Self-care
As a music therapy intern, I see about 70 different clients and staff a week. Now, think of all the germs floating in the air- runny noses, uncovered sneezes and coughs. Being a music therapist is a real test for your immune system! During my first 3 months here, I caught 2 colds and lost my voice twice. Emergen-C and Echinacea have become my best friend- I try to drink a cup of Echinacea tea about 4 nights a week, and take Emegen-C any time I’m feeling extra tired or feel the first sign of sickness. I also keep a small dropper bottle of Echinacea to drop in any drinks or to add to my Emergen-C mix. I try to take Elderberry capsules daily and I also sometimes get a shot of wheat grass from Jamba Juice when I’m feeling icky.
After losing my voice the second time around, I talked to one of my college roommates, who is going to grad school for vocal health. She told me that it helps to speak in a higher voice when you feel the beginning of a hoarse voice- it takes the strain off of the vocal cords by utilizing a more resonant tone. I took her advice the next time I thought I was going to lose it- and by golly it works!
Being in the fifth month of internship is beginning to take its toll on my stress levels- I have many more responsibilities and projects to work on than two months ago, and I’m starting to feel overwhelmed. Pulling this word of the week was a nice reminder that if we don’t take care of ourselves, we most likely won’t do our best. When I’m working on something for a long period of time and start to feel stressed out, I try to take a 10-20 minute break- a short walk outside, or just veg out watching YouTube or TV for a little bit.
These are just a couple tricks that I’ve learned are helpful for my well-being. Self-care is a very important part of life for anyone, and music therapists are no exception!
-Marjie
