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June 2025

After 6 musical, educational, tireless (and tiring!), and rewarding months, I can say that I have officially finished my internship here at MTCCA! This journey has been a beautiful mix of learning, growth, hard work, and persistence. As I come down to my last week of in-person hours, I have found myself reminiscing and reflecting on my experiences over the last 6 months. Here are my top 10 key learnings that I’d like to share:

  1. Give yourself grace
    1. Mistakes are inevitable, normal, and EXPECTED! But most of all, they are opportunities to learn. I owe it to myself to remind myself that I began this internship to learn. Becoming comfortable with the reality of making mistakes, and becoming comfortable with the practice of self reflection after making mistakes has helped me stay grounded and present during these 6 months.
  2. ASK. QUESTIONS.
    1. I am a firm believer that asking questions is an effective way to learn and gain a deeper understanding of the people and experiences around you. It demonstrates your interest and engagement in what others are sharing, teaching or showing you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if it seems minute or silly, every question has value. Internships are all about learning and growing, so I strongly encourage interns to ask questions!
  3. Maximize your time-even your drive time
    1. With a packed schedule that takes me all around the greater San Diego area, I learned that every minute (whether it’s inside or outside of your car) is precious. Drive time can be used to learn new client-preferred songs, mentally review your session plans, talk through interventions or session ideas (I recorded my monologue on voice memos!) or simply sit in silence! 
    2. Have a few extra minutes before you go into another session? You can start a previous client’s session data, review your session plan or client profiles, jot down some ideas, there is always something you can do that sets yourself up for success down the line. 
  4. Work ahead
    1. Something I wish I did more frequently was work ahead. I cannot stress this enough-you will be TIRED! As an intern, you owe it to yourself to get some you time; planning ahead for sessions or assignments can help you carve out your much deserved rest and relax time. 
  5. SLEEP, EAT, CLEAN
    1. It sounds simple and obvious, but can easily be overlooked when you’re busy or overwhelmed. Prioritizing basic self-care–getting enough rest, nourishing my body and maintaining a clean living environment-can help you have control within your busy schedule. Pro tip: don’t forget to take some time to clean out your car (aka your mobile office). There were several times that I would arrive at a session and not be able to find a specific visual or instrument-only to find it tossed under a seat or hidden within another part of my car. 
  6. When in doubt, I, IV, V it out!
    1. This has become my musical mantra. When improvising a song or writing a new song for a client, leaning on the trusty I, IV, V chord progression kept me grounded. It’s a simple yet powerful tool that is easy to learn, memorize, and use in a pinch for a range of clients and musical needs.
  7. Trust in yourself! Believe in yourself!
    1. There were several moments when self-doubt would creep in, but trusting in my skills and believing in myself made all the difference. Confidence isn’t just about relying on what you know; it’s about trusting that you will be able to adapt and figure things out along the way-all part of the learning process!
  8. Practice makes permanent
    1. The repetition of practice isn’t solely about perfecting something or ‘getting it right’, it’s about creating lasting, concrete habits. Be intentional about how and what you practice during internship. For example, I realized that I had taught myself a guitar chord progression completely wrong and boy was it a pain to un-learn and re-learn it correctly! 
    2. This also applies to daily life practices. The more that you stay up late and work after long days, the quicker you will run yourself down! The more that you put yourself in a time crunch in the mornings, the more likely you are to forget some breakfast, your coffee and your mind when you walk out the door! Be intentional with your self-care practices
  9. Velcro a pic onto your guitar
    1. I learned this from other therapists on the team; use Velcro stickers to attach a pic on your guitar for reliable and easy access. I put mine on the back of my guitar head and use it every time I use my guitar! Simple, yet mind-blowingly smart to me 🙂
  10. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses (or the sea breeze)
    1. Amongst the hustle and grind, it’s very easy to lose sight of the beauty that surrounds me every day. I live in beautiful San Diego, California for crying out loud! Roll down your windows on the freeway and smell the salty ocean, admire the beautiful sunsets that paint the sky every evening, stand in the sunshine, go hug a palm tree and put a smile on your face! Take the time to absorb and appreciate the little moments during your internship!

This internship has been an unforgettable chapter filled with countless learning opportunities and challenges that pushed me to grow as not only a therapist, but as a person. I’ve learned how to engage with fellow professionals (both music therapists and non music therapists alike), how to advocate for our profession, how to be present and how to be an overall better musician for myself and my clients. 

