Top Internship Learnings
Even though in some ways the 6 months felt like it flew by, I have learned so much it can be hard to put it into words, or even recognize some of the changes because my learnings have become so much a part of my daily routine as a music therapist. Below I am sharing just a few of my learnings:
I’ve learned through this internship that I have a unique ability to personally connect with others and this is also one of the parts of being a music therapist that I enjoy. I have always been interested in a career where I get to help others find success and that was one of the main reasons why I was so interested in working with students with special needs. I have also found through this internship that I am not only interested in working with people with disabilities but also older adults with memory impairment. Part of helping to guide a person’s successes is getting to know them or their family members and what their goals are. Being able to find what they respond to best is important and is a skill that I have seen grow during my internship. I feel more confident creating individualized interventions for clients, and I now have the techniques to adapt in the moment when necessary.
Secondly I have been excited about how much my repertoire has grown throughout this internship. Because I have had the opportunity to work with clients of different diagnoses and varying ages I have at least started to dip my toe in many genres of music, which I think will help me as I continue on my journey. During college classes we often had to memorize songs for tests or for practicums and I was able to do it, but I found in my internship that this skill became easier because I was using the songs I wanted to memorize on a daily basis and I felt much more successful. This skill is important because it allows the therapist to fully connect with the client and not be distracted by looking at the music or trying to remember what chord comes next. Especially in a group setting it is helpful to have music memorized because then the therapist can have more opportunities to connect with each client on an individual basis, which allows for the therapist to move around the room more. I realized about 4 months into my internship that this skill was improving and it was very encouraging me to see my progress from the beginning of my internship.
It is sometimes hard to articulate all the progress I have made, but I am so thankful for an internship where I was able to learn so many different aspects of being a music therapist.
Emily
