music therapy | Upstate Music Therapy Center LLC

World Music Therapy Week 2024

by Amy Thomas | Apr 3, 2024

This blog was written by Robin Neary and Amy Thomas.

Happy World Music Therapy week! It brings us joy to know that all around the world music therapists are coming together to celebrate and educate our communities on our profession. This year, Upstate Music Therapy Center would like to take a moment and share what our profession is all about. To start, what is music therapy?

Music therapy is a type of therapy that uses music to help people improve their emotional, physical, cognitive, and social well-being. Music therapists are trained to use music in a variety of ways to help people achieve their therapeutic goals. They use evidence-based practice to discern what music therapy interventions will help their clients achieve their goals.

Music therapy can be used to help people with a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, autism, and dementia. It can also be used to help people cope with stress, trauma, and grief.

Music therapy can work in several ways. It can help to:

Regulate emotions
Improve mood
Reduce stress and anxiety
Promote relaxation
Enhance cognitive function
Improve communication skills
Promote social interaction
Boost self-confidence

Music therapy can be used in individual or group settings. A typical music therapy session may involve listening to music, playing instruments, singing, or moving to music. The specific activities that are used will be tailored to the individual’s needs and goals.

Here are some examples of what a music therapist could implement to help people with mental health conditions:

Use calming music to help a person with anxiety relax and reduce their symptoms
Use upbeat music to help a person with depression improve their mood and energy levels
Use songwriting to help a person with trauma process their experiences and express their emotions
Use group music therapy to help people with autism learn social skills and communication skills

Music therapy is a safe and effective treatment for a variety of mental health conditions. It is a non-invasive and enjoyable way to improve emotional, physical, cognitive, and social well-being.

If you are interested in learning more about music therapy, you can talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You can also find a music therapist in your area by searching online or contacting the American Music Therapy Association. If you are located in the Rochester NY area, we would love to answer your questions or assist you or a family member in obtaining music therapy. Contact us today!

Current Events: Marcus Whitman Community Partnership Event

by Amy Thomas | Oct 26, 2022

This blog post was written by Robin Neary, MT-BC

This month, Upstate Music Therapy Center employees Robin Neary, MT-BC, Jamie Swieringa, MT-BC, and Casey Kunzer, MT had the pleasure of attending Marcus Whitman School District’s Community Partnership Event. Families, professionals, and members of surrounding communities gathered to make connections and share what everyone has to offer!

High school students approached our table, inquisitive with questions and asking for advice and recommendations regarding the first steps to becoming a music therapist (which our fellow therapist Katie Pistilli shared in previous blog posts, “Should I Become a Music Therapist?” and “5 Steps to Becoming a Board Certified Music Therapist”). Observing a session with a music therapist is the best place to start!

Families with children of varying age ranges and abilities shared a moment to make music using the instruments at our table – we even saw some familiar faces!

Community members from Ontario, Yates, Monroe, and Seneca counties shared information about their organizations and events, as well as the opportunities for collaborations.

We shared that music therapy can:

foster the expression of feelings
enhance memory
improve communication
promote wellness
manage stress
alleviate pain
promote physical rehabilitation

We also shared information regarding some of the many benefits of music therapy for children that receive services in schools as part of their educational programming – some examples include:

Communication
- expressing wants and needs
- speech, sign, communication device

Cognitive
- learning academics
- recalling information

Socialization
- interacting with peers and adults
- attending
- following directions

Physical
- sensory input
- fine-motor skills
- gross-motor skills

Music therapy sessions can be tailored to best fit the needs of individuals and groups of varying age ranges and ability levels. For more information on the services we provide, see our other blog posts “Enhancing Lives Through Music Services” and “How to Make a Music Therapy Referral.”

Thanks to the team at Marcus Whitman School District for allowing us the opportunity to share our passion and our services with the community!

