by Alisabeth Hopper | Oct 24, 2016 | Resources, Videos
Hello Readers & Friends,
We have just posted our second video in our sign language series. Have I mentioned yet how incredibly excited I am? I love using color signs as a music therapist. There are so many therapeutic applications for sign language not only as a tool, but as an additional means of communication. That being said I use my color signs regularly.
I will use them to reinforce colors with some of my clients who are nonverbal, or minimally verbal. But I also use them with clients who are very verbal and working on academic skills. Using sign language makes your academic experience multi sensory which can be very helpful for people of all ages and abilities to learn and grow.
Check out this week’s video and let me know what you think! Also, do you have an idea for a sign language topic? Let me know in the comments!
Have a wonderful week.
-AH
by Sammy | Oct 21, 2016 | Intern's Corner
My favorite aspect about my internship is the fact that I get to experience music therapy in a wide variety of settings and I get to work with many different people. Since I work in so many settings, it allows me to explore my interests and consider what setting I might like to work in as a professional. I’m really blessed in this way because I know some other internships only focus on one type of music therapy in one type of setting.
While wrapping up my week twelve of my internship (!!), I’ve had time to reflect on all of sessions that occurred at all the different settings I work in throughout the week. After reflecting, I think it’s extremely important to be yourself as a therapist, no matter the setting. This is something that I’ve been really struggling to do these past few weeks.
I truly believe that you can remain professional while still being YOU. Doing this in a session can provide an environment that’s comforting and inviting for the client. The more the client is comfortable with you, the more they are willing to engage and share, which means that they might reach their goals and objectives better. I’m starting to realize that when you’re not yourself, it could potentially hinder parts of the therapeutic relationship and process.
Sometimes I get in my head too much, which may lead to overthinking and not allowing myself to completely be myself. During the upcoming weeks, I’m going to try my best and really focus on NOT overthinking, being in the moment, and creating that safe, engaging environment for each client that is essential for each client I see throughout the week. I’m grateful that I’m figuring all of this out now, during my internship, so that it will not hinder my professional life as a music therapist.
It’s really important that you are yourself at all times. I strongly encourage you, especially if you’re still in school or beginning your internship, to do this right from the start! Also, don’t be afraid of being yourself either, in a professional way of course; It will help both you and the client immensely in every way possible.
Thanks for reading; I hope you have a great week!
Sammy Springer
by Alisabeth Hopper | Oct 17, 2016 | Resources
Hello Readers & Friends,
I hope you all have had a wonderfully restful weekend. I have been working and planning a brand new video series for professionals and families alike on my absolute favorite topic: sign language! Before we get started, I thought I would share a little about why I have such a passion for sign language in music.
I began learning sign language in high school while working at a Steak N’ Shake. I worked in a town where there was a large Deaf population because of the state school for the Deaf. I always thought it odd that nobody sought to learn sign language to communicate with respect, to customers. One night I began researching and learned a few basic signs that every server should know i.e. ketchup, mustard, mayo, sandwich, fries, cola, and of course, thank you. Immediately I felt more confident and equipped when serving. I carried this into my studies in Music Therapy and sought new ways to use sign language in the therapeutic environment.
Throughout this series we will explore different signs and how we can use them with specific goals in mind! So join in, and stay tuned for our weekly installment every Monday!
-AH
by Sammy | Oct 14, 2016 | Intern's Corner
Sometimes certain aspects of life can get challenging; life may throw things at you all at once and sometimes it may be a little difficult to handle it in a productive and positive way. Being away from my friends and family, as well as handling and growing in my internship has been hard for me recently. However, I made it through this week and next week will be new where I will be able to start fresh and continue growing as a person and as a music therapist.
One of the things that I took away from this week is that it’s important to focus on the positive aspects of each day. There may be something that happens that you may not like, but there will ALWAYS be something good in everyday, no matter what. Reflecting and remembering the positive aspects can change your entire perspective in a heartbeat and can turn a bad day into a good day instantly.
