Today I pay homage to my beloved field of music therapy. I’m so grateful for finding this field that allows me to be a musician, healer, people-person, full-on expressionist, business owner, and all-out renegade.

I had no idea I would end up *here* a few years ago. If you’re interested in knowing more about music therapy, then this video is for you.

Click play to learn more.

Think of a friend who has a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, cancer, or something listed below. Then download and print out the appropriate PDF, hand it to your friend, and let him/her know how music therapy can help. These PDF fact sheets are provided by the American Music Therapy Association.

You can find music therapists in your area by entering search terms here.
You can find board certified music therapists at the Certification Board for Music Therapy.

Let me know which ones you downloaded in a comment below!

Fact Sheets

Annotated Bibliographies
of Music Therapy Research
& Evidenced-Based Practice Support

Introduction: Advocacy –> Recognition –> Access

Since 2005, the American Music Therapy Association and the Certification Board for Music Therapists have collaborated on a State Recognition Operational Plan. The primary purpose of this Plan is to get music therapy and our MT-BC credential recognized by individual states so that citizens can more easily access our services. The AMTA Government Relations staff and CBMT Regulatory Affairs staff provide guidance and technical support to state task forces throughout the country as they work towards state recognition. To date, their work has resulted in 35 active state task forces, 2 licensure bills passed in 2011, and an estimated 10 bills being filed in 2012 that seek to create either a music therapy registry or license for music therapy. This month, our focus is on YOU and on getting you excited about advocacy.

The Plan involves increasing awareness of the music therapy profession and of what it means to be board-certified. The ultimate goal is that, in all situations, the MT-BC be a minimum requirement as a service provision in every work setting.

Are you on board with us? Take your quiz here.

…before counting down to 2012!

What a year. I have so many blessings to count and so many people to thank who have been here along my journey in 2011. Last year, I set the intention for ease and kindness in 2011, and boy did that manifest into some wonderfully rich experiences this year…

Personal Kindness

My Mom, Dad, and boyfriend have been uber supportive of all my endeavors. My mom keeps track of me on Facebook, giving me “likes” and comments. My dad and I call almost every Sunday. He gives me his valuable business perspective.

And my boyfriend – he is the most amazing, generous, kindest guy I’ve ever known. I’m biased, but there’s a reason I prefer his company over other guys, right? He is the best. AND his signature phrase he says in the slowest, calmest, deepest bass “Everyone needs to calm down around here.” That phrase is an automatic anxiety-reducer for me.

Thanks Mom and Dad and my man =)

Tribal Kindness

I’m throwing heaps of gratitude to the creative genius Emelie Rota. She designed the Online Zennn graphics, new RFG header, and there will be much more to come in 2012. She totally gets me, understands my mission (better than me even?!), and lays out the branding brilliance! Rhythm For Good version 2012 is going to be outstanding because of her art.

My girl Karen Christensen rocked out a photo shoot with me this year. Her photos will be a killer addon to 2012. You can see her site, writeup, and photo teaser of me here. Thank you Karen for helping me feel good about being myself and looking good! =)

I was so honored to have gotten a call a couple months ago from the mastermind behind Chocolate For Breakfast. Sue Ann Gleason is a woman of transparency, authenticity, and powerful intentions. Anything she touches turns to chocolate – no lie. Just read a bit of her journey at her blog or better yet, take her Seamless, Stress-Free & Savvy Teleconferences course. I did, and it was $47 well worth it! I would’ve paid $247 for her wisdom. Thank you, Sue Ann for opening your heart online: a beautiful scene that you’ve created.

Thank you so much to Kathleen Prophet, Self Creationist (and pianist!) who has opened the door for me to feel pain and suffering as thoroughly as I feel joy and bliss in my human experience. Sounds dark, and it is! In the most impassioned, catastrophic way. I’ve come to feel more meaningful connections with my clients as well as my Self by honing in on Kathleen’s work. Joy, sadness, and everything in between is all part of the human experience.

