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January 2015

We are excited to announce our newest intern!

Nerissa Manela is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Music Therapy at the University of Miami (UM), where her principal instrument is violin. She was very involved at UM, including her roles in the Alpha Mu Music Therapy Club, Secretary of the UM National Association for Music Education, and violinist in the Frost Symphony Orchestra. Nerissa has gotten involved in music therapy at the national level by serving as a student representative on the American Music Therapy Association’s internship Approval Committee. She also spent a summer in Ireland working with music therapists at COPE Foundation, an organization that serves over 1,000 individuals with disabilities.

“From the time I was in my primary school orchestra, the music culture impacted everything that I did. Music played such a big role in my life, and I wanted to pass on my positive experience with music to others. Music therapy allows me to pursue my passions for music and helping people.”

As I begin my fourth month of internship, I’m struck with how quickly time has past. At times, I have absolutely felt like time was dragging and the end of internship was a lifetime away. However, now, suddenly, I’m halfway through and barreling towards the end. I had the unique experience of having 2 weeks off for the holidays in the middle of my internship, something which was hugely needed. I saw my brothers and my best friends, and was able to read, rest, and recooperate. This week, my first back in the new year, I got to sit in on one of our client’s as he recorded his music for his upcoming album (look for it on iTunes!).  His sister joined us for the recording as well as his mom, Brian, and the producer, Chris. It was a very non-traditional sort of way to spend a Tuesday night and I absolutely loved it. On one hand, it was an evening of recording music. On the other hand, it was an evening which really brought to light the tight knit community here. The client’s sister actually went to school with me back in Boston. Chris, the producer, also graduated from Berklee.

As I look towards the end of internship and the beginning of my journey into the big, bad real world, it’s nice to remember that no matter where I’m working, it is possible to build a community like the one I witnessed tonight. After all, it is those communities which create such powerful environments for our clients and, ultimately, which support our progress in Music Therapy sessions.