Thanks so much for watching my video and heading over to Listen & Learn Music! I’m excited to share “The Toolbox Song” with you because it truly is one of the most effective tools in my musical toolbox (pun totally intended).
My students and clients request this song time and time again, and I am always happy to oblige, because it allows me to work on so many goals at the same time.
To receive the mp3, instrumental track, lyrics/chords and facilitation guide, simply enter your first name and email address below. Then I’ll deliver the download link to your inbox.
Cabasa Bossa Nova
The cabasa is one of those instruments I use all the time, in both my music therapy sessions and classes. Its tactile qualities make it interesting and fun for kids to play, and doing so is great for working on those fine motor skills.
This is only the second dedicated cabasa song I’ve written (here’s the first), though I definitely see more in my future since it’s such a frequently used instrument. I will warn you, sometimes I get this song stuck in my head…and it’s reeeeally hard to get out ;)
The cabasa makes a great passing instrument, which is how we use it in our classes since we don’t have enough for every child. It’s an excellent exercise in sharing, since most kids aren’t too happy to give it up — we may need to invest in a full set of cabasas eventually.
Members of Listen & Learn Plus! have access to all of the above in our shared Dropbox folder. Membership includes just about everything else in my resource library and collection — come over and join us!
Making CONNECTIONS Every Day
I used to be self-conscious of the fact that my company offers other services in addition to music therapy. As much as I loved providing typical and adapted lessons as well as early childhood classes, I wondered if that somehow made Music Therapy Connections less than other music therapy practices.
But it didn’t take long for me to realize that providing those other services in and of itself was a hugely effective way of advocating for music therapy. Families who brought their children for piano, voice, or guitar lessons would often ask what music therapy was all about, and they were responsible for the bulk of my referrals. The awareness of music therapy in my community was growing as a result of their word of mouth.
This started happening in the early days, when my studio was still located in my home. Moving our business into the music store in 2014 was a gigantic step for music therapy, because now the store management and employees were witnessing and referring our services.
But the game-changer was having a sign — easily visible from a highly trafficked street — with the words “MUSIC THERAPY” on them.
For my partner Katey and I, our role as “connectors” when it comes to advocating for music therapy has increased tenfold since turning our private practice into a brick-and-mortar operation. At least a few times a week, people walk through our doors wanting to learn more about music therapy and how it can help their family member.
Our families who are there for services other than music therapy are seeing and learning about what we do as music therapists just by being in the building, and they in turn are connectors as well.
This is Social Media Advocacy Month in the world of music therapy, and I’m proud to be playing my part by spreading the word not only on a local level just by going to work every day, but also by blogging and posting on social media about our field regularly. You can help, too:
If you’re a music therapist yourself:
- Develop your music therapy “elevator speech” and give it. Often.
- Share information about the work you do with friends and colleagues in related fields.
- Give our your cards and brochures to anyone and in anyplace you think might benefit from music therapy.
- Seize every opportunity to participate in fairs, expos, and other public events.
- Take to social media! Use and follow the #mtadvocacy hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to stay current with the latest happenings.
If you have benefited from music therapy or know someone who has:
- Spread the word about what music therapy can do.
- Share music therapy success stories with your healthcare providers and other professionals.
- Support and attend music therapy-related events and programs. Invite your friends.
- Give referrals to others who you think may be able to benefit from music therapy.
Be sure to visit the Music Therapy State Recognition website for more posts about #MTadvocacy throughout the month of January.
Out of Reach from Little Hands
One of the biggest frustrations we faced during early childhood classes at our previous location was the placement of our instruments and equipment. We were constantly redirecting our students away from the guitar, which sat in a floor stand when we weren’t using it, and trying to keep little hands out of the drawers of our rolling instrument cart.
So when we moved to our new studio and had complete control over how the room was designed, our first priority was to structure the room in a way that instruments and equipment were out of reach and no longer a distraction for everyone.
We considered a few different solutions, and then one day Katey sent me a photo of the slatwall that was hung all over the walls of the music store in which we were previously located. Why didn’t we think of that sooner!?
So we picked up sheets of slatwall from our local hardware store, which were easy enough to drill into the walls and then stock with accessories for hanging and storing, which were purchased here.
We also installed guitar wall mounts in our group rooms and in our individual lesson/session rooms so that our guitars and ukuleles could be kept out of reach.
Our storage solutions have not only allowed us to keep our instruments and equipments better protected, but they have also made lots more floor space for our students and families during classes. This has come in very handy as our numbers have grown quite a bit since moving to our new studio!
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 48
It’s hard to believe almost an entire year has gone by since launching this podcast. I have loved getting the opportunity to interview 48 amazing guests and learning so much about parenthood and music therapy along the way.
But in accordance with my motto for 2016, I’m taking some time off from the podcast before launching season 2. Knowing this would be the last episode for a while, I reached out to someone who I greatly admire as a clinician, business owner, and person in general. I was thrilled when Jamie George agreed to be my final guest of season 1, and as expected, this is one of my favorite interviews yet.
Jamie talks candidly about the premature birth of her son and how it affected her, providing music therapy to him in the NICU, and life as a business owner after becoming a mom in Episode 48 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Jamie, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode. And so that I can better plan Season 2 of the podcast, please take just a minute to answer 4 quick questions.
Three Words for 2016
Happy New Year! Another year has flashed before my eyes, as they all seem to do. I’ve been looking forward to sitting down and writing about my thoughts on 2016, but first I want to reflect on 2015.
At the start of what has proved to be the craziest year of my life thus far, I vowed to give myself more grace. However, I managed to do just the opposite: instead, I tried to be superwoman right out of the gate.