Thank you Beth Nicholls for running such a cool site about doing what you love and publishing my story.

Natalie Mullis has been so generous in helping me trouble-shoot, brainstorm, and vent throughout this entire year. She is a fellow music therapist who has also seen incredible success this year with her business. Thanks Nat for being my online buddy! =) She also writes for the No-Nonsense Professional aka No-No. Lots of personality over there! Check it.

Business Kindness

Much thanks go to Marie and Laura of B-school. Without this course I would have never launched Online Zennn, I would never have met the ladies above, I would never have known how to give a web-based Intro to Toning class, I would never have understood how to make an online business work, and I would have allowed Sound Health Music to stagnate. I signed up for their course, and then they dropped this video. (You have to know Lady Gaga to get it.) All of my boomwhacker dreams would come true if I could find a seamstress to dress my boomies like *that*! If you’re up for the challenge, let’s talk. For real.

In addition, from this course and the ladies who have inspired me, I have learned that business – online and offline – does not have to be stuffy and boring. Business can be fun. Business is all what you make of it, and as long as I continue to be authentic and transparent, my team and I will attract clients who are a perfect fit. Big lesson learned.

Here are some more incredible ladies I’ve met in person and online through the course: Susan Plucknett (women’s wellness), Christina Rasmussen (grief counseling), Denise Duffield-Thomas, just to name a few.

Thank you West Music for giving me a gong to give away for the holidays. I don’t know about you guys, but I had a blast giving that thing away! What a treat. What a gift. Thank you.

Music Therapy Kindness

Thank you to all the Zennn Masters for giving the first-ever, only-one-of-its-kind online CMTE course a shot. Online Zennn was a smashing success because of you Masters! You did amazing work. Watch out for the new January course. It’s coming atcha in a few weeks.

Thank you Intro to Toning participants for signing up already. Prepare for some wild vocal exploration. There’s still time to sign up!

Thank you, Wall Street Journal, for quoting me and writing about music therapy and dementia. Here’s my blog post about it.

Thank you Petra Kern for working so hard and doing such great work with Imagine, the online magazine dedicated to early childhood music therapy. Here’s a video I produced for the magazine on self-care. There are 8 music therapists featured. It’s very cool. Watch it!

Thank you Judith Pinkerton for interviewing me at Music 4 Life. You can download our 50-minute adventure mp3 or listen to the June 10, 2011 episode in iTunes. Thank you Janice Harris for interviewing me on the Music Therapy Show. Listen to our podcast here. Also, thanks to Kimberly Sena Moore for publishing my guest post about The Day My Business Died, and thank you Michelle Erfurt for publishing my guest post on What Does Marketing Feel Like To You?

Crazy, mad, big thanks to all of my amazing clients who my team and I serve day-in and day-out. We are the privileged witnesses to older adults, corporate employees, children affected by cancer, as their life journey unfolds. We are blessed to offer the experience of music as the vehicle for change. Thank you for being you and teaching us beyond our understanding, our dear clients.

Finally, thanks Elise for calling me “a beast” right here =) I’m honored to blog about in my beastly ways!

2012 Intention and Final Thanks

I mentioned last year that I don’t do goals or resolutions. I set intentions as I hang out at both the giving and receiving ends. My intention for 2012 is clarity. Not clarity in knowing everything (that’s no fun!), but clarity in doing the work, creating the art, playing the music, dropping new videos, creating the programs, and putting my unique talents out there into the world. Clarity in being involved in the process of creation in-the-moment. Creative clarity with little-to-no expectations.

Now I’d like to give a HUGE thanks to YOU for reading Rhythm For Good. Your comments, your participation, your enthusiasm for the rhythm is deeply appreciated here. I leave you and 2011 with this quote from Wayne Dyer:

When you don’t trust yourself, you are not trusting in the wisdom that created you. That’s an insult to your Creator.

What’s in store for you in 2012? Trust your gut. Throw it down in a comment below! Cheers =)