Although this week was tough for me in many different ways, I tried to really reflect and focus on the positive aspects about this week. I’m growing in so many ways at my internship, and although it’s getting harder because I am learning and expanding my skills even further, it’s been fun and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world. I get to wake up each day and do what I love to do and help people along the way. Thanks to my wonderful family and friends, my support system is only a phone call away and they are there to share a smile, laugh, and give a piece of advice whenever needed. Also, I’ve made sticky notes that hang around my apartment and each note says a positive phrase, a quote, or a comment about my day so that I can be constantly reminded about all that is good.
The sun is always shining and tomorrow will always be a new day so remember to always embrace it.
Have a great week!
Sammy Springer
by Katey Kratz | Oct 12, 2016 | Materials & Supplies, Reflections
Last Thursday as we were wrapping up our last class of the early fall Listen & Learn session, one of the parents made a comment that stuck with me. With a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face she said, “That went so much better than the first week”. She was referring to the fact that within four weeks, all of the two year olds in our class had started passing and sharing items during class without any prompting from parents and often while using the sign language for please and thank you. She was referring to the “magic” that had happened over the past few weeks in music class.
Day one of class had it’s share of tears, meltdowns, and resistance to sharing anything. As the weeks progressed, sharing and playing together became easier. By week four there were such vast improvements that most of the caregivers took a back seat role in the class and let their little ones show off their new skills. It all worked.
When these transitions happen, it can seem magical. A huge shift and a lot of learning has happened in such a short amount of time that it’s hard to fathom. However, this growth is by design. All of our class crates that we use in our sessions are designed to foster growth and development in areas where we know it is typically needed. The songs are sequenced in a way that makes sense for our families so that there is balance between movement, instrument playing, reading, and quiet sitting. The books are chosen to work on academic concepts and the instruments are selected to keep things fresh each session while encouraging specific skill development.
The development of social skills and the increased interaction that happens over the four weeks are all part of the plan. And when that plan works, it feels like magic. The joy, the smiles, and the pride that come from both the little ones and their caregivers is contagious and fills me with such happiness. Even though I know all of the whys and hows, it still feels magical to me, too.
Be sure to check out all of our new class crates or register for our current session today so you can join in the magic, too!
by Sammy | Oct 7, 2016 | Intern's Corner
Hello everyone!
As I approach the three month mark of my internship, I’ve started to write more original songs and learn about the recording process. It’s definitely been challenging; I’ve written a few songs during college, but besides that, don’t have very much experience. Thankfully, I have two very experienced supervisors who have been writing and recording songs for years and they have been helping me along the way.
I’ve realized that it is important to be able to write your own songs or at least be able to adapt a familiar tune so that a song and it’s musical elements can better target a client’s needs. Writing songs is so useful because songs can be written for any instrument and they can target specific goals/objectives for a client. Also, it’s also helpful being able to successfully adapt a client-preferred song in order to target a specific goal. I didn’t realize the importance and the value of this skill until my internship. That being said, I thought I’d give you an intern’s perspective of song writing and share some simple tips that I have learned these past ten weeks!
It’s best to keep things simple. This is probably the biggest thing that I have learned these past few weeks. When writing a song, I’ve learned that writing too much as well as making things too complicated can defeat the purpose of writing a song based on a goal. During the song writing process, I always write down the goal on the top of the page and I make sure that each lyric is simple and serves a purpose for the goal. Also, during a session, all attention should be on the client. That being said, I make sure that the chord structure as well as the melody is simple so that I don’t have to think about a complex melody when I’m singing and playing.
Also, I’ve recently learned that it’s important to think about facilitation and adaptation when writing a new song. Since I’ve been writing songs for a project, I’ve been asking myself how I can facilitate this song in a clinical setting and will it be effective? I also try to think about how a song can be adapted within a session. Not every song needs to be or should be adaptable, but I like to keep adaptability in mind. A few weeks ago, I wrote a song for rhythm sticks that targets the ability to follow multi-step directions. After using the song with a client, I realized that it was not very adaptable, especially if I needed to adapt the lyrics on the spot to fit the client’s needs.
