts in defining music therapy separate from our peers that work in other healthcare and education professions.

 

  • Music therapist’s qualifications are unique due to the requirements to be a professionally trained musician in addition to training and clinical experience in practical applications of biology, anatomy, psychology, and the social and behavioral sciences.
  • Music therapists actively create, apply, and manipulate various music elements through live, improvised, adapted, individualized, or recorded music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages.
  • Music therapists structure the use of both instrumental and vocal music strategies to facilitate change and to assist clients achieve functional outcomes related to health and education needs.
  • In contrast, when OTs, Audiologists, and SLPs report using music as a part of treatment, it involves specific, isolated techniques within a pre-determined protocol, using one pre-arranged aspect of music to address specific and limited issues. This differs from music therapists’ qualifications to provide interventions that utilize all music elements in real-time to address issues across multiple developmental domains concurrently.

 

 

As we “celebrate” 2014’s Social Media Advocacy Month, I invite you to join us in the acknowledgement of music therapy as a unique profession. Focused on the ultimate goal of improved state recognition with increased awareness of benefits and increased access to services, we have an exciting adventure ahead of us. Please join us on this advocacy journey as we proudly declare, “We are Music Therapists!”

About the Author: Judy Simpson is the Director of Government Relations for the American Music Therapy Association. She can be reached at simpson@musictherapy.org

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 by jsokira

In support of our neighbors in Sandy Hook

The staff of CTMTS offers our most sincere condolences to the people of Newtown, CT in light of the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary.  As people who work with children, alongside teachers,  and as parents and neighbors, we have been personally and professionally touched by this event and share in your heartbreak.  We stand ready to help in any way that we can, and will be maintaining contact with resources in the community to offer our services and assistance when they are needed or to make appropriate referrals.

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 by jsokira

Advocacy –> Recognition –> Access

Advocacy –> Recognition –> Access

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.

Many typical jobs and professions are relatively self-evident- mechanic, teacher, doctor, lawyer, chef, accountant, singer.  Others are a little less obvious but don’t raise eyebrows: project manager, consultant…  When your profession is “music therapist” you get raised eyebrows and questions.  The responses we get can be both exciting (“I really believe in that, how wonderful”) to insulting (“so, you didn’t have to go to college for that, did you?”)

Part of the life of a music therapist is knowing an adaptable “elevator pitch” that can satisfy the most skeptical and the most excited asker of the question “So, what is this music therapy thing”.  If we are lucky, we get 60 seconds to turn someone into a believer with our elevator pitch.  If we are really lucky, we get a few more minutes than that with the promise of a phone call or meeting to come.  AND if we are off the charts lucky we get a year like 2011.

2011, was the year that “our time has come” according to the AMTA Executive Director Andrea Farbman.  I am inclined to believe her too- this past year has seen a NY Times Bestseller featuring a MT-BC as a main character, and another very popular novel doing the same—and the promise of feature films in the future.  Then there was the movie “The Music Never Stopped” based on a true story, again prominently featuring music therapy.  Two states (Nevada and North Dakota) passed legislation licensing music therapists and recognizing our credential MT-BC.  Ben Folds attended our AMTA national conference so he could learn more about music therapy.  Finally, the recovery and continued rehabilitation of Rep. Gabby Giffords included music therapy as an important part of her treatment.

By the very nature of our profession we are advocates for the profession.  At Connecticut Music Therapy Services, practice we do this
-by providing the best possible clinical services to every client we work with
-by being generous with our time in educating the public about music therapy
-by creating quality jobs for excellent music therapists
-by working with AMTA on the Connecticut Task Force for State Recognition
-by volunteering our time contributing to our regional and national organizations

We are doing all of these things to provide access to music therapy to more people who need it!  We advocate for music therapy because our clinical experiences and the research all say it works- we know it deep down.  And when you know music therapy can help someone live a better life, heal, communicate, become more independent, and achieve health, why wouldn’t you want to remove every obstacle that stands in their way?

Advocacy goes far beyond our feelings over the “general public” not knowing what it is that we do.  Advocacy is about people who need music therapy being able to access music therapy, provided by qualified professionals, easily, with as few barriers as possible.  So we advocate and will keep on advocating.
And a funny thing happens- advocacy is contagious.  We music therapists believe it and act on it every day…then suddenly our co-workers, colleagues, administrators, clients….they become advocates too, with an equal level of passion

Our “time” may have come in 2011 but I think in 2012 the best is yet to come.

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 by jsokira

Benefits of Music Therapy for People with Dementia

By Jonathan Romond, MT-BC

Beginning in my music therapy internship and continuing into my professional work with Connecticut Music Therapy Services, I have witnessed firsthand the benefits of music therapy in working with persons with dementia.  The DSM-IV states that the essential feature of a dementia is the development of multiple cognitive deficits that include memory impairment and at least one of the following cognitive disturbances: aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, or a disturbance in executive functioning.  It can be said that the majority of the goals addressed in music therapy with persons with dementia would fall under the cognitive domain.  If we consider that many persons with dementia reside in assisted living or hospital settings it would be appropriate to also address goals that fall under the social, communication, and emotional domains in order to improve overall quality of life.  In my experience I have found that these four domain areas could be addressed within one interactive vocal experience utilizing a 4-step process.

