Today Ellisa, Maggie and Kristin sit down to wrap up 2020 with the 20 things we learned this past year.  Each of us also share a song that encompasses the year 2020 and share some exciting news coming in 2021. 

20 Things We Learned in 2020:

1. Changes are hard: tune into your body and mind's capacity to know what you need to successfully navigate those transitions.
2. Importance of treating yourself like a plant: you need sunshine, fresh air, lots of water and gentle hands. 
3. Growth happens even in the rocky places:  learning to improvise and be creative when times are rough. 
4. You can never have too much toilet paper!
5. Not to take things for granted, big or small: there is great beauty in living life with eyes wide open and taking moments to pause and be grateful. 
6. It's okay to not be okay: taking time for yourself to recoup and reset can be one of the most valuable ways to spend your time.
7. Importance of flexibility: being able to bend is a skill that saves you from breaking and allows you to be innovative. 
8. Everything will work out the way it needs to: things may not happen the way you imagine, but it will always work out the way it needs to. 
9. Screens can be addicting: Important to break the habit that develops from screen time. 
10. You can learn new things (like cooking): the extra time at home this year allowed opportunities to learn new skills like baking bread, making candy and creating new recipes. 
11. Hard work for the right cause and with the right focus is worth it every time!
12. Savings is essential:  it is important to prioritize savings when times are good so you can weather times of scarcity. 
13. Knowing yourself is powerful and allows you to communicate with grace and understanding:  hone in on who you are outside of the hats you wear. 
14. Too much of a good thing is still too much!
15. Rest is necessary and not all rest is created equal:  learning to rest is hard work and takes intention and diligence.
16. Being a musician translates to adapting to circumstances:  relying on your instincts in the therapy session, as a team and in life!
17. We need support to thrive: we are not an island and the support of a team is essential especially in times of creative fatigue.
18. Authenticity is foundational for a team: show up as yourself in all things!
19. Importance of a team that works towards a common goal: streamlines and focuses collaborative growth
20. Knowing your team is important: know their personalities, how they need to be recognized to feel appreciated, how they communicate, and other characteristics can highly improve your team culture, job satisfaction and productivity!

3 songs that encompass 2020 for us: 

1. "Up Against the Wall" by The Head and the Heart
2. "The Age of Worry" by John Mayer (cover version by Madison Cunningham - mentioned in podcast)
3. "I Am Light" by India Arie 

Exciting news for 2021 - we are switching things up and transitioning to a new podcast: Music Therapy and Beyond

Find us on Instagram @musictherapyandbeyond and at www.musictherapyandbeyond.com. 

Today we sit down with our senior intern, Lexie Gutierrez, to chat all about her journey to music therapy.  Lexie shares inspiration, helpful hints and resources for music therapy students, interns and new professionals. 

Show notes: 

Resilience Over Burnout: A Self-Care Guide for Music Therapists

Quizlet

The Drury Story: Frank Clippinger

A Promised Land: Barack Obama

Becoming: Michelle Obama

The Presidents Club: Nancy Gibbs

Thirteenth Tale: Diane Setterfield

Introduction to Music Therapy Theory and Practice

Music Therapy: An Introduction to the Profession

New Music Therapists Handbook 

Lexie's Spotify Playlists

Today Ellisa and Kristin sit down to learn about music therapy in Israel and Ireland.  We discuss degree programs, curriculum, recognition, history of music, and the current status of music therapy in each country.  

Show Notes

Israel:

The European Music Therapy Confederation: Israel

Healing Music of Ancient Israel - Music in NICU

The Lord Taylor Music Therapy Clinic

The Clinical and Theoretical Trends of Music Therapists: The Israeli Case

Ireland:

Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists (IACAT): Music Therapy

MA Music Therapy - Irish World Academy

MA Music Therapy - Irish World Academy Video

Music Therapy in Ireland: An Overview of Music Therapy in Irish Soil

Polyphony - IACAT Journal

COVID-19: Creative Arts Therapists Crossing the Digital Divide in Ireland

Thank you for listening and for the work you do in your home and workplace!

Contact us at givingsong@gmail.com

Visit us at www.themusictherapypodcast.com for more episodes.

Follow Us on Instagram and Facebook and on our website at www.givingsong.org.

"When in doubt...make music!"

