Across my virtual desk...

Hi everyone!  

So many things going on right now, it is difficult to quantify!  I don't want you to miss several things that are very current.  I will also write more later about the music therapy conference going on in Chicago at the end of this week, so check back soon!

• If you happen to be one of the lucky ones making it to national conference this year, let's all wish ourselves luck with the transportation to and from the airport to the conference hotel!! :) 
• Once I make it to the conference, you will be able to find me at the exhibit hall with the Shenandoah University booth, or at the research poster session, or at my concurrent session presentation on Friday from 7:30 - 9:00 am.  Early!
• Last year, Ben Folds made a big splash at the conference through twitter and by showing up in person!  This year he is out with a new album.  Some of the profits will go to support music education and music therapy!!  

• You may remember that this year we are doing a sound scape during opening session!  Did you also remember to go and download the sound clips?  Go here and be ready for Christine Stevens, music therapist extraordinaire, and the live experience!
• Just in time for our national conference, TED talks released a wonderful talk by Robert Gupta regarding music and medicine. I have mentioned Mr. Gupta before, a wonderful violinist and advocate for music therapy!  

• I also wanted to highlight some great music therapy being done by a friend of mine, Laura Cornelius.  Here is the write-up at the Florida Sun Sentinel.  Hurray Laura!  

Things are really moving fast out there in the world of music therapy!  Get your twitter feeds ready to go!  I haven't even mentioned the big meetings going on this year about moving music therapy to a master's level entry!  I will write more about that later...

I will catch up with you in Chicago!  Music just makes sense!

Playing Catch Up!

Things are off to a sprinter's start here in Virginia!

The national conference for the American Music Therapy Association is happening much earlier this year in the middle of October!  That moves up all the timelines for final preparations for presentations and travel arrangements.  This year, the conference is in St. Charles, IL, at the Pheasant Run Resort.  I will be presenting a concurrent session on Friday, October, 12 from 7:30 - 9:00am:  Arts Ensemble: A Palette for Success in Combined Music and Art Therapy. I hope you will join me if you are coming to Chicago!

Here are a couple of other things that have come across my virtual table the last few months:

• Terra Rising Records contacted me in hopes of broadening their network and getting the word out about their efforts to promote music in education and therapy.  They seem like a commendable group and support many different projects for creating music and raising money to fund music and healing.  You can follow them on Facebook. 
• Jennifer Buchanan also reached out to me to announce her new book about music and wellness.  Her group of music therapists, The JB Music Therapy Team, includes a highly qualified list of credentialed music therapists.  You can find out more about her new book here.   

Stay tuned for more links and news as I try to get back into the groove!  Thanks for sticking with me over the summer!      

State License for Music Therapy in Georgia

The governor of Georgia finally signed into law the SB 414 providing a state license for music therapists!  


Here are the details form Kimberly Sena Moore (with the Certification Board for Music Therapists):




The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) are excited to announce that, on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, Governor Nathan Deal of Georgia signed into law SB 414. This legislation creates a music therapy license in Georgia through the Secretary of State. Many thanks to the members of the Georgia Task Force (Rachel Coon-Arnott, Jamie George, Kirby Smith, Chelsey Mercado, Pat Coates, and Ellen Ritchey) and to all the music therapists in Georgia for their work, dedication, and advocacy for this legislation.


Great job!

Story Time: Can Be So Much More!

One of the most important things I have learned lately is that be you a teacher or therapist, it is imperative that you "teach for transfer."  


This means that we have to explain why we are doing something, (e.g., a song, instrument activity, etc.) and how it will help outside of the therapeutic setting or class.    


A new study just came out that showed how parents and teachers can significantly improve preschoolers' future reading abilities simply by pointing out features in print as they read the stories!  This might simply be showing the differences between capital and lowercase letters on the page or demonstrating how to read from left to right and top to bottom on a page.  

GA Music Therapy Licensure Bill Still Awaits Signature

The Governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, still has not signed the bill into law regarding state licensure for music therapy.  Here are the details as provided by Nelson Mullins:


SB 414 was authored by Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) and deals with licensing individuals who are engaging in the practice of music therapy.  There are currently about 125 individuals in Georgia who are "music therapists."  The legislation creates this new licensure under the Secretary of State in Chapter 25A of Title 43.  


