Dear future intern…
Dear future intern,
Internship can be a difficult time, but trust me, it is so rewarding. You will learn so much not only about the music therapy experience, but also discover things about yourself you never knew. When I first got accepted into my internship program, I had no idea the enriching experiences I would soon discover. I also was unaware of the things that I did not know. I almost wish I had a music therapy “older brother or sister” to help me through the process. I know where you are- it is overwhelming! You are juggling keeping your grades up in school, applying to different internships, and afraid of the unknown. Let me put your mind at ease- everything is going to work out how it needs to work out. As music therapy students, we tend to be perfectionists and want things to go according to plan. Although I cannot predict how your internship is going to go and I am only one individual, allow me to be that older sibling to help give you some tips to be as successful as possible going into your internship. My tips and tricks are as follows:
1. It is important to keep an open mind and take things in stride in order to grow into the therapist you’ve always wanted to be. Critiquing is a part of the process. Try not to take anything too personally- your therapists want to see you grow and thrive! They are on your side!
2. If you are a voice major, learn how to therapeutically sing. In our education, we may have learned at least 4 different languages with classical flair and style. Without any surprise, we do not use this type of singing in therapy. To prepare, learn how to sing different styles of music (i.e. rock, folk, traditional, childrens, jazz, etc.) as well as learn how to sing in your lower register. In most cases, you want the client to sing with you, your singing needs to be accessible to clients who have not had prior voice training. If you are singing in too high or too low of registers while using vibrato, your clients are not going to know which note to sing! Break down your singing to its simplest parts and allow your singing to support your client.
3. Be ready to learn and play lots of scales on the piano and guitar! As an intern, one needs to be comfortable and prepared to play the piano. Be prepared to switch keys, move up and down chromatically, and play scales. Additionally, for adapted lessons, learn how to do more than just accompany yourself with lead sheets. Learn how to read and play simple sheet music to teach your clients. Start small and improve your skills.
4. Practice everything with a metronome! With music therapy, a lot of your interventions may depend on tempo and a steady beat. This can be for elements such as prompting or sequencing. The sooner you feel the beat as second-nature, the more comfortable you feel incorporating it into your interventions.
5. Learn more about music technology. Using music technology in this day and age is up and coming. With this, you will be able to use it as a tool to work on so many goals. You can use it for songwriting, improvisation, and more. Be familiar with music softwares (such as Garageband) for interventions and experiences with your clients!
6. When planning sessions, the goal is to think about how the music is supporting the client’s goals. In undergrad, since we have so many classes and assignments on our plate, we may feel like we need to plan “activities” that may work on a specific goal. We may also go to other sources like Pinterest and blogs to find ideas. While this can be a tool, train yourself now to look at a client’s goals and objectives and then prepare an intervention. It does not have to be complex! If anything, the more simple the better- This goes for the client as well as you, as the intern, for documentation purposes. Work out that creative brain muscle!
7. Write notes for everything! Before you know it, the internship is going to be so busy with so many responsibilities that you cannot remember everything. Whether it is post-it notes, an iPad (which I highly recommend having!), or even on your hand, the littlest things need notes too! This will help with organization and making sure you are well-prepared for anything! If you like to color code like me, make it fun! Have a designated place (like a cork board) to put your notes. Staying organized with a planner, daily agenda, and notes is key!
8. Take time to take care of yourself! Yes, this seems like a cookie-cutter piece of advice. However, if you are not well, you will not perform well. Ways to do this can be setting yourself up for success at work (i.e. creating a work vs. chill space, setting apart specific times for work, holding yourself accountable, etc.), or making sure you are happy and healthy (i.e. exercising, going to therapy, journaling, having stability and structure, maintaining hobbies that make you happy, etc.). Self-care is not easy! It may mean you have to push yourself to do things you don’t necessarily want to do. If you put in the work to take care of yourself, you will save a lot of undue stress.
9. Be comfortable with your leading skills! For this, it may mean to write a task analysis of how to lead a specific intervention step-by-step. Think of hypothetical situations that may occur during the intervention (i.e. a child is getting distracted, an older adult is not engaged, etc.). This will help you to fully adapt in the moment when leading without missing a beat! Additionally, as a future music therapist, you need to have a “therapist stance” no matter the population. For example, if you are a young intern leading a group with older adults, be confident in your leadership. Even though you are younger than this group, they are relying on you to be confident in your abilities since you are leading them. Additionally, this may mean “faking it till you make it.” Typically, I am a laid back, friendly individual. While this is okay, some groups may require higher energy, like kids. To be the most effective, put on a “mask” to give what the clients need. In the end, you still want to be genuine. However, different groups or individuals require different qualities of a therapist. This ultimately means to be comfortable with oneself as an intern or music therapist.
10. The way you give instructions is so crucial to a client’s success. Every music therapy student is different, however, I feel like we also have a lot in common. Typically, we are kind and are not overbearing in any way. In school, I called us the “woodland fairies” of our university because of our positive and meek behaviors. Going into your internship, prepare to be more firm and direct. No, you will not be seen as pushy, I promise. Instead of asking the client, “Can you do ______?” rather, say, “do this.” For example, simple instructions and minimal verbiage is more effective for a child. This gives the child a sense of not only authority, but direct instructions they can respond to. If you ask something in a question, the client has the opportunity to say “no.” For memory care, too many filler words can be confusing and could allow this population to lose their train of thought. Again, the less words, the better. The more direct, the better. Practice this now to break the habit before you go to your internship.
Overall, internship is a rollercoaster of an experience. Everybody’s experience is going to be different and unique. Even though the thought of moving someplace new is terrifying, remember that it is temporary. Think of it like this- Internship is the last stepping stone you face before you take your test to be certified as a music therapist. Without this experience, nobody would be prepared to enter the world of music therapy. It requires you to grow in ways you never knew and allows you to make mistakes. This leads me to my last piece of advice (and probably the most important): Have fun and enjoy this experience! People have told me that it goes by in a flash, and they are absolutely right. Cherish the moment, work hard, and enjoy the process. This is your time and nobody can take it away from you. Even though it is difficult, you will reap the amazing rewards of the music therapy practice. Believe in yourself and your abilities. You are capable and you are enough!
Sincerely,
Taylor Luiz (Current Music Therapy Intern)