This is the second episode of this Transitions Mini Series where we look at how transitions affect our life and work; especially during this time of pandemic.  Transitions effect each person differently and today we discuss examples, strategies and how music can play a big role in helping us build resilience in our personal and professional lives.  

Show Notes

Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D

Video (Managing Transitions: Neurosequential Network Stress & Trauma Series 2020)

Self-Care Strategies:

The Self-Care Institute 

Self-Care Guide for Music Therapists

Developing a Self-Care Plan

100 Strategies To Help You Practice Self-Care

100 Things To Do For Self-Care

100+ Free Self-Care Ideas

Affirmations:

25 Daily Affirmations To Improve Your Mindset

10 Bedtime Affirmations

Science of Affirmations:

Positive Daily Affirmations: Is There Science Behind It? - Positive Psychology Article Review

To Affirm or Not Affirm? - Psychology Today Article

Other Tools: 

Headspace: Mindfulness and Guided Meditation App

Self-Care Hour - Live Weekly Experiential Worship 

Daily Mindful Walking Practice - Mindful

SLEEP:

Why Do We Need Sleep? - Sleep Foundation

How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? - Sleep Foundation

Thank you for listening and for the work you do in your home and workplace!

Contact us at givingsong@gmail.com

Visit us at www.themusictherapypodcast.com

Follow Us on Instagram and Facebook and on our website at www.givingsong.org.

"When in doubt...make music!"

Giving Song music therapy interns, Aubri & Lexie, sit down to discuss all things internship: preparation, expectations, capacity, self-care and recommendations.  Insights to interns from interns. 

Today Kristin walks us through transitions and how they affect our lives, the lives of our clients and others, and the culture and health of organizations and teams. This is the beginning of a transitions series where we dig into different areas of life and gleam insight from research and practice to aid in the transitions in our personal and professional life. 

Show Notes: 

Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D

Neurosequential Model

Video (Managing Transitions: Neurosequential Network Stree & Trauma Series 2020)

Kindred Collective (Columbia, MO)

Thank you for listening and for the work you do in your home and workplace! 

Contact us at givingsong@gmail.com

Visit us at www.themusictherapypodcast.com 

Follow Us on Instagram and Facebook and on our website at www.givingsong.org.

"When in doubt...make music!"

Today we sit down with Ellisa Morris and discuss the challenges and hidden joys in the journey from student to professional.  Ellisa shares resources and insights to help you make the most of this transition in your life and resources to avoid common pitfalls along the way.

Show Notes 

Ellisa Morris' Soundcloud

Resources:

Six-Month Chrysalis: Stories, insights, and lessons from two decades of music therapy internship experiences

Therapy Game Genre: A few on Amazon

---------------

What Ellisa's reading: The Far Pavilions by, M.M. Kaye

What Ellisa's listening to: The Wilds (Spotify Playlist); Ambient (Spotify Playlist)

Thank you for listening today!

Please reach out with any questions or podcast ideas at givingsong@gmail.com and visit us at www.themusictherapypodcast.com and www.givingsong.org.

“Please share our episodes with your friends and family and rate and review wherever you listen.  Reviews mean so much and we appreciate your feedback.

"When in doubt, make music!"

Giving Song introduces our new intern Lexie who joins Aubri and Ellisa to talk about international music therapy. Let's learn, together! 

Links from the episode: 

• “Higher Ground”, Stevie Wonder- Cover by Playing for Change- https://youtu.be/3hGSqqhhokE
  
• Music Therapy Conversations, UK Podcast: https://www.bamt.org/british-association-for-music-therapy-resources/podcasts.html
  

Today we sit down with Amanda Turnbull MME-MT, MT-BC.  Amanda fills us in on how music therapy has influenced her life and work. Amanda shares many valuable moments of learning, thoughtfulness, and introspection.  You can benefit from this episode no matter who you are: student, professional, musician, community leader, or parent. 

Show notes: 

Book: "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism" - https://www.amazon.com/White-Fragility-People-About-Racism/dp/0807047414

Music: 

Jason Mraz: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4phGZZrJZRo4ElhRtViYdl

Wicked: https://open.spotify.com/album/1woCvthHJakakroP6dXNxs

Into the Spider-Verse: https://open.spotify.com/album/35s58BRTGAEWztPo9WqCIs

Thank you for listening and please rate and review wherever you listen. 