Current Events: Thrive to Survive Workshop

by Amy Thomas | Mar 22, 2022

Written by Katie Pistilli, MT-BC

This month, Upstate Music Therapy Center employees Erin Triola, LCAT, MT-BC and Katie Pistilli, MT-BC met a wonderful group of people through the Thrive to Survive support group. Katie and Erin conducted a workshop for Thrive to Survive that included a few different creative arts experiences. Participants were cancer survivors, caregivers, family, and friends. Within moments it was clear that Thrive to Survive is a tight-knit group. In fact, Thrive to Survive just celebrated its 10-year anniversary and this meeting was their first in-person since the pandemic began. The positive energy reverberated throughout the room.

UMTC wanted to offer an experience that would relax, connect, and inspire the participants. Music therapy benefits cancer survivors in more ways than one. To name a few, music therapy offers:

Reduced anxiety; improved mood
Improved quality of life
Pain control
Decreased shortness of breath
Decrease in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure
Increased positive immune response
Caregiver joy and empowerment

Mindfulness, Art, and Music

As a part of the workshop, the participants participated in a few different music therapy interventions such as mindfulness-based art and music activity. During this experience, the participants were encouraged to listen to soothing music, breathe deeply, and allow themselves to color, draw, or write whatever came to mind. There were a couple of participants who shared that they felt “relaxed and peaceful” afterwards. For some, the busy thoughts and worries in their mind slowed down.

The Power of Lyrics

Give me the beat boys and free my soul

I wanna get lost in your rock n’ roll

And drift away

Do those lyrics ring a bell for you? Every single participant knew the song “Drift Away” by Dobie Grey. The group had a conversation about what memories the song brings, what lines stand out, and what the song means to them. Where can music transport you? It was amazing to see how we can all be connected and feel the positivity of a song, but all have a different interpretation of the lyrics.

Music therapy interventions not only benefit the individual undergoing treatment but their caregivers as well. For those with a terminal illness, music therapy may act as a bonding experience. Participating in shared music experiences may bring patients and caregivers closer together, cultivating positive memories to look back on. To conclude the workshop, the participants grabbed a small shaker, drum, or percussion instrument to play along to the timeless classic “Lean on Me.” One thing is for certain, the survivors of this group all have each other to lean on!

Connect with Thrive to Survive

The Thrive to Survive group meets monthly, and workshops range from creative arts experiences, to resource events with social workers, or cheering at the Middle Finger 5k on Seneca Lake. If you or anyone you love is looking to be a part of this support group, you can email them at: support@thrivetosurvive.com

Interested in having our therapists do a workshop or training for your organization? Learn more about our community education opportunities by clicking here.

Becoming MT-BCs: Presented by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC

Apr 10, 2024

This blog was written by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC On March 1st myself and my colleague Lauren had the opportunity to attend and present at SUNY Fredonia’s Mini Music Therapy Conference. Our presentation, “Becoming MT-BCs,” aimed to educate and empower student music...

World Music Therapy Week 2024

Apr 3, 2024

This blog was written by Robin Neary and Amy Thomas. Happy World Music Therapy week! It brings us joy to know that all around the world music therapists are coming together to celebrate and educate our communities on our profession. This year, Upstate Music Therapy...

Current Events: Marcus Whitman Community Partnership Event

Oct 26, 2022

This blog post was written by Robin Neary, MT-BC This month, Upstate Music Therapy Center employees Robin Neary, MT-BC, Jamie Swieringa, MT-BC, and Casey Kunzer, MT had the pleasure of attending Marcus Whitman School District’s Community Partnership Event. Families,...

5 Steps to Becoming a Board Certified Music Therapist

by Amy Thomas | Jan 4, 2022

Blog written by Katie Pistilli, MT-BC

Has your passion for music and desire to help others have you leaning toward wanting to pursue a career in Music Therapy?

Last month we released a blog called Should I Become a Music Therapist, where we talked about the different questions to asking yourself when deciding whether or not to become a music therapist.

Now, we’re taking the next step in helping you achieve that career. Here are 5 the steps you’ll need to take in order to become a Board Certified Music Therapist.