I’ve just started on this song writing journey and I still have so much to learn, but so far, it’s been a lot of fun!
Thanks for reading my reflections!
Sammy Springer
by Sammy | Sep 30, 2016 | Intern's Corner
It’s finally starting to feel like fall outside here in Springfield, IL and it is beautiful. This morning, some of the music therapists at MTC and I decided to have a trip to the pumpkin patch for some fall fun. Also, I’ve never been to a pumpkin patch where you cut your own pumpkins, so it was a neat experience for me as well. It was a nice break from work and internship life.
However, after returning home from the pumpkin patch, I realized that I haven’t been great at practicing self-care recently and my body can definitely feel it; this week, I have been exhausted all the time and there isn’t a good reason for it either. I’ve noticed that I’ve been preaching self-care to my parents, friends, and sometimes even to my clients, yet I haven’t been practicing it. So this afternoon, I’ve come up with some ways that I will better practice self-care in the upcoming weeks in order to eliminate stress, take care of my body, and keep myself energized.
Eat healthier.
Stressing eating isn’t a good thing and it’s important to have a balanced meal as well. As I’m quickly learning from those around me, eating six small meals a day is better than eating three big meals, so I’m going to pack better, healthier snacks that I can nibble on throughout the day to keep my energy up.
Go to bed at the same time every night…no matter what!
Recently, I haven’t been going to bed early like I did at the beginning of my internship. This needs to happen because sleep is extremely important in order to process through what happened that day. Throughout these upcoming weeks, I will go to bed at the same time every night and try to wake up at the same time each day as well. It’ll be hard because there is always something to do, but sleep is SO important.
Exercise.
I dislike exercising. However, it’s a great way to unwind and eliminate stress. So from now on, I promise to at least try to exercise in a way that I like at least two to three times a week.
As therapists, we love working with others, but we often forget to help ourselves. Self-care is hard to practice, but it is the most important thing to do each week. If you’re an current music therapy intern, or even a professional or student, and have been struggling in the self-care area, let’s try this together!
Finally, follow me on live video every (or almost every) Thursday on Music Therapy Connection, LLC’s Facebook page. I will be answering questions, sharing songs, and discussing other topics as well! If you have a question or want me to talk about something, please let me know!
Thanks,
Sammy Springer
by Katey Kratz | Sep 29, 2016 | Resources, Tips & Tricks
It’s that time again!! We are in the process of putting together materials for our new music crate and class package. That means new songs, new materials, and new stories are coming your way VERY SOON!! I love creating new materials to share, but like everyone else I often struggle with the process of getting started. That’s why I want to share 3 quick songwriting tips and reveal the best time for writing new songs.
1. Let It Flow – One of my favorite things to do when writing new material is simply write everything down or record it all! That means writing down or recording, with no filter, every single word that pops into my head in the moment. It may not be perfect on the first try, but I can almost guarantee at least a new idea, a good line, or an awesome melody will come from just getting letting go and letting it flow.
2. Ask the “w” questions – Ask yourself the who, what, when, where, why questions when your are writing or refining your song. Who is this for? Why am I writing this? What is the purpose? By answering those questions, you can sometimes spark new ideas or stumble upon all new material.
3. Write it Now, Revise Later – If you are feeling unsure of your song or lyrics or feeling stuck, write something down. OR record something, anything. Then walk away. Physically walk away and do anything else that will consume your mind and take you away from the song writing process. Come back with a clear head and try again.
So, when is the best time for writing new songs….??
NOW and whenever you feel any little spark of inspiration. The more you write the easier it gets. The more ideas you have stored away, even in small, 5 second, snippets or single lines of lyrics, the more you have to pull from in the future. My favorite song ideas often hit when I’m least expecting it so I quickly pull out the nearest piece of paper and write down the idea or open the voice memo app on my phone and make a quick recording or note to self that I can easily return to later.
