Tips for Music Therapy Interns
Internship is a very exciting time for music therapy students. You get immersed in real-life situations where you get a chance to apply all the things you learned in school. It can be exciting, scary, and heartwarming all at the same time. Here are some valuable things I have learned as an intern and by sharing them I hope that it will help you be prepared and get the most out of your internship.
Go easy on yourself and do your best
You are here to learn. Remember that you will not be perfect when you first start, and that is okay. Making mistakes, stumbling through sessions, or struggling to understand certain concepts is all part of the process. This does not mean you shouldn’t try your best though.
Thoroughly researching the populations you work with, brainstorming interventions, and asking for feedback from your peers and supervisors will help you to develop your skills as a budding music therapist.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that session planning is really important.
It is good to schedule a good chunk of time for session planning and preparation. This includes writing out your session plans and preparing any prompting aids such as visuals. It is also wise to come prepared to sessions ten to fifteen minutes early, as there may be unexpected issues to resolve.
Seek feedback and constructive criticism
It can sometimes be rather uncomfortable to take feedback, especially when there are a lot of things to improve. However, as stated above, you are not expected to be perfect. Taking constructive criticism with a humble and sincere ear will help you to improve and save you lots of difficulty down the road when you are a professional.
After every session, make a habit to ask for feedback. Make it clear that you are happy to hear about things you can improve. This will help your supervisor know that they are invited to provide constructive criticism, and you agree to take it in stride so you can grow into the best music therapist you can be. As for applying the feedback, make notes of everything and review the points in future session planning and preparation.
Confronting your shortcomings is important, and it is also equally important to foster your strengths. Make a habit to ask about things that you did well, or aspects of your work where your supervisor sees potential.
Throughout your internship, you will have regular supervision meetings. Take advantage of this time! Here, you have the opportunity to glean insight from the experience your supervisor has accumulated. Come prepared with educated questions and a willingness to explore the places they lead you to.
Communication is key
Communication is an essential skill in any profession. A helpful tip regarding communication is that overkill is better than negligence. Always make sure to communicate through multiple methods. For example, when sending a report to a teammate, it doesn’t hurt to send a text along with it to make sure that they received the message.
When you are communicating verbally in a meeting, it is a good habit to take notes and email the notes with whoever you met afterwards. This will help to reinforce the information for yourself, and to make sure you and the person you met with are on the same page.
Another thing to remember is that disagreements are inevitable. If there is a disagreement, make sure to be humble and practice cordial communication. Always remain calm, as there is a chance that there was a misunderstanding. Making a habit to admit when you’re wrong and to take responsibility for yourself will go a long way for developing your character and building healthy relationships with others.
Be patient
You’re not going to become a master in a day. To become a competent music therapist takes time. Striving and struggling to better yourself everyday should be balanced by a loving sense of self-regard. Remember to be patient with yourself as you show up everyday and do the work.
This also applies to your clients/patients and in some cases, their parents or caregiver. Whether you are facilitating education or rehabilitation, know that they will not improve overnight. The therapeutic process is a journey that you embark on with your client/patient.
Take care of yourself
Anything worthwhile will not be easy to achieve. Taking time to clean your living space, organize your things, get some exercise, and eat healthy food will make your life so much easier when you are going through the day-to-day grind of internship. Equip yourself with coping strategies that will help to handle stress when it inevitably comes your way. Practice breathing, walk in nature, build healthy relationships, watch inspiring movies, and take time to enjoy hobbies that bring you a sense of peace. These small aspects of our life can make a big impact in our work lives. For example, if you don’t maintain a proper sleep schedule, it might be more difficult to be present with and serve your clients.
Cultivate yourself
Developing your skills as a musician and clinician is very important. The more capable you are, the more you can serve your community. The skillset of a music therapist encompasses a vast range of skills. Here are a couple subjects to consider:
- Music theory/ear training
Music theory and ear training are coupled in this point because they are virtually inseparable. These are very useful things to know as a music therapist. Understanding music theory means that you can navigate music with ease because you understand the patterns. This means that you can learn music more easily and can improvise with greater fluency. For example, you might start playing a song in a certain key, and find that it is too high or low for the client. Being able to seamlessly transpose a song is a very useful skill in the treatment setting.
A good habit to form is to look up the chords from your list of repertoire songs every day. An even better exercise is to feel through the song with your ear and look up the chords after. This will help to develop your instrumental, ear training, and music theory skills through a regular and quick activity.
- Instrumentation
Music therapists are trained in guitar, drums, piano, and vocals because they typically use each of these every day. This can be overwhelming, although it doesn’t have to be. Give yourself a SMART goal for the day. Focus on one instrument at a time, and devote a short time to practice a small thing in that instrument. For example, if you choose to focus on guitar today, a SMART goal might be to practice transitioning from the C chord to A minor chord for 10 minutes. While it might not feel like you’ve made tremendous progress, it will surely accumulate as days go by. This is much more effective than exhausting yourself by spinning your wheels trying to learn everything at once and getting nothing done.
- Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence refers to one’s ability to understand one’s own emotions and to recognize and empathize with the emotions of others. This is a very useful skill when working with clients/patients. When you are more emotionally in touch with the people around you, you are better able to navigate any situation and help people to learn or rehabilitate themselves. Here is an article for more information on emotional intelligence.
In conclusion, your internship is an exciting time where you get an opportunity to develop yourself as a person and future music therapist. You don’t have to be perfect, and simply showing up every day is a big step in the right direction. Be humble, tenacious, patient, and strive to improve everyday. Know that if you feel intimidated or nervous, that is exactly where you should be. We can only grow when we journey outside of our current zone of knowledge and competence. The process of growth involves a little bit of discomfort and uncertainty, but it is always a worthwhile venture.
Finally, remember to stop and take the time to appreciate the moment and people around you. In hindsight, this time will pass quickly and you will likely be left with fond memories of the experiences and people you interacted with.
Enjoy the journey!
Written by Alec Johnson, Music Therapy Intern