1) Find a School

Whether you are just finishing up high school or already a professional in another field looking to change career paths, the first step is finding an AMTA-approved university. AMTA stands for the American Music Therapy Association. They set the standards for education and determine if a program is teaching what a music therapist really needs to know. Programs at these schools vary. You might be looking for a bachelor’s program or master’s equivalency if you already have a bachelor’s degree.

AMTA outlines the different options for you. Find the path that best fits your life’s trajectory.

There are many colleges out there that claim to offer degrees or “concentrations” in music therapy. It is absolutely essential that you make sure these programs are AMTA-approved. If you do not complete your coursework at an accredited program, you will not qualify for necessary steps like internship or sitting for your board exam.

To ensure you are pursuing a qualified program, make sure it is on this list: AMTA Approved Schools.

2) Audition

As much as music therapy is an allied health profession, you are first and foremost a musician. During your time in college, you must cultivate your musical self as any music major would. An audition is part of the application process at any school. You will be asked to audition on your primary instrument or voice. Many instrumentalists choose the instrument they played in band or orchestra in high school. You can also audition on voice, classical guitar, or piano. If you are still in high school, ask your music teacher to help you with this process! Keep in mind, you will be working with your primary instrument for at least 4 years. Make sure playing it is something you like doing!

3) Complete Your Coursework

Once you audition and enter into a program, it will take 4 years to complete. If you are coming in with the pre-requisites or a music degree in a related field you may complete it in less time. During this time, you’ll learn a lot of information, from music history and theory to psychology, research methods, and music therapy approaches. It is all essential information that you will implement during internship.

You’ll get a small taste of internship during your school years in the practicum setting. Practicums are wonderful opportunities to get your feet wet, practice some interventions, and therapeutic skills before internship. During practicum, you will learn about the steps and procedures behind writing music therapy goals, creating a treatment plan, and much more. Be sure to soak up as much of this experience as you can!

4) Internship

Internship is the capstone event of a music therapist’s educational journey. An internship consists of 1,200 clinical hours completed under the supervision of a board-certified music therapist. During your internship, you will cultivate the skills and competencies you’ll need to be a competent and confident clinician. Similar to applying for schools, internships require an audition process. Unlike your college audition, the skills are more practical for the profession. You may be asked to lead a group in a musical activity, showcase your piano, voice, and guitar skills, or answer situational questions applicable to the population you’ll be serving.

You must seriously consider pursuing an internship with the population you see yourself working with. For example, if you want to work with children, consider a school-based internship setting. You can also find internships based in hospitals, schools, private practices, hospice and palliative care.

There are two kinds of internships: National Roster and Affiliate. Affiliate internships are those only available to students of a particular academic program. National roster internships are available to anyone. Use this resource to find an AMTA approved internship site.

5) Become Board-Certified

Did you know that a music therapist has credentials after their name? They are MT-BC and stand for Music-Therapist, Board Certified. Once you complete your internship clinical hours you are eligible to sit for the board-certification exam. All practicing music therapists must be board-certified. After all of your education and training, you will be more than prepared! This exam is taken entirely on a computer at a testing location.

Music therapy is a rewarding career like no other. It is full of experiences spanning numerous professions, from medical care, education, mental health, and across the spectrum of ages. The possibilities are endless. We hope that your journey is as rewarding as ours at UMTC has been!

Becoming MT-BCs: Presented by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC

Apr 10, 2024

This blog was written by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC On March 1st myself and my colleague Lauren had the opportunity to attend and present at SUNY Fredonia’s Mini Music Therapy Conference. Our presentation, “Becoming MT-BCs,” aimed to educate and empower student music...

World Music Therapy Week 2024

Apr 3, 2024

This blog was written by Robin Neary and Amy Thomas. Happy World Music Therapy week! It brings us joy to know that all around the world music therapists are coming together to celebrate and educate our communities on our profession. This year, Upstate Music Therapy...

