Explore useful music therapy tips and videos
BIG CHANGES ARE COMING IN JUNE!
Oh we have BIG CHANGES coming up, and this is the headquarters for update notices! Watch for a demo video of our new website in mid-June. Meanwhile, here's a non-comprehensive list of the changes to come in the next month: VIP Subscription as we know it is...
Music Therapy + Early Childhood = MAGIC!
Research shows again and again that music is a powerful ally in supporting the development of young children. Motor, language, speech, cognitive, emotional, expression-- all can be addressed during a well-crafted musical experience. And one of the best things? Music...
Turn a Chore into a Groove with a Clean Up Song
Nothing makes a task breeze by like a good song. After all, music is a motivator. And when it comes time to transition from one activity to another, an engaging song makes the perfect liaison-- and can be the difference between a job well done or chaos and...
Help Calm & Focus Your Kiddos with a Yoga Song
Have the parents of your clients ever expressed that they wished they could bring your music therapy magic home with them? We create powerhouse interventions for our sessions because we know the research and how to use all the parts of the music to make it happen. In...
Use This Kids Dance Song to Groove Away the Sillies!
I say "rhythm," you say "motivator! Organizer! Energizer!" (because you're a music therapy genius, of course!) When it comes to our littlest clients, rhythm is the motor-motivating magic that gets brings everything together and helps set the sillies free. Movement,...
Create Songs that Kids Will LOVE with 10 Tips from Stephanie Leavell, MT-BC
Do you have a certain family of sharks perpetually swimming around in your brain? Or do you know EXACTLY what to do with your hands and feet when you know you're happy? These catchy earworms don't just randomly appear-- they are made of the perfect blend of musical...
Therapeutic or Recreational Drumming? What’s the Difference?
After the drum circle experience is your best opportunity for a music therapy moment. Here is your chance. Stop and create a reflection, metaphor, or insight. Ask a very targeted question that creates a metaphor. Learn how Christine masterfully does this in the video...
Basic Hand Drum Technique By Christine Stevens, MM, MSW, MT-BC
Watch how Christine Stevens, MSW, MT-BC, wears her body drums to facilitate drum circles. You'll learn basic technique for body drums and how to create a groove for your clients. Also, she covers what you should NEVER do when you start your group out with rhythm....
Why Drumming Works for Resistive Clients
What we know from the research is that rhythm primes the motor system. Think about all the different domains of applications of drumming in your work. Remember that even the person who refuses to play? Look down! Maybe their toe is tapping. Christine Stevens, MSW,...
More Than A Vacation: MT & Voluntourism by Krystine Smith, MT-BC
It’s a cold winter day. You’re bundled up in front of your computer, sipping on a steaming cup of coffee when an advertisement for service work pops up. You see this tanned music therapist smiling at a young child as they strum a guitar. The ad is filled with bright...
ICYMI: Internship Extravaganza!
One of the hallmarks of music therapy education is our internship process. Finding the right fit for your own journey can be intimidating-- after all, there are over 275 National Roster internship sites listed by AMTA, with more being added all the time! We have many...
The Future is Bright— And Ethical!
Imagine a perfectly ethical business world- no one would get burned from bad business practices, competitiveness, or law violations. Practices could move along without any of the "gray areas" snagging us up along the way. Beautiful, isn't it? The good news is an...
Real World Ethics From A Superstar MT-BC
With New Years Eve coming up, the MTE team thought we would load you up with topics NOT up for discussion that night.Ethical dilemmas that may arise when clients move from one company to another.Ethical dilemmas that may occur when changes happen with billing,...
Why Ethical Business Practices MATTER
When it comes to business and practice, you take rules very seriously. You follow the letter of the law and you strive to do business always above board. Good for you! However, sometimes situations occur that aren't in the rulebook. Do you know how to navigate...
CONTEST COUNTDOWN & Why Lin-Manuel for 2018?
???? Got this text msg last night, and allow me to explain! (BTW, ????Contest Details???? are right here!) Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the Broadway hit Hamilton. And he's starring in the blockbuster film Mary Poppins, to be released December 2018. We chose to inspire...
The Ultimate 2018 Contest For Music Therapy: Lin-Manuel #MTELove
Let's be frank: It's that time of year again when all the rich and famous people start thinking about how to give back around the holidays! AND of course, the non-rich and famous people do too, but it's fun to get into the minds of those with a *little* more influence...
Avoid Death By Powerpoint at #AMTA18 (or any presentation you give!)
We see you over there, working on that presentation-- go you! Whether you're putting the final touches on your materials for a concurrent session at the AMTA National Conference, working on a project for class, or getting ready for a program pitch, the knowledge you...
Advocacy Fatigue? We Have Your Back!
Does the word "advocacy" make you nervous? You're not alone! The CBMT Board Domains say we are supposed to “serve as a representative, spokesperson, ambassador, or advocate for the profession of music therapy,” and advocacy is definitely important. However, when you...
Big Name Advocacy from HuffPo, USA TODAY, & The NY Times
Music therapy is powerful, personal, and effective; you know it, we know it, our clients know it. Getting the word out to the world isn't always easy, though, especially with all the misrepresentation in the media. Thanks to the advocacy and amazing work that music...
6 Tips For Professional Self-Care
Independent contractors, full-time employees, administrators, educators, researchers, supervisors, entrepreneurs--- there is no such thing as "business as usual" in the music therapy world! The professional possibilities are endless. Regardless of how you practice,...
Relationship Through Rhythm: 3 Facets of Interactive Rhythm Making
We are honored to have master rhythm maker Dave Holland post today! Here’s what he has to share: Let’s face it, if you’re a music therapist, drum circle facilitator, or music educator, there’s a lot to consider every day: lesson plans, scheduling, billing, marketing,...
Instrument Recommendations From The MTE Team
No matter how you practice, where you work, or who you serve, instruments are your sidekicks. From your faithful guitar to your favorite set of shakers, the tools of the trade take music from your hands into the lives of your clients. But what's the best way to find...
3 Drumming Tips For WWII Vet Clients
For the past two weeks, you may have been drumming up some spirit with older adult clients. It’s really, truly one of my favorite times of year for work. The songs from WWII are absolutely perfect for drumming. The words "drum" "drums" and "drumming" even appears in...
Grab These 3 Drumming Doodads
It's Kat writing here - I sure could use some intervention ideas. How about you? I've got just what you need in these 3 Drumming Doodads! I've taken more rhythm workshops than I can count on my fingers and toes - whether it be taiko, djembe, darabuka, riq, frame drums...
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