First, the therapist will address the cognitive needs of the client by playing only the melody of a chosen song.  The therapist will then observe the client’s response (Is he/she humming or singing the melody?).   I have found that songs which are short in length and have a simple melody (i.e. “You Are My Sunshine,” “Let Me Call You Sweetheart”) are most effective.  If a song is too long, or its melody is too complex, the more difficult it would be for the client to recall the melody and/or lyrics.  The next step would be for the therapist to sing the song with a simple chordal accompaniment providing the client with an opportunity to recall the song’s lyrics.

In order to provide the client with an emotional outlet, the therapist would then replay the song encouraging the client to sing on his/her own.  It may be necessary to provide the client with vocal support by singing only the first words of each line and allowing him/her to complete the vocal line.  Finally, to address the social and communicative needs of the client, the therapist and the client will sing the song together one last time.  At this point the client has had the opportunity to recall the melody, lyrics, and rhythm of the song.  The cooperative singing between the client and therapist provides a strong sense of accomplishment for the client and brings closure to the experience.

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 by jsokira

Musical Transition Tips for You and Your Child

Whether you’re singing the blues or joining in the “Hallelujah Chorus” about back-to-school time, it is important to remember that since it is a time of transition for kids, there is a lot of new and different routines for them to learn about and navigate.  Here are three ways you can help ease this transitional time.

1) Mix it up with a mix CD.  If you drive your child to school in the morning or [therapies, lessons, sports] in the afternoon, think about creating a CD together with your child.  Fire up your iTunes playlist, and ask your child to choose songs that make him/her feel happy.  Intermingle those with a few of your favorites as well for an easier commute.

2) Ask your child to share songs that they are learning in school and sing them together at bedtime.  If this is difficult for your child, you can also request that a note be sent home with this information.  This puts your child in the “teacher” role and supports their self-esteem.

3) Wind down together.  If your child comes home from school with some extra energy the way mine often does, consider finding some quiet or soothing music and pair it up with coloring or cozy up with a book together.  Your selection can be any type of music, it doesn’t have to be classical, it can be any kind of music that you find relaxing!  Having music as a natural, regular part of your environment is also great way to expose your child to a wide range of genres and artists.

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 by jsokira

Promoting Positive Connections with Older Adults

By Emily Pellegrino, MT-BC

Are you someone who is looking to promote positive connections for an older adult in your life?  Would you like to find a way to maintain close family bonds as your parent or grandparent ages? This week we’d like to talk about how music therapy can help promote emotional intimacy when spouses and families share creative music experiences.

We often observe spouses who are living in the same nursing home, but have very little contact with one another due to differences in their mental and physical health needs.  One example that comes to mind are a husband and wife who were at different stages of Alzheimer’s, the wife still able to verbally communicate and socialize, and her husband who was non ambulatory and hadn’t spoken much more than a word or two for several years.  Music had been a huge part of their marriage whether it was going to the symphony, dancing, or singing with their 3 children during a trip cross country.  The two participated in weekly music therapy sessions which soon became the highlight of their week.  During these sessions they would hold hands and join the music therapist in singing familiar songs.  The husband who rarely spoke would even sing words or phrases to songs like “Take me out to the ball game,” or “Let me call you sweetheart.”  Often, children and grandchildren would join the music therapy sessions, reflecting on memories that the music evoked, and sharing how special it was to see their parents engaging in something together.

If you would like to learn more about how music therapy services can help improve the quality of life of your loved one please contact us, and stay tuned to read more in the months to come about how music therapy services can benefit the older adult in your life.

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 by jsokira

10 Ways that Music Therapy Can Help Older Adults

Do you have a loved parent or grandparent in your life and want to help them to connect with services that respect their dignity and improve their quality of life?  Music therapy services can be extremely beneficial for older adults both who are well and those who have physical, communication, emotional and memory needs.  Through research and clinical practice, music therapy has been shown to promote:

1. Memory recall which contributes to reminiscence and satisfaction with life

2. Positive changes in mood and emotional states

3. Increased sense of control over life through successful experiences

4. Awareness of self, others, and environment which accompanies increased attention to music

5.  Anxiety and stress reduction for both the older adult and caregivers

6.  Non-pharmacological management of pain and discomfort

7.  Stimulation which may provoke interest and awareness

8.  Structure which provides rhythmic and continuous movement or vocal fluency as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation

9.  Emotional intimacy when spouses and families share creative music experiences

10.  Social interaction with caregivers and families

Over the next several months we will delve into how client centered musical interventions can positively impact many of these areas, so stay tuned to learn more about how music therapy can help your loved one.

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