Some students know what they want to do when they grow up from a young age. Me? I had no clue.

As a kid, my ambitions for a future career ranged from nanny to teacher to dolphin trainer (I know, quite the variety). By the time I actually needed to decide on a degree route when applying for colleges, I still was not sure what I wanted to do. How I discovered music therapy was by no means miraculous, but I still think it was pretty special.

High School

In high school I had two main hobbies: sports and music. My love of sports sparked an interest in medicine and the human body. I began to think about becoming a nurse, but I don’t do well around blood. I ended up mainly considering athletic training, but something was still holding me back.

I knew I didn’t want to give up music, but I wasn’t sure how to make that into a career. My mom and I (mostly my mom) did research on possible options, and she brought up music therapy. 

I had never heard of music therapy before, but it instantly caught my attention. It combined my two interests: medicine and music. After touring several schools and observing classes and even practica, I decided that music therapy was the path for me.

Now, I could say that the rest is history, but that really wouldn’t be true. I continued to discover music therapy throughout my undergrad. 

College

Being a college student is hard. Being a college music student is hard. Being a college music therapy student is HARD. You learn a lot in 4 short years. Between rehearsals, classes, practicum, and homework, you are certainly kept busy.

There were definitely times that I questioned whether or not I was cut out for this, which is completely normal. Despite the stress and busy-ness, I found my love for music therapy grew.

Classes and lectures are so important, but I felt that I truly discovered music therapy during my practicum experiences and internship. Witnessing and facilitating music therapy in action is what made me fall in love with this field. 

Now

I’ve been an MT-BC for about a month and a half now, and I am still discovering more every day. As I continue to discover who I am as a music therapist, one thing is for certain: nothing makes me happier than witnessing all of the things my clients accomplish through music. 

So there it is, my music therapy journey so far. I will continue to discover more about what music therapy is every day!

How are you discovering music therapy? What made you choose this field?