I’d love to hear more of your ideas on what helps you create new content. What is your favorite time to write new songs? Do you have any tips to share on your songwriting process?
by Sammy | Sep 23, 2016 | Intern's Corner
This week has been crazy (in a good way of course)! I’ve started to lead more in all of my sessions here at Music Therapy Connections as well as at the hospital and I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone so many times. From these experiences, I’ve learned that there are some things that I should’ve practiced more during college that would have made my life a little easier now.
In college, I should have spent more time:
Building a HUGE knowledge of repertoire.
Typically, I only learned the music that I needed to learn for my practicum sessions. It wasn’t until this summer that I started pushing myself outside of the popular music realm and now I’m quickly realizing how important it is to know songs from each genre and decade of music. At the hospital, I meet with a lot of families and patients who have such a wide range of music preferences and I should at least be able to talk about or play the music they love the most! However, it’s literally impossible to learn every piece of music ever written, but having a general knowledge of a few famous bands or knowing how to play a few hit songs from each decade will be extremely important. Also, for current music therapy students, learn the National Anthem. You will never know when someone might ask you to play it. In general, it’s also just a great song to know.
Practicing playing in different styles.
Just like having a huge knowledge of different repertoire, it’s important to be able to play in different styles. Again, it wasn’t until late last semester and this summer that I started picking on the guitar and playing different songs with contrasting styles. I have started practicing simple songs such as “Twinkle, Twinkle” (or any simple song that I know the chords to really well) and trying to play it in different styles. This has helped me tremendously and something that I wish I had started practicing sooner.
Practicing the things that scare me the most.
Public speaking scares me. My brain gets all the words jumbled up whenever I have to give a presentation or talk to someone I don’t know. However, as a music therapy intern transitioning to a professional, I’ve had to talk to so many different people. I wish that during college I had pushed myself out of my comfort zone and talked to new people instead of avoiding it. We’re asked every day what music therapy is so oral communication skills as well as people skills are extremely important. One way that I am practicing becoming more comfortable talking to people is by striking up conversations with new people I see throughout the day such as having a quick chat about someone’s day in the line at Meijer. That being said, find something that scares you and face it head on every day!
Even though I did practice these things before my internship, I should have challenged myself even more. Thankfully, I am in an environment where I can challenge myself everyday to learn these skills, grow, and continue pushing myself outside of my comfort zone so that I can continue to effectively transition from a student to a professional!
Have a great week everyone!
Sammy Springer
by Katey Kratz | Sep 23, 2016 | Business Bits, News
As we wrap up another awesome week of music therapy at MTC, I wanted to tell you a little more about how we’ve been advocating for music therapy this week. If you follow our Facebook page, you’ve probably heard that it’s Illinois Music Therapy Week. To celebrate, we are working even harder to put out the word about music therapy.
On a weekly basis, Rachel and I record live videos on Facebook with songs, resources, and ideas for music therapists, students, and teachers. This week we covered the topic of being an advocate by simply talking to anyone and everyone about music therapy and getting out in the community.
Whether it is the chatting with a cashier at Walgreen, informing the doctor in a hospital, answering your waitress’ question at lunch, speaking at a community event, having coffee with a friendly neighbor, etc, the more people you talk to about music therapy, the more word spreads and curiosity grows. Think that for every one person you tell, they possibly tell another five, ten, or a dozen people.
We also challenged our intern, Sammy Springer, to share her own definition of music therapy and how she is becoming more of an advocate every day. She explains in her video the importance of having an elevator speech and being able to be concise in talking about music therapy.
On top of everything else this week, we had the incredible opportunity to be featured on our local news! What says advocacy more than the words MUSIC THERAPY being said or shown on the local news multiple times!!!! What a blessing and a joyful moment in our week.
We hope to see you advocating for music therapy and are always happy to answer any of your questions! Happy Illinois Music Therapy Week!