I’m immensely grateful for the guidance of my supervisors, the support of my amazingly talented coworkers and the love and encouragement from my family back home in Kansas City. Above all, I’m grateful to the incredible clients who trusted me in my learning process and taught me more than they will ever know. 

To those beginning their internship, I hope these reflections can inspire you to begin your journey with an open mind and heart. Celebrate the little victories along the way, and don’t forget to look back on how far you’ve come.

To MTC, Banding Together and every San Diegan I have met over the past six months: THANK YOU. Your guidance and support have made this experience truly life-changing and I will be forever grateful!

Link to Powerpoint Presentation

When I began my internship, I was prompted to brainstorm and create my ‘Why’ presentation where I explain why I began this career path. I have been fortunate enough to have a background with music therapy that opened my eyes to the beauty and effectiveness of what I do today. 

My ‘Why’ is rooted in the moments of connection I’ve witnessed—moments when music therapy brought light and life to my loved ones in their most vulnerable times.

My family would say that my musical journey began before I could even talk. There are countless stories of my parents or siblings listening to me singing and humming nonsense from the backseat of the car or by myself in my bedroom. According to my parents, little Mia used to sing and dance around any room she entered and make any platform a stage. 

I was in every kind of dance class, theatre group, or sports team that I could be in and was always excited to be part of something that involved a performance. After graduating from the Kindermusik program at age 7, I began piano lessons with my Kindermusik teacher, Miss Amy (see photos below)!

Mia and Miss Amy (around age 7)

Mia and Miss Amy circa 2024 (age 21)

Shortly after I started piano, I joined my elementary school band playing clarinet! I only lasted a year on clarinet before switching to the oboe, which I played all the way through college. Throughout grade school and high school, I was part of the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, attended the Midwest Music Camp at KU and had the opportunity to play in beautiful venues around Kansas City. 

While being part of the piano, band, orchestra world, I was also heavily involved in the Allegro Choirs of Kansas City from 4th-12th grade! I was fortunate enough to travel across the country performing with Allegro including D.C., Oregon, Nebraska, Oklahoma and New Orleans. During my high school years, I also participated in district and all state band/choir. 

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I was also a theatre kid for a brief period of time in high school, before the pandemic hit, canceling all productions and events. Up to this point in my life, it’s pretty apparent-music was at the center of my life. I was blessed with parents that supported me in my musical endeavors and allowed me to participate in every activity possible to me. Continuing with music as I went into college seemed like the obvious and most appropriate choice for me.

I’ve explained my musical WHY, now I will share the core of my WHY. 

My grandma Vivian moved in with my family when I was around 3 years old, so growing up, I never knew a life without her in it. She was my biggest cheerleader with the most quiet and calming presence of anyone I have ever known. She always had a twinkle in her eye, was always up for an adventure, especially when it involved something chocolate. She taught me what hard work and determination can do, and just how important it is to be kind to others. When I was a sophomore in high school, my grandma entered in-home hospice care. Through her hospice, she was able to receive weekly music therapy services. Whenever possible, I had the privilege of being part of my grandma’s music therapy sessions. We used to sing songs together, reminisce about her childhood and write songs together in some capacity in every session. 

My grandma’s health was declining steadily over the last two years of her life. I had cared for her through the ups and downs of her health, and had never seen any therapy or medication make her as happy or alive as music therapy did. There was always a noticeable difference in my grandma’s state of arousal and alertness after sessions, and I wanted to be a part of it. Her amazing music therapist, a graduate from the University of Kansas, informed me about both the profession and KU’s program. And from there, the rest is history! 

While in my sophomore and junior years of college, I lost both of my grandfathers. I was extremely fortunate to have been a part of both of their music therapy journeys before they passed. My maternal grandfather received music therapy in his memory care facilities, and I was fascinated as to how much music triggered his long term memory. He oftentimes couldn’t remember my name, but he always remembered how much he loved Frank Sinatra and his music! My paternal grandfather received in-home music therapy through hospice, similar to my grandmother’s experience. We were able to have my grandmother’s music therapist provide his services along with her intern who was an old classmate of mine at KU! It was truly an honor to sing with both of them being amazing musicians and human beings! Being able to sing for my grandfather in his final days will always hold a special place in my heart. 

These people, experiences, and amazing moments of music have guided me to where I am today. I am so thankful for every person that has been a part of my journey however big or small of a role. To every person that has supported little Mia as she sang or performed wherever she went-you are part of my ‘why’. 

I do what I love because I love what it can do for others, and what it has done for me. Bringing even a fraction of the comfort and peace that music therapy gave my family is not just my goal-it is my purpose.  

  • Mia Falcon