Music Therapy Worries
I’m entering my second year of clinical practice and I’ve just been approved for my first practicum student! Thinking back to my music therapy major days, there was so much to juggle: classes, fieldwork, practicing… There were a few things I shouldn’t have worried about and a few more things I should have focused on. Here are a few:
Don’t Worry About Bar Chords
Bar chords were the most frustrating part of my guitar proficiency. Hands down. The truth is, it’s a matter of muscle endurance that will come more naturally when you start playing for hours each day during internship. Time will bring you super-strong fingers.
Instead, you should focus on: Learning Accompaniment Styles
Guitar is my most-used clinical instrument. Learning how to play different strum and picking patterns, beyond what you learn in proficiency will serve you well when you need to communicate an emotional message. Standard strum gets old after a dozen songs.
*Bonus: Learn to play with a pick. You don’t want your fingernails to wear down and become weak.
Don’t Worry About Awkward Wording
As a practicuum student I was so self-conscious about being judged by my supervisor and finding my way through clinical situations that I often stumbled on words and wasn’t clear on my directions. I’ve found that the nervous energy of being in front of groups gets situationally better. You may feel awkward when asked to give a toast, but when you’re with clients, you learn to be “on”. Your directions will get clearer and you’ll learn to speak with more authority as you gain leadership skills.
Instead, you should focus on: Being Present
The best therapeutic skill is being present. When you are focused on your client, you will pick up on subtle cues and be a more genuine clinician. Our job as music therapists is not to “fix” people’s issues, but to guide them on their journey and be available as needed. Taking your ego out and replacing it with an open, attentive ear will mean more responsive and productive sessions.
Don’t Worry About Your Singing Voice
I didn’t enter college as a vocalist. During my intro to voice class, I was the only student who didn’t have the breath support for the warmups. (Humming and buzzing your lips while singing scales is tough!) Again, this resolved for me during internship when I started singing 3 or 4 hours a day. The voice is a muscle, just be sure not to damage it.
Instead, you should focus on: How You’ll Learn All Those Songs
Repertoire is an ocean. As a music therapist, you’re constantly be learning new repertoire to stay on top of things. I’ve learned the hard way that waiting until the last minute often equals disaster (aka, announcing a song and then going blank when trying to start it). Prepare sessions ahead of time so you’ll have a few days to practice. Never try to learn a song in the morning and pull it out from scratch in the afternoon. Our brains need time and meaningful practice to get a song integrated into long term memory.