Contact us with questions or ideas at givingsong@gmail.com

Visit us at www.themusictherapypodcast.com and at www.givingsong.org for more information about music therapy services. 

Today, we'll be highlighting another musician, Sam Cooke, sometimes called the King of Soul or Architect of Soul.  We'll be talking about his upbringing in the church, his journey as a singer, a songwriter, and producer, as well as his impact, legacy, and innovation in music.

Show Notes: 

spotify:artist:6hnWRPzGGKiapVX1UCdEAC

Join the movement and chalk it forward! Follow the #rockonproject on Instagram @givingsongllc or check it out at: www.rockonproject.com; www.givingsong.org/rockonproject

As music therapists, we strive to be educated on all things music. Today's spotlight episode will shed some light on the American singer/songwriter Carl Perkins as we learn about how the "King of Rockabilly" became one of the most influential musicians of all time.

Ellisa interviews music therapist and CEO of Giving Song, LLC- Kristin Veteto MM, MT-BC. Kristin shares about private practice ownership, resources for how she learned how to become a successful business owner and how she juggles her personal and professional lives while staying creative and inspired. 

Kristin’s Top 5 Tips for Building and Running a Music Therapy Business:

1. Think it all the way through!

• When starting out, think 1, 2, 5, 10, 15 years in advance in an effort to make foundational and informed choices on mission, priorities, and team atmosphere for various levels of business growth and size.
  

2. Learn to lead!

• Take time to learn about different styles of leadership, strategies for leading and inspiring a team, and the day-to-day strategies to best lead and manage a team.
  

3. Self-Care for YOU!

• As a music therapist and business owner there is a lot of work and you can burnout easily doing both.
  
• Invest in your self-care and identify and maintain strategies for you!
  
• Create boundaries around your work/home time and your leadership tasks.
  

4. Self-Care for your team!

• Put specific strategies, checkpoints, and accountability measures in place from the beginning to encourage your staff to actively engage in self-care.
  

5. Be Clear!

• Be clear from the beginning and write down the roles in your business.
  
• Identify your leadership style and communicate that clearly to your employees.
  
• Communicate clearly your expectations and give your staff an opportunity to communicate their expectations of you as the owner/manager.
  

Links from the episode- 

Building and Running a Music Therapy Business:

Music Therapy Business Owners Network (Facebook Group)

Meredith Roman Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC (Roman Music Therapy Services): Business Coaching and Mastermind

Creative Entrepreneurs:

Being Boss Podcast

Being Boss Book

Leadership Resources:

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Life and Work Balance:

Cultivate by Laura Casey

Powersheets Goal Planner (Cultivate What Matters)

Self-Care for Music Therapists:

The Harmony Resources with Ami Kunimura MA, MT-BC

Ellisa and Holley talk about Holley's relationship between being a performing musician and being a music therapist and how she stays inspired and creative in both aspects. 

Links from episode: 

• 10 tips on becoming a performing musician:  https://www.careersinmusic.com/how-to-become-a-musician/
  
• How to Write a Song: https://www.dittomusic.com/blog/how-to-write-a-song-10-tips-on-how-to-boost-your-creative-side-when-writing-songs
  
• Essential Gig Gear Checklist: https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/blog/2014/05/28/essential-gig-gear-checklist/#
  
• How to book gigs for yourself: https://www.musicindustryhowto.com/how-to-book-gigs-for-yourself-as-an-independent-solo-artist-or-band/
  
• 26 Gig terms you need to know: https://blog.sonicbids.com/gig-booking-101-26-terms-you-need-to-know

Repertoire Challenge:

• What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong: https://youtu.be/CWzrABouyeE
   

Music Therapy interns (or anyone needing to brush up for state licensure testing), this one's for you! Aubrianna (currently studying) and Ellisa (recently certified) talk study tips, "do's and don'ts" and what materials to get to ace the board exam and become a certified MT-BC. 

Links from the episode: 

• CBMT Candidate Handbook: https://www.cbmt.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CBMT_Handbook_2019.pdf
  
• Passing the CBMT Blog, Part 1: https://blog.metromusicmakers.com/blog/2019/09/the-journey-of-a-music-therapist-passing-the-cbmt-exam-part-1
  
• The Music Therapy Intern’s Declassified Survival Guide: https://www.heartandharmony.com/passing-the-music-therapy-board-exam/
  

Ellisa and Aubri deliver a short but power-packed episode on what "people-first" language is. Challenge yourself to listen and help change the conversation around language of difference. 

