Music therapists, in general, have to wear many different hats throughout the week, and for those individuals who receive music therapy they generally don’t see their music therapist more than once a week or once every other week. So where is your music therapist when they aren’t with you? Lets find out…
When your music therapist is not in a session there are several places where they could be found. Depending on the schedule for that day you may find your therapist in the car, in the office, or in meetings and presentations throughout the community.
Outside of conducting music therapy sessions the music therapists at West Music are always kept busy preparing for their next session whether it is later that afternoon, the following day or perhaps next week. This preparation may include learning new songs, creating new reminiscence sessions for a geriatric group, or creating new interventions to keep clients interested and the music new and exciting. All of this preparing may take place in a multitude of settings including the office or in the community during a lunch break between sessions.
During office time your music therapist may also be completing office tasks such as billing for sessions and completing paperwork. Quarterly reports are a common way for progress toward goals to be reported throughout the year and often times therapists find that there is always a quarter that has been completed and a report to be written. Or perhaps your therapist is preparing for a community presentation they will give or developing new contacts within the community to increase awareness of music therapy.
If your music therapist is also a SoundReach Choir director then throughout the year you will find them setting up for rehearsals, making arrangements for the next concert as well as learning and arranging music for the coming semester. Bell choir directors fill their time with creating new bell charts as well.
Throughout the week your music therapist may spend several hours in the car driving between facilities. Some music therapists use this time to listen to the radio and catch-up on all of the latest hits. Other therapists listen to radio news programs to stay abreast with the latest news. For some therapists driving without the radio on can help them become centered and prepare for the session then are driving to. The therapist’s car when in a facility parking lot may become a practice room to practice the latest songs that were requested, a sanitization station for instruments between groups or even a rather cramped reading room to catch-up on the latest music therapy research.
At the end of the day, where can you find your music therapist? Hopefully, your music therapist is taking time for himself or herself so that they are rejuvenated and rested for the next day.