In the midst of settling into a new house and growing a baby, I took on two huge projects (creating a podcast and writing a songbook) all while growing my studio and private practice exponentially. I pushed myself mercilessly, staying up way too late and getting up early to fit it all in. I tricked myself into thinking I could handle ALL THE THINGS, and that I wasn’t sacrificing my own health and sanity.
But in December, I was done. The lack of sleep, along with the pressure I’d been putting on myself for the past 11 months, caught up with me, and I spent pretty much the entire month dealing with bronchitis, a bout of the flu, and just generally feeling terrible.
So at the end of the month, when my business partner Katey and I got together to plan for 2016, we came up with three words that would become our motto for the year:
Instead of adding to my plate, I’m putting things on the back burner. I’m focusing only on what matters most, with my family and health at the top of the list.
2015 was a lesson in what happens when self-care goes out the window, and it’s one I don’t want to learn again…ever. There will come a time when I’m not caring for an infant around the clock, when I’m sleeping through the night, when I have chunks of time for myself; but that time is not now. 2016 is about embracing that reality and adjusting my expectations accordingly.
I’m not setting any hard and fast resolutions or goals for myself this year, but there are some things I’d like to do that fit well with my 2016 motto, including:
- exercising regularly
- eating healthier
- going to bed earlier
- writing more often
- spending less time scrolling (internet/social media)
Every time I sense my proverbial plate starting to get a little too heavy, I’m coming back to those 3 words: simplify, streamline, self-care. I have a good feeling about this year, and I’m excited to see where it takes me. As I say every year, thanks for reading and coming along for the ride!
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 47
I met Gretchen Chardos Benner a couple years ago when we sat down for coffee at the AMTA national conference in Jacksonville, Florida. We talked about private practice, having kids, and life in general — we had a lot in common!
Gretchen gave me great advice back then, as she was a few years into the parenting game already and I was brand new to it. She shares some of that advice and much more in this week’s podcast episode.
Gretchen talks about following in her sister’s footsteps to become the second music therapist in her family, pursuing her masters degree while working full-time, and how she makes music with her family at home in Episode 47 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Gretchen, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
Five Tall Trees
I’ve been on a seasonal counting kick these last few months, which you know full well if you’ve been in a music therapy session or early childhood class at Music Therapy Connections this fall. In September we counted apples, in October we counted pumpkins, and right now we’re counting trees.
In keeping with the theme, we use five laminated “trees” cut of of green construction paper to accompany the song Five Tall Trees, which always brings our helpers to the front of the room during class (my son Parker is usually the first to run up and assist in counting!).
Each time we take away a tree, we count the remaining trees, so our students get a lot of practice counting up to 5, 4, 3, 2, and then 1. We point to the trees as well as hold up the correct number of fingers, which encourages them to do so as well.
This song template is super simple, but it is a favorite in every session. Time to start planning counting songs — and making the visuals to go with them — for the winter months!
Members of Listen & Learn Plus! have access to this song along with just about everything else in my resource library and collection — come over and join us!
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 46
This week’s podcast guest didn’t start out as a music therapy major — or even a music major — in college. She actually began her undergraduate career as an engineering student, but eventually made the switch once she discovered music therapy.
Her math, science and engineering courses would later come in very handy, as you’ll hear in the episode. Ginny Driscoll has one of the coolest jobs of all the music therapists I know.
Ginny talks about her work as a music therapy researcher, pursuing her PhD while raising two girls, and how she includes her daughters in her self-care practices in Episode 46 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Ginny, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
It’s Time for Little Jingles!
Last December, we offered our very first holiday-themed music class at Music Therapy Connections and it was a such a blast. I mean, what’s better than singing about reindeer and clicking reindeer hooves (a.k.a. castanets) with a bunch of kids?!
So of course we brought back Little Jingles this year, and we have a completely full class starting tomorrow evening. This year, Katey and I kept some favorite songs and activities from last year in the rotation, and we added a few new ones as well. The session is a mix of both familiar and completely original songs with lots of opportunities for singing, dancing, and instrument playing.
Just as we’ve done with many of our other class sessions, we’ve made our Little Jingles package available at Listen & Learn for Leaders, which is a resource we created for therapists, educators and parents.
This facilitator package includes a guide with a list of instruments, materials and instructions/suggestions for each song, as well as a lyric packet for participants, chords for the facilitator, and collection of mp3s.
You can purchase it as a standalone product, or get it for free when you become a VIP member (more about that here).
We’re super excited about kicking off the month of December with our Little Jingles class, and we invite you to join us in leading it with your own students, clients, and families!
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 45
I’ve written a lot of songs, but this week’s podcast guest may have written just as many — if not more! Amanda Ellis works in an educational setting and is constantly coming up with new songs to teach all kinds of topics, which is how we first connected many years ago.
I’ve enjoyed getting to know Amanda through social media and watching her son Robert grow up on Facebook, so it was really nice getting the chance to chat about both professional and personal aspects on her life for the podcast.
Amanda talks about her approach to providing music therapy to 30+ classrooms each week, her son’s impressive musicality as the child of two musicians, and the importance of communication between working parents in Episode 45 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Amanda, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
This episode is sponsored by Serenade Designs, which is owned by board-certified music therapist Julie Palmieri. Julie helps her fellow music therapists create, enhance, and rock their online presence.
Through Julie’s website design services, social media and online marketing services, and virtual assistance, she’s here to help you rock your online presence — while making it all feel effortless. She assists music therapists in having a strong representation on the web so that they can focus on working in the field they love — music therapy.
Julie understands what it’s like being a busy business owner as well as a Momma. :) You can learn more about how Julie can help you with your online presence at serenade-designs.com.