Links from the episode: 

• Person-First Language Vocabulary Chart-  https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/pdf/disabilityposter_photos.pdf
  
• People-First Language Do’s and Dont’s- https://askearn.org/topics/retention-advancement/disability-etiquette/people-first-language/
  
• Kathryn Poe Article- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/words-shape-disability-why-language-matters_b_58c58b8ae4b0c3276fb78658
  
• Language and Mental Health: https://hogg.utexas.edu/news-resources/publications/language-matters-in-mental-health
  
• Be Alright, Kehlani- https://youtu.be/RAMLtiyPT2A
  

Ellisa and Aubri give an overview of some things to know about preparing to work with different populations, across the lifespan. 

Links from the episode: 

• “Falling Off the Cliff: Part 1, A Crisis for the Disabled” https://www.inquirer.com/columnists/inq/falling-off-cliff-part-1-lack-solutions-adults-with-disabilities-creates-crisis-20171202.html
• Piaget’s Cognitive Stages: https://www.learningrx.com/4-cognitive-stages-for-child-development/
• CDC’s Developmental Milestone Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
• 4 Phases of Aging: Beyond Erikson’s Integrity vs. Despair: https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-report/focus/family-focus-aging/four-phases-aging-beyond-erikson-s-integrity-versus-despair
• Aging and the Body: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/aging/art-20046070
• Have You Ever Seen the Rain by CCR:    https://youtu.be/g4flAZEgtjs

Aubri and Ellisa chat about the personal and professional qualifications of becoming an MT-BC and how to assess if it's the major and career for you! 

Links from the episode: 

• https://majoringinmusic.com/becoming-a-music-therapist/
  
  • https://www.musictherapy.org/careers/employment/#A_CAREER_IN_MT
    
  • https://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-want-to-be-music-therapist
    
  • https://majoringinmusic.com/music-therapy-calling/
    
  • You've Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman in Toy Story: https://youtu.be/DNZUKm0ApEM

Join us for the conclusion of "Surviving Pandemic" as Aubri and Ellisa talk through a long list of people and platforms to check out as they discuss online music therapy communities and resources. Dig in! 

Websites:

• Giving Song Website - https://www.givingsong.org/about
• Rachel Rambach’s Blog - https://listenlearnmusic.com/blog
• Rachelle Morgan- https://soundscapingsource.com/about/

Music Therapy Podcasts:

• http://www.imamusictherapist.com/mt-podcasts/

Instagram & Facebook MT Accounts: 

• Therabeat Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/therabeat/
• MTSA Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mtsa_mu/
• FlourishMusictherapy Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/flourishmusictherapy/
• SERAMTA- https://www.instagram.com/fake_seramta/
• Music Therapy Memes - https://www.instagram.com/musictherapymemes/
• Music Therapy St. Louis - https://www.instagram.com/musictherapystl/
• Love, Paden - https://www.instagram.com/love_paden_/

Youtube Channels: 

• Rachel Rambach - https://www.youtube.com/user/RachelRambach
• Hayley Echols - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ouW47Q1cSmL4tzFec8Zzg/featured
• GCSG Music Therapy - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmgQGCavTpYcOrpiXCcbr5g/videos
• Creative Music Making Documentry - https://www.pbs.org/video/creative-music-making-this-is-me-wyq7lp/
• "High Notes" Movie -  www.highnotesthemovie.com  
• Ryan Judd- https://youtu.be/XjxvyrE_DlA

Repertoire Challenge: 

• Panic at the Disco- "High Hopes" -  https://youtu.be/IPXIgEAGe4U  

CMTE E-Courses: 

Heart and Harmony Article- https://www.heartandharmony.com/online-cmtes/

Ellisa and Aubri recap a wonderful article posted in Psychology Today, breaking it down with suggestions on how to use music to cope with COVID-19. 

Links from episode: 

Discussion Article:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/neuroscience-in-everyday-life/202003/10-things-the-brain-does-in-response-pandemic
Kingston Perry Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4SopTLTnAbfXC53hc0mkbi?si=Kn6RMsGWSDKrOF8zFIsy4w
John Krasinski’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOe_y6KKvS3PdIfb9q9pGug
Three Little Birds https://youtu.be/zaGUr6wzyT8  

Dehydration and Hunger https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321725