Current Events: Marcus Whitman Community Partnership Event

Oct 26, 2022

This blog post was written by Robin Neary, MT-BC This month, Upstate Music Therapy Center employees Robin Neary, MT-BC, Jamie Swieringa, MT-BC, and Casey Kunzer, MT had the pleasure of attending Marcus Whitman School District’s Community Partnership Event. Families,...

Should I Become a Music Therapist?

by Amy Thomas | Nov 30, 2021

Blog written by Katie Pistilli, MT-BC

Do you love music and want to make a career of it? It might seem like music education or performance degrees are the only majors out there, but that is far from the truth. Thankfully, there is the fulfilling profession of music therapy! Aspiring music therapists, this one is for you.

Music therapy is a profession that traverses medical, education, mental health, and creative fields. You will notice some of the questions below seemingly have nothing to do with music. In time you will learn that they have everything to do with music therapy.

For those of you asking the question should I become a music therapist? We encourage you to ask yourself these questions:

- Do you play an instrument and have the desire to learn more of them?
- Are you drawn to the fields of psychology and neuroscience?
- Do you enjoy reading and appreciate research?
- Are you interested in learning about medical diagnosis, treatments, and procedures?
- Do you enjoy singing with a group of people?
- Do you consider yourself an empathetic person who enjoys helping others?
- Would you consider yourself supportive of the mental health field?
- Do you think music can help people learn or communicate?
- Could you see yourself working with a team of non-musical professionals (teachers, nurses, speech therapists, etc.)?
- Do you enjoy creating your own music, improvising, or songwriting?
- Do you consider music to be healing?

If you answered “yes” to a few of these questions, music therapy might be the profession for you! A music therapist must be a musician among many other things. Your creativity and drive are at the center of the process. If some of the questions felt a little out of reach, don’t worry. The beauty of learning is that it is a process, and you have all the time to cultivate the skills you need to be a successful clinician!

If you are still deciding whether to pursue music therapy, consider reaching out and talking to a practicing therapist. To get you started, we interviewed some of the music therapists on the UMTC team. They were asked the question: “Why did you become a music therapist?” Perhaps you can relate to some of their answers.

Jamie

“When I discovered music therapy as a field, I wanted to combine my love for music with my interest in the medical field and bring the joy of music to those who were going through a hard time.”

Erin

“Music was a huge part of my life in high school, and I have also always loved helping people. When I learned about the field of music therapy my senior year of high school, I realized it was the best of both worlds!”

Rebecca

“In high school, I was deciding between nursing and teaching music. When I heard about music therapy, I knew that it was the perfect marriage of using music to help others.”

Do any of these answers resonate with you? UMTC is grateful to be a part of the Rochester, NY music therapy community and beyond. We are here to answer any questions you have about our profession and educational opportunities in the area.

Stay tuned for a blog we’ll be releasing in the coming weeks called: How Do I Become a Music Therapist?

UMTC Educational Opportunities

Becoming MT-BCs: Presented by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC

Apr 10, 2024

This blog was written by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC On March 1st myself and my colleague Lauren had the opportunity to attend and present at SUNY Fredonia’s Mini Music Therapy Conference. Our presentation, “Becoming MT-BCs,” aimed to educate and empower student music...

World Music Therapy Week 2024

Apr 3, 2024

This blog was written by Robin Neary and Amy Thomas. Happy World Music Therapy week! It brings us joy to know that all around the world music therapists are coming together to celebrate and educate our communities on our profession. This year, Upstate Music Therapy...

Current Events: Marcus Whitman Community Partnership Event

Oct 26, 2022

This blog post was written by Robin Neary, MT-BC This month, Upstate Music Therapy Center employees Robin Neary, MT-BC, Jamie Swieringa, MT-BC, and Casey Kunzer, MT had the pleasure of attending Marcus Whitman School District’s Community Partnership Event. Families,...