The Bill, as it passed the House, is the negotiated agreement worked out by the various groups who had raised concerns (including speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists and others) about the Bill because it lacked a true scope of practice for these folks.  It is still viewed as an unfunded mandate to the Secretary of State which has the responsibility of licensing this new group.  It passed the House by a vote of 116 to 49.  The Senate, upon a motion made by Sen. Unterman, agreed to the House version of SB 414 by a vote of 45 to five and that action now moves the legislation to the Governor's desk.


Governor Deal has 40 days in which to take action on Bills passed this Session; that time expires on May 8, 2012.  The Governor's office keeps an updated webpage for signed bills here.

Ashley Lundquist Doing 30 apps in 30 days for April!

You really need to check out Ashley Lundquist's series on iPad/iPhone apps!  She is doing a review of one app a day all through the month of April!


You can find her at Music Therapy = Love.  I really like the "Box" app that she pointed out offers much more storage than dropbox!  Thanks Ashley! 

Music Lifting Spirits Among Patients with Cancer

This story is not about a music therapist, but definitely about someone who is using music in a therapeutic and uplifting way.


Charlie Lustman is a cancer survivor who is giving back to others some of the care and spirit that helped him get through his own illness.  I love his colorful guitar and commitment to visiting so many cancer centers around the country to help inspire patients!  He has written an entire album of songs about his fight with cancer and you would never know that he lost half of his jaw due to Osteo Sarcoma.  


You can read the story or watch the video news story here.     

Text alert! Danger of Impaired Learning

I currently teach a couple of college courses for music therapy students.  I try to keep the students very engaged and active in class by alternating lecture, discussion, role-play and simulations.  


But I have wondered about the proliferation of cell phones and the effect of streaming information in the form of Facebook, Twitter and text messaging on class participation.  Even with an engaging curriculum and motivating topics, there are still cell phones in pockets and purses or sitting on desktops, buzzing away, even on silent.  


I think my fears are starting to be verified by some new research.  It seems that lack of attention in class as a result of in-class texting does seem to have an effect on student performance.


What do you think?  Can you remain totally focused in class or in a meeting while engaged in a text conversation?


What about texting while you are on the phone with someone else?  Texting while performing in a concert??  Are we beginning to see signs of a sort of societal ADD? 


  

More Cool SER-AMTA Stuff!

Natalie Mullis is a music therapist in private practice and author of the blog: Key Changes Music Therapy.  She is definitely a rising star in the music therapy field and has jumped into the profession with lots of excitement!  


I was not able to attend her conference presentation at the Southeastern Regional American Music Therapy Conference 2012 this past weekend, but several of my students and colleagues were able to listen to her speak.  I heard many good comments about the information she shared, so if you would like a copy of her presentation handout, Natalie has posted one on her blog.  Check it out here, and don't miss the opportunity to get her e-book about being successful as a young professional!  

Music Therapy is Not Just a "Frill Service"

According to the Health Sciences Association of British Columbia, a large public union in Canada, there are over 40 music therapists listed as being members of their organization.  Unfortunately, healthcare downsizing is often resulting in the loss of music therapy jobs held by these union members.  


Although there are some expansions of music therapy into the hospitals and healthcare taking place in the U. S., there is still the idea out there that music therapy can be cut since it is not an "essential service."


In response to this lack of understanding regarding music therapy, the Music Therapy Association of British Columbia has released a video called, "The Gift of Music: Stories of Music Therapy."  The creators talk about the documentary: 

Artur Rubenstein On the Power of Music

"I am tired before the concert, not afterward."


~ Artur Rubinstein


Music therapy makes sense!

GA State Bill for Music Therapy Licensure Passes Both House and Senate!

Congratulations Georgia MTs!


The Georgia state bill to establish a music therapy license passed the Georgia State House of Representatives yesterday.  It has now passed both the House and the Senate and I assume awaits signing by the Governor.  Hopefully, he does not have a problem with this idea!  

The Mood-Music Conundrum

Judith Pinkerton is a music therapist who also hosts the Music 4 Life Radio Show on iTunes. She recently authored a blog post at Corporate Wellness Magazine highlighting music to help with anxiety and mood.  


