Welcome

Hello and welcome to the website for Embe Music Therapy.  My name is Maryann Burrows and I am an accredited music therapist specializing in geriatrics and neurological disorders.  My practice is based in Victoria and throughout Southern Vancouver Island.  I hope you’ll explore and enjoy the site and contact me if you have questions or are interested in more information about music therapy.

10 Tips for the Contract Music Therapist

I used to be SO naive when I first started out as a music therapist six years ago, about what it really meant to be a contract employee.  I can vividly remember working my first job at Nanaimo Travellers Lodge, believing that I would never lose it.  I didn’t save my taxes as I went, and really didn’t make good use of my income from that experience because of my belief that it would be there forever.  It never even occurred to me that I should think about marketing strategies and getting other clients and contracts.

A couple of weeks ago, I had another scare with funding complications at one of my contracts.  Thankfully, it was just a bureaucratic glitch, but it got me thinking about all of the up’s and down’s I’ve had in my contract work in the past two years.  From that naive girl from NTL, to the year-long uncertainty of filling a maternity leave, to the experience I’ve gained by having to create a whole new caseload from scratch.  I’ve learned tons in this period about ways to stay sane during these times of uncertainty as a contractor, and thought I’d share my thoughts with you.

10) Have your eggs in many baskets – Despite the inconvenience of having to commute to more work sites, I have found it very reassuring to know that if I lost one contract, I wouldn’t be out of work completely.

9) Understand your contracts – With some bigger organizations, it can be difficult to understand all the aspects of a contract, but this is important for no surprises later on.  If there is a maximum funding amount provided annually, do the math yourself to make sure it adds up with the hours you’re requested to work.  You can also negotiate for peace of mind within a contract, i.e. requesting two months notice for termination of the contract, etc.  I have learned not to be shy in the process of contract negotiation – the more security you can get for yourself, the better.

8) Save, save, save - Make sure to save your money as the paychecks come in: according to Gail Vaz-Oxlade from Till Debt Do Us Part, we should all be saving 10% of our monthly incomes.  Learn what you need to save for taxes each payday, and how these numbers fluctuate as your contracts come and go.  It’s only been in the past year that I’ve been really on top of the savings, and it’s been hugely reassuring!

7) Make good use of your $$… - … while it’s there.  Use the times when you’re doing well financially to reach your goals, whether you’re saving for a down-payment or a big trip, you’ll be so glad you did.  I’ve often thought that I’d like to use the good times to work towards a safety net for the bad times, i.e. taking a short course in a practical skill that you know you’ll be able to get work in if the music therapy contracts dry up.

6) Keep in touch - No matter how much work you have, you always want your name buzzing.  Make sure to stay in touch with your community and potential clients by keeping up to date with social media, newsletters, inservices, etc.  It’s always better to have a waitlist that you can refer on if need be than no one knocking on your door at all.

5) Document the good times - I have found that keeping some type of journal where I can document stories, anecdotes and cute moments from my work is so beneficial.  During the hard times when I’m questioning the music therapy work struggle, it reminds me how much I love my work and keeps me going.  For me, my Facebook and Twitter pages work well for this.

4) Check in with your contracts – I used to get so nervous as the end of a contract would draw near and avoid talking about it with the facility.  I’ve come to see how much LESS stressful it is to do a check in about their intentions to renew a few months before hand.  If they are unable to, you’ll have enough time to start working on replacing it sooner.

3) Practice self-care - Stresses run so high in those times of uncertainty, whatever you can do to calm yourself, do it!  I’ve learned huge lessons in not worrying about things before they’ve happened, living in the moment.  The power of distraction works amazingly for me, where I can dive into a good book or a favorite TV show and not worry for a while.

2) Find your support system - I have been so blessed to have an amazing husband, who brings in the stable income.  Beyond this though, he never seems to worry when there is uncertainty in my work – he really does believe in me and has faith for the both of us that everything is going to work out.  There is power and strength in finding a partner or friend, etc. who can provide the same.

1) And lastly… HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF!  I’ve been through this circus enough times now to know that I will always find a way to land on my feet – and this, has been the most valuable lesson I’ve learned so far.

Winter Update 2012

Winter is not usually known for being such a busy season, but it sure has been for EMT!  My apologies to our regular readers for dropping the blog ball once again.

As many of you know, January 2012 came with a lot of new work changes for us as we transitioned out of Katherine Dennison’s maternity leave.  These changes included beginning two brand new contracts at Rest Haven Lodge and Lady Minto Hospital, and much of my time has been spent planning and prepping for all the new programs that began at these sites.  We are happy to report that both contracts are going well!

