Word of the Week: METHOD
First of all, I’d like to introduce myself! My name Marjie Halverson, I’m the new intern at MTCCA, and will be alternating blogs with Hilary each week! I look forward to sharing my thoughts 🙂
Method.
This week’s word is Method. I could discuss the scientific method or the method section of research articles, but I’ve chosen a different route! The first definition of “method” on dictionary.com is “a procedure, technique, or way of doing something”. Â I think it’s safe to say that everyone has a method to approaching something; for example- when I brush my teeth, I wet the toothbrush, put the toothpaste on it, brush my teeth, rinse the brush, then suck the water out of the brush to rinse my mouth. Now, what does this have to do with music therapy?
Music therapists are constantly changing their method and process to fit the goals of each client. Some clients may require more attention in a certain area, for example, I observed a session last week where a young client was upset and agitated at the beginning of a session. While the music therapist had a specific plan and procedure for that session, following it exactly as planned would not have worked well and may have agitated the client even more. So, the music therapist began to sing a gentle song to create a calming environment for the client. After a few minutes of this, the client eventually calmed down and the session continued with a different plan than first intended.
As a girl originally from small town Iowa, I immediately realized my method of driving would not cut it out here on the busy interstates of southern California. Accustomed to driving on wide open roads where I could easily zone out and switch to autopilot, I encountered major culture shock when I had to constantly be on the ball with the fast-moving traffic out here! I quickly adapted and changed my method. At first, I didn’t even listen to the radio for fear of becoming too distracted, but I’m happy to announce that as of last Tuesday, I can listen to music while I drive!
I know that throughout this internship, I will be forced to adapt in many ways, from my way of living to the way I approach session planning and leading. I look forward to learning and growing during my time at The Music Therapy Center!
-Marjie