I really liked her discussion about how people tend to reinforce their current mood, even if it is an unhealthy mood.  This makes sense, since we often tend to listen to music that matches our mood.  Pinkerton is advocating for more of a mood music "diet", where you intentionally listen to music that reflects different moods in order to expand your mood "palate."  This may help to break the cycle of reinforcing the way you feel with music and then listening to more of the same type of music because that is the way you feel!  

Two Friday Faves: Presidents and Apps

Friday Faves are usually part of the Twitterverse, but I want to highlight two awesome blog posts I saw this week:


1. JoAnn Jordan at Music Sparks came up with a great list of songs associated with past American presidents.  I want to link to in part to return the favor, but also because her song ideas area  great resource.  The songs on her list can be used  all year long up until the election!  There are many populations that can work on current events and reminiscing as appropriate goals.  Thanks JoAnn!


2.  Kimberly Sena Moore at Music Therapy Maven had a guest blogger on this week to talk about iPad apps.  I thought the list of apps was great!  There are so many apps out there right now, that it really helps to have a list of apps that have been tested a little bit out in the real world of music therapy!    

Music Therapy at Children's Medical Center of Dallas

I love highlighting music therapy from my home state!  This news story out of Dallas played yesterday on FOX.  It has been really nice to see music therapy grow at Children's Medical Center of Dallas!

Music Therapy Helping Hospitalized Children: MyFoxDFW.com

Huffington Post Highlights Medical Music Therapy

Today I want to recommend that you visit Ronna Kaplan's latest article over at the Huffington Post.  Ms. Kaplan has been a music therapist for over thirty years and writes an excellent series of articles for the Huffington Post!  


Her latest article is all about music therapy in the hospital setting.  This is a rapidly expanding area for music therapy and Ms. Kaplan's examples are well written and easy to understand.  I really encourage you to send this article to friends and family!  You can find the entire article here.    

With a Little Help From The Beatles!

If you ever need a little dose of the Beatles, here is a nice little webpage that can get you through the moment!  It is a fun little, old-school, online tape player packed with Beatles tunes!


Beatles songs are great for music therapy.  I use them all the time for teenagers and young adults who have developmental disabilities.  The songs are easy to play and have catchy tunes that are often somewhat familiar just because they have been used in so many different types of media.  


I also just used the song, "With a Little Help From My Friends" (...with a slight word edit in the chorus since I was working with psychiatric patients who might have dual-diagnosis...!), to talk about being helpful and friendly with other patients and their treatment team.  


Go to the Beatles player here! 

Music and Memory: In the Words of Sir Thomas Beecham

"Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty.  Magical music never leaves the memory."


~ Sir Thomas Beecham


Sir Beecham eloquently posits one of the powers of music that enables music therapy.

After all, a Music Therapist Can Be Replaced by Turning on the Radio...

Wow!  I must admit my heart was pounding a little bit after reading this.  Hold on to your blood pressure!


This is the first comment on a story posted at the Augusta Chronicle regarding the recent debate in the Georgia Senate about the music licensure bill.  Unfortunately, this is the first thing people see after reading the news story.  I have not posted a response and really don't intend to.  (Honestly, I think it will take a life experience with music therapy, and not just words, to bring a change of hear to this person.)  I just wanted you to know that we have a lot of work left to do in educating people about music therapy. 


"Little Lamb" posted this on March 7th, 2012


"Sen. Renee Unterman’s gut instincts were trying to lead her in the correct direction when she initially asked herself, “When the music therapists brought this to me, I thought why do we have to license music therapists?”

She should have listened to that little voice in her head saying, “All they have to do is turn on the radio.”

The reason that music therapists do not need to be licensed is that the only risk they are bringing to society is taking their money for nothing. They are not peddling medicine or medical devices or medical procedures.

You can take it to the bank that licensure is a mechanism to limit the number of people entering a profession by those already in the profession holding said licenses. It limits availablility of the service and drives up the price.

I say no to state licensure of music therapists.

Oh, and while we're at it, let's go ahead and repeal licensure of speech therapists as well." 

That Bird Has the Beat!

Researches have discovered that some birds really do have the ability to match their movement to a rhythmic beat!  Maybe this can help explain some of the dancing bird videos that have been so popular!


One of the interesting things found in the research was that birds with vocal learning abilities are the ones that may have the rhythmic synchronization necessary to pick up a beat.  


For the full story, flap on over to nature.com.