We remain in discussion with Nanaimo Travellers Lodge in the hopes of restarting our contract with them in the spring.

Thank you for your continued readership and support!

“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn” ~ Hal Borland

Merry Christmas…

Happy Hanukkah, happy holidays, and happy new year… did we cover it all!?  We are signing off at Embe Music Therapy to enjoy our Christmas weekend.  Thank you SO much for keeping our site very much alive this past year.  We will return to our blog & social media in the new year.

Music Therapy & ALS

I have worked with a few clients who lived/are living with ALS, also known as, Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  ALS is “a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord” (ALS Association), which eventually leads to full paralysis of the body, and then death.   ALS does not affect the person’s mind, so they essentially end up getting trapped in a body that doesn’t work as a fully thinking person.  At this time, there is no known cause or cure of this awful disease, and once diagnosed, patients generally have 3-5 years to live.

The role of music therapy in the treatment of ALS is supportive only, with the music therapist practicing a humanistic approach to care.  Here are some of the ways that music therapy can help:

• As paralysis begins to affect the vocal chords and the client’s ability to speak, music therapy can help to maintain speech for a longer length of time through vocal exercises and singing activities.
• Playing small instruments can provide clients with alternate means of communicating and expressing feelings
• Music assisted relaxation sessions can help the body and mind release tension
• Lyric analysis and song writing can help decrease frustration, anxiety, fear and other feelings associated with the disease
• Helping the client prepare for death, mentally, emotionally, and assisting with the closure of important relationships.  This is often done through legacy work the client can leave for their loved ones, i.e. leaving written songs, or meaningful CD compilations.

We have wonderful technology today to make caring for the person with ALS so much easier, specifically computerized communication boards.  Though communication is significantly more trying this way, at least the client doesn’t get completely locked inside themselves.  In fact, much of the end of life work in music therapy with ALS is through talk therapy using a communication board.

To learn more about ALS visit the ALS Association website.  Also, Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom is a lovely read, and gives a vivid portrayal of how this disease affects patients and the people that love them.

Gift Ideas for Music Therapists

When I recently checked my blog statistics, I noticed that some of our readers are searching for gift ideas for that wonderful music therapist in their lives.  Here are my top 5 suggestions, that hopefully are helpful for you this season:

1. Sing You Home, the latest book by Jodi Picoult is a story about a music therapist.  Board certified music therapists were on the consulting team for this book, and it has been a huge step forward in educating the general public about music therapy.  You can find this one at any local bookstore.
2. Gift certificates for supplies and resources, for places such as iTunes, Amazon, and your local music and electronics stores.  The cost of every thing has gone up exponentially in the last few years, so gift certificates that can help pay for work related items helps immensely – especially for contract MT’s required to bring their own supplies to work.
3. WordPress website templates are a great gift to help a music therapist get started on the business and marketing aspects of attracting new clients.  These new WordPress theme websites are modern, very user-friendly, and inexpensive (I’m planning on upgrading to one in the new year!).
4. Gifts to encourage self-care (because many of us are so bad at this!), such as scented candles, bath beads and salts,  or books like Mike George’s 1001 Ways to Relax.
5. Groupon coupons for a better price on a great gift – any coupons for spa services, photography or adventure dates with my hubby always seem to catch my eye!

Another great resource I use when I’m stumped for gift ideas is Gifts.com.  They have a tool where you can search for gift ideas based on a personality test of the person you a buying for.  It’s fun to fill out and has gotten me through some tough spots when I’m unsure of what to get someone.

Happy shopping!

Winter Session Plan

I know I’m not wanting to think about this yet, but winter is definitely coming for those of us on Vancouver Island.  The air has been crisper than it normally is for November and the weatherman is reporting an unually snowy winter.  There are already ads on TV for Christmas goodies, and before you know it we’ll be in the throws of decorating and carols.  Here is a sample session plan to help get your residents all ready for winter!

Songs to Sing:

• Winter Wonderland

• Frosty the Snowman

• Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

• Suzy Snowflake

• Marshmellow World

Sensory Cues:

• See pictures of snowy settings

• Hear and feel the crackle and warmth from a fireplace

• Taste a hot beverage such as hot chocolate or apple cider

• Smell cinnamon spices and Christmas baking

Reminisce About:

• Favorite seasons

• Winter likes and dislikes

• Wintertime activities

• Preparing for winter

Obus Forme Sound System

The Obus Forme Sound System is one of my favorite tools that I use as a music therapist.  If you’ve never seen one before, it is a small machine that plays a variety of relaxing sounds.  Here’s what I love about it:

• Sounds include rainfall, summer night, heartbeat, ocean waves, waterfall, white noise, songbirds, tropical forest, etc.