Music Therapy for Children with Chronic Pain

by Amy Thomas | Nov 2, 2021

Blog written by Katie Pistilli, MT-BC

Chronic pain impacts an individual’s entire life. Not only are there physical symptoms to cope with, but there is the emotional struggle of accepting that the pain is indefinite. While chronic pain is a tragedy for anyone going through it, children experience a special set of challenges. Kids with pain syndromes might have fewer social opportunities to make friends and develop hobbies, adding another layer of complexity and mental health concerns. Kids cope with the same emotional turmoil as adults, if not more, but have a more difficult time expressing it.

Research shows that it is essential to approach chronic pain in children from multiple angles. Not only should the child work with medical doctors to manage their pain and symptoms, but they should also receive mental health support to ensure depression and anxiety are addressed. There is extensive research on how music therapy can assist children in coping with both the physical and emotional symptoms of chronic pain.

Music Therapy Interventions

Music therapy interventions are activities that are meant to address specific goals in a child. For chronic pain, a music therapy intervention may aim to help them relax and distract their mind from the pain. These activities may also prompt conversations to help children accept their pain and diminish feelings of sadness or anger. No matter what the goal may be, a music therapist will always use evidence-based practice or techniques supported by research in their activities.

Music-Assisted Relaxation

If a therapist uses Music-Assisted Relaxation, they hope to help the child relax their body and calm the sensory system. When a child is constantly in pain, their nervous system is on high-alert. This may contribute to anxiety and greater sensitivity to pain. It is important to help children acquire relaxation-based skills so they can independently learn to relax and diminish some of their pain.

Music-Assisted Relaxation can look like:

Playing live music on guitar or piano and reading a script.
Mindfulness-based scripts are often used. The child may be encouraged to write a script that encompasses what brings them peace, positive memories, or favorite things (smells, foods, places)
The therapist may facilitate breathing exercises to music.

Active Music Engagement

Like music-assisted relaxation, Active Music Engagement is also a great way to separate the child’s focus away from their pain and calm their body. These types of interventions are slightly more active on the child’s part and address the thoughts and feelings that they may be experiencing. The goal with Active Music Engagement is to help the child process through thoughts, experiences, and anxieties about the future.

Here is an example of an Active Music Engagement intervention:

Writing a chant about pain experiences and positive outlook on the future.
Participating in that chant with the therapist.
Play along with instruments such as the drums or a xylophone.

Live Patient-Selected Music

Using Live Patient-Selected Music is one way that therapists will help children sort through complex thoughts and emotions related to chronic pain. By using music that the child chooses, the therapist can get a sense of what they may be feeling but can’t express through words.

Using music of the child’s choice, the therapist may:

Encourage the child to highlight words or lines that stand out to them.
Prompt the child to keep the beat of the song with them using instruments.
Pose questions that facilitate discussion about pain and emotions.

Music therapy interventions address chronic pain symptoms in children from both a physical and mental health lens. The interventions above are proven to help calm the child’s body while also addressing the difficult emotions they experience. Research shows that children with chronic pain benefit from a multi-disciplinary approach to their treatment, and music therapy does just that!

Is there a young person in your life who experiences chronic pain? If you think music therapy may benefit them, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Our team of qualified therapists are ready to help.

Becoming MT-BCs: Presented by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC

Apr 10, 2024

This blog was written by Casey Kunzer, MT-BC On March 1st myself and my colleague Lauren had the opportunity to attend and present at SUNY Fredonia’s Mini Music Therapy Conference. Our presentation, “Becoming MT-BCs,” aimed to educate and empower student music...

World Music Therapy Week 2024

Apr 3, 2024

This blog was written by Robin Neary and Amy Thomas. Happy World Music Therapy week! It brings us joy to know that all around the world music therapists are coming together to celebrate and educate our communities on our profession. This year, Upstate Music Therapy...

Current Events: Marcus Whitman Community Partnership Event

Oct 26, 2022

This blog post was written by Robin Neary, MT-BC This month, Upstate Music Therapy Center employees Robin Neary, MT-BC, Jamie Swieringa, MT-BC, and Casey Kunzer, MT had the pleasure of attending Marcus Whitman School District’s Community Partnership Event. Families,...