Music Therapy in Michigan Week 2014

MSU was the first school to offer a music therapy degree.  I am proud to be an alumna of this program.
MSU was the first school to offer a music therapy degree.
I am proud to be an alumna of this program.

Today I am wearing one of my favorite music therapy t-shirts: my MSU MT shirt.  I actually designed this shirt, which was sold by the MSU Music Therapy Club while I was a student.  Though it is not uncommon to see me in a music therapy shirt (especially on a Friday), this week it is particularly noteworthy because it is the final day of Music Therapy in Michigan Week!

The last full week in April is always Music Therapy in Michigan Week.  This is a time to celebrate, educate, and advocate for music therapy services within Michigan.  This is an especially exciting time for music therapy advocacy in Michigan, as the state task force (of which I am a co-chair) is in full swing.  The task force recently unveiled a fact sheet based on the results of a survey of music therapists we conducted last fall.  Also, there have recently been a number of new music therapy job listings within the state.

How are you celebrating #MTinMIweek2014?  Leave a comment below!

 

A bit more about the task force…

The purpose of the task force is to examine music therapy within Michigan, particularly in regards to our state government.  Board certified music therapists are credentialed by an independent national certification board (CBMT), but each state government considers the MT-BC credential differently.  Currently, the Michigan state government does not have a form of title protection for music therapists, so there is no repercussion if a non-credentialed individual calls him or herself a music therapist.  We want to be sure that individuals who are seeking music therapy treatment receive quality, evidence-based services from someone who is properly trained to provide them.  All CODA MTS music therapists are board certified and actively maintain their credential through continuing education experiences.  Wondering more about the process to become board certified?  The American Music Therapy Association website provides all those details here.