• Works wonderfully as a sensory addition in sensory stimulation and reminiscing programs.  Last week in our Halloween programs, I had the thunderstorm setting underlying our music and discussion.  Many of the residents commented on it and it really added a spooky feeling to the groups.

• Plugs into electrical outlet and also runs on battery

• Is great for music assisted relaxation sessions.  I usually put my guitar down and leave the sound system playing softly when I want to focus solely on the relaxation induction and guided imagery (the talking part of these types of sessions).

• Gently fills space while you transition between activities, allowing these transitions to happen more smoothly

• Has an auto off timer

You can visit the Obus Forme website for more info at: http://www.obusforme.ca/obus_forme/sleep/sensory-therapy/sound-therapy-relaxation-system.html

Halloween Session Plan

Happy Halloweeeeen (insert scary sounds here!), to all of our followers!  Hopefully this sample session plan makes your Halloween work day a piece of pumpkin cake.

Songs to Sing:

• Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered
• Puff the Magic Dragon
• Ghost Riders In the Sky
• Old Devil Moon
• Monster Mash

Sensory Cues:

• See pictures of cats, witches, bats & ghosts
• Hear recordings of scary Halloween sounds
• Feel slimy pumpkin insides
• Smell nutmeg & cinnamon
• Taste candy corn & apple cider

Reminisce About:

• Halloween costumes and costume parties
• Trick or treating
• Apple bobbing
• Making pumpkin pie

Lullaby

I seem to of the age right now, where a lot of my girlfriends are having their first and second babies.  I’ve been working away on a homemade knitted gift for a baby shower that I’m attending next month, but another thought for a lovely homemade gift for new moms came to mind that I thought I’d share.

Most expectant mothers make a point of being as prepared as they can be, but do they include learning lullabies in that preparation period?  For those who aren’t musicians, thinking of something to sing to their new babes can be a daunting task.

My thought was this: create a beautiful lullaby book.  Type out the lyrics to ten lullabies in a nice font, with cute pictures, and a cover page.  Create a CD to go along with the book with the lullabies included – the new mom can sing along with the CD as an easy way to learn the songs.  For those who are musicians, include a copy of the sheet music.  Head on over to your local printing shop and have your book laminated and bound.

An inexpensive and very meaningful way to honor that new mom in your life.

October Update

Ahh, October – my favorite time of year!  The magical colors of the leaves changing, turkey dinners, and the smell of chimney smoke on a brisk day.  At work we’ve been diving into all of the sensory aspects of the fall and rejoicing with tunes like Shine On Harvest Moon and Autumn Leaves.

The seasons changing and this time of year, for many is a symbol of endings… the end of summer and the warm weather in particular!  For us at Embe it is symbolic of the upcoming changes ahead as we come to the end of Katherine Dennison’s maternity leave position.  It’s hard to believe that a year has almost passed, but we are ready for the coming change.

Since our last update, we have been invited to stay on at Rest Haven Lodge in partnership with Katherine for another year, for a nine hour per week contract (it is important to publicly note that this position is being paid for with donation funds specifically for music therapy).  I have never had the opportunity to work on a music therapy team, outside of my internship, and it’s very exciting.  I know that Katherine and I will complement each other well.  In addition to this, we begin our hour per month contract with the Stroke Recover Association at the end of October.  We also continue the process of discussions with three other contract possibilities for the new year.

We are looking forward to participating in January as a team in the Walk for Memories, a fundraising effort for the Alzheimer’s Society.  If you’d like to be part of our team, please contact me.

Our final piece of news for this autumn, is that we will be raising our rates for all new clients and contracts by five percent, effective January 2012.  Until now, we have been charging the lowest possible rates we are allowed to charge in accordance with the Music Therapy Association of BC, and have never increased our rates.  The increase is a more appropriate reflection of our value after six successful years of practice, inclusive of experience and the fact that all therapists associated with EMT are fully accredited through the Canadian Association for Music Therapy.  The increased rates also account for cost of living increases that have affected our practice, and is a necessary next step for expanding upon the services we offer.  Prospective clients who are concerned about rates should still contact us, as sometimes there are ways around this (discounts, other sources of funding, etc.).  Please visit our rates page for more details.

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
~Albert Camus