Last week, the Wall Street Journal contacted me about a phone interview for an article on music and dementia. I was pretty floored, excited, happy, nervous, and more. The American Music Therapy Association was the first point of reference, and I highly recommend becoming an active member if you are a music therapist.
I figured it was worth writing home about, so I wrote an email to my Dad. First he replied with a congrats email, then he had a secondary response. You see, my siblings consist of an accountant/Marine-war-vet/business-owner, an MBA/computer-programmer/physics-major, an engineer/Marine, and then there’s me the oddball musician (and the only one to move out to California from The Deep South, the only one who is left-handed, the one known as the “delicate leaf” in the family and quite a bit sensitive). Here’s my dad’s secondary response~
That’s my Dad, the jokester =) Not so sure I’m a business person just yet, but I’m working on it. Actually I’m enrolled in an AWESOME online Business School (B-School), and it won’t be long before I will call myself a business person without reservation!
In fact, I shared the B-School link on Facebook and Twitter last week, letting everyone know that “some amazing things have happened” since watching some B-School videos. Well, *this* was one of the amazing things that happened. I couldn’t tell you the details last week because this WSJ article just came out today.
Here’s the story: The B-School coaches (Laura and Marie) published a video about “getting on the NO train.” That means, if you are an over-achiever, extremely connected, and crazy-busy professional lady (like myself), then your first response to new opportunities should be NO. You want to say NO immediately so that you leave super huge amounts of space, time, and energy available for even better stuff, the “absolutely YES” stuff.
Sounds counter-intuitive, but it feels so relieving to say NO when usually I say YES. So I said NO to everything that came my way that day, and there were a lot of turned-down opportunities! Apparently I had plenty of space wide open and available for awesome opportunities to sweep me up into the blue sky because…. The very next day, this Wall Street Journal article (an “absolutely YES” opportunity) came into my radar. Coincidence? I think not.
You gotta check out B-School if it’s up your alley! Enrollment closes Monday night at midnight, so don’t wait too long to decide. More questions? Contact me at Kat at SoundHealthMusic dot com. Enrollment is closed. Maybe next year!
The Wall Street Journal article is entitled “Don’t Write Off Dementia Patients,” and here’s how it starts:
Watching a loved one with dementia reach the final stages is heartbreaking. But you don’t have to give up on maintaining a meaningful connection with that person. Read the entire Wall Street Journal article…
The author Ms. Gerencher did a wonderful job putting the article together. She interviewed me for an hour! The only detail I would change is that families can offer music in a supportive way to loved ones (without a doubt!), but “music therapy” specifically is facilitated by professionals. I’m sending much gratitude to Ms. Gerencher for reaching out to American Music Therapy Association and the music therapy community for this article!
If you liked this post, then you’re going to love these:
11 Reasons Why Drums Work: Activities for the Elderly
MythBuster #3: Music Therapists are Entertainers
VIDEO: Mashup for Drumming with Older Adults: Ayub + Opera
Kat! Congratulations on the article in the Wall Street Journal. It is a great article. I also appreciated your commentary above and how you bring us all into your life…sharing your dad, sharing your business, gently reminding people that music therapy is a profession etc. Just terrific.
Thanks for being part of it all with me, Jennifer – I’m honored that you’re reading my perspective here.
So fantastic! Good for the WSJ going out for primary source material! Great content and great news for music therapy to be spotlighted in a national forum! Congratulations!
-Daniel
Hi Daniel! You are too kind! Thanks so much for sharing in this with me this morning!
Congrats Kat, what a terrific article and you did a great job representin’!!
Thanks so much, Nancy! =)
Kat,
My father has Alzheimer’s disease and is changing rapidly now. However, music is his passion and the other night while watching my son’s dance show which lasted 2 1/2 hours he never once seemed disoriented or distant. He was ENGAGED! Throughout my whole life I’ve shared piano duets with my father and we enjoy singing together as well. I am so glad that more people might be encouraged to do music activities with their parents because of what you said. You’re spot on about finding out what was popular/special to them when they were younger. It’s easy for me, because Natalie Cole redid so many of her dad’s songs…that now I know, enjoy and can play and sing to my dad. He loves it when I play for him.
You are an inspiration to be sure! Keep up the good work.
PS. I still need help with my drum facilitation. The last fair didn’t work out so well with the drum circle because of technical issues, but the next BIG one is a lot of pressure. Let me know when you have time.
Thanks.
Eliza
Hi Eliza! Thanks for sharing your story about your dad! I’m going to call you today about the facilitation. Stay by the phone! =)
Kat – I’m so impressed! I read the WSJ article with interest. It was really well done and your part in it was integral.
I don’t think I mentioned this in my comment to your post last week (on client “declining” health)…I’ve had occasion to do some music making with older adults in assisted living residences. Your words in that post really rang true for me. I recall struggling a bit in those settings…the normal rewards of music making were not there, at least not there for me. But as I read your post, it made me think about the very positive feedback that staff members always gave those of us leading the music. They expressed such appreciation for visits and told us how important it was to the people they provided care for. To use your words, it was all about quality of life and meaningful moments.
Keep up the great work you’re doing in this way.
Nice Bob! As a performer, I understand not getting what you usually get from a performance, and exactly… It’s because music therapy sessions are all about the clients, not about the performer. A different focus. Thanks for noticing that, and thanks for writing your thoughts here!
Kat: heartfelt congratulations on the great article about you. I feel so honored to know such a celebrity in the drum circle business. It adds immensely to the therapeutic effects of our time with you at La Costa Glen. God bless you as you continue to make significant contributions to the health and welfare of senior citizens like us in retirement centers.
Dear Claude, May God Bless you and your family, too. Thanks for writing here. Can’t wait to drum with you again soon!
congrats!! This is fabulous, so glad you are able to do this! YES
Thanks, Rachel!
Thanks for sharing the humor of your Dad’s response! And way to go in saying “no”!
Congrats on all things and best wishes for continued success!
Thanks Anita! Gotta have some humor thrown in~~ =)