Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • SPRING 2016 • PAN PIPES 19 C D E I J K N O P T U X Y Z I frequently have the opportunity to engage in conversation with others in the community about my career as a music therapist when I'm asked, "What kind of work do you do?" When I say that I'm a music therapist, I oen receive a variety of responses. I enjoy hearing what individuals know and hear about music therapy, and the responses I get indicate how much explaining I need to do. Some examples include, "So you play your flute to help people feel better?" "Music therapy … is that where you help injured musicians recover their music abilities?" "I do music therapy every day when I listen to classical music." Music therapists who are reading these will be smiling and nodding their head in agreement, as these are quite common responses. And if you are wondering, none of those responses accurately represent what music therapy is all about! Music therapists know that educating others and clearing up misconceptions about the field of music therapy is an important part of what we do in order to advocate for our profession. Parts of music therapy degree programs include organizing and giving presentations on music therapy. It is a wonderful thing, because it is a well-used part of our training! So, what is music therapy? e American Music erapy Association (AMTA), which is the primary organizational agency for music therapists, states, "Music erapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program." ere are a lot of components packed into that one sentence, but each part is vital to what music therapy is all about, so let's "unpack" the important points provided in the definition. Who can be considered a credentialed professional? In order for clinical music therapy to occur, there needs to be a board certified music therapist involved. A board certified music therapist holds a bachelor's degree or higher in music therapy, including completion of a supervised internship, and has successfully passed the certification exam to obtain the credential MT-BC (Music erapist-Board Certified). Without the completion of these requirements an individual would not be able to call themselves a music therapist or practice music therapy. e credentialed music therapist has the tools and training to effectively and professionally assess, write goals, treat, and document progress, which are all necessary components of clinical music therapy. Music therapists create and utilize music interventions and experiences for their clients to address specific and measurable objectives established specifically for that client. ese objectives are related to non-musical skills. Music therapists are not teaching music skills but are using music as a tool to work on a skill the client or their loved one has identified is important. is concept is best understood when an example is provided. So for example, Bob, a child with Down Syndrome, was referred to music therapy to increase his ability to make verbal requests for items and objects (i.e. "I want juice). Bob's mom knew that he is highly motivated by music, and she felt he would have more success in working on his goal to make verbal requests through music therapy. e music therapist develops engaging activities to address this goal by creating a song to show Bob how to make a request, and then provides opportunities for Bob to make a request. Bob may make a request such as, "I want guitar," and this would be considered an example of an appropriate verbal request! e music therapist would reward or reinforce this request by singing a song with the guitar or allowing Bob to strum the guitar. Bob is not learning how to play the guitar, but the guitar was used as an opportunity for making a verbal request. During the course of therapy, the music therapist collects data to determine what percentage of the time Bob is making verbal requests independently in order to show, or provide evidence, that the music therapy intervention is working. Data collection and research is extremely important and vital to the field of music therapy. It is necessary to provide data and evidence for the purpose of reimbursement, to propose music therapy programs in facilities, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of music therapy to the public. Advocating for the field of music therapy and evidenced based practices are vital to continuing and progressing the field. Music therapy is a relatively "young" profession, as the first degree program was established at Michigan State University in 1944. At times, music therapy is misunderstood and misrepresented. While we know that music has therapeutic value, if it does not include the components described in this article, it cannot be considered clinical music therapy. Some of these examples include: a harpist volunteering to play relaxing music for a hospice patient; a choral group singing songs in a nursing home; classical music played in the background to assist with focus; and a person with Alzheimer's or dementia listening to their favorite songs on a iPod. e AMTA "…supports music for all and S AI launched a national "Music Therapy Project" during a previous triennium, and chapters and members are encouraged to participate as ideas are sparked or as opportunities present themselves. The objective of the project is to connect chapters with a practicing music therapist who is a member of the fraternity, to consult and complete a project to advance, support, or further the music therapist's work. The project has expanded beyond this, as well! Examples of previous projects have included renovating and remodeling a music therapy clinic, including a music therapist as a speaker for a "career day," and raising money to support the Music Therapy Scholarship provided by SAI. There are also a number of ways that SAI supports student and professional music therapists. Students with at least two years into their music therapy degree may apply for a $1,500 scholarship. Chapters can apply for a Chapter Outreach Grant for projects with a focus in music therapy. Music therapy students and professionals can join the "Music Therapists in Sigma Alpha Iota" Facebook page to connect with others, receive information and reminders about the scholarship and grant, and receive support from other SAI sisters in the field of music therapy. Music therapists in SAI also meet at regional and national music therapy conferences for lunch and to sing the SAI Chorale! SAI chapters interested in sharing information with their chapter may request the SAI Music Therapy PowerPoint from the SAI Multimedia Director. If possible, seek out a music therapist in your area to provide your chapter with a presentation on music therapy. If you need assistance in locating a music therapist, feel free to contact the Music Therapy Scholarship/Project Director, Kelly Lorenz at: klorenzmtsai@yahoo.com What is Music Therapy? THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC THERAPY continued on page 20

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