My "A-Ha!" Moment
I love hearing stories about how and when my colleagues decided to become music therapists! Most of these stories have common themes: 1) they love music and 2) they love helping others. Some of my friends came upon music therapy in a very traditional way, such as scanning the course catalogs at nearby schools or being introduced to the field through their own experiences. Others had what I call an "a-ha" moment: a divine/sudden/surprising moment of clarity in which it became apparent that music therapy was their calling.
Growing up, the only career I ever dreamed of was medicine. I wanted to be a pediatrician. I loved kids. I loved science. I loved helping people. It was a no brainer! I chose all of my junior high and high school classes to help me achieve my goal, and I was determined to go to a great university. During my sophomore year of high school, however, I experienced a strong pull towards music. As a very precocious and ambitious child, I dabbled in many extra-curriculars, and once it was determined (very early) that I had an obvious lack of athleticism, I focused on singing as my sport of choice. I was involved in choir since the fourth grade, and began taking voice lessons soon after. I was never considered the best singer in my choir, but I worked hard, participated in competitions, and auditioned for solos. Choir was my community, and I was sad to think that once I went to college, I wouldn't have time for that anymore.
This bought me to quite the crossroads. I knew I loved music, and I knew I loved helping people, but I didn't see an intersection that would bring those two passions together. As much as I loved my choir, I refused to go into music education, because I had no desire to become a teacher. (No offense to any teachers out there! I am in awe everyday of the work you do!) I didn't believe that I was good enough to become a performer, realistically. At this point, I had read about music therapy, but for some (dumb) reason, I didn't think it was right for me. I resigned myself to the fact that I would be giving up music once I graduated, and focused on enjoying the time I had left. Shortly after I turned 17, I was pulled over and awarded a hefty speeding ticket. [PSA: Don't drive 20mph over the speed limit in a school zone.] I was sentenced to a billion hours of community service which I chose to serve at a camp for adults with special needs. On the last day of camp, the participants were invited to participate in the annual talent show. The second the music came on, the campers' affect completely changed! It seemed like the music was completely freeing them of any limitations their disability had placed on them. The campers were up on their feet, dancing, singing, laughing, and interacting with each other. My "a-ha!" moment came during that talent show and I decided right then and there that I was going to become a music therapist. I realized that I could spend the rest of my life fulfilling my calling of helping others while never having to give up my passion for music.
From there, I spent the rest of my summer researching music therapy and colleges that offered music therapy as a degree. During my senior year, my dad and I went to tour many of these schools, and I eventually chose the beautiful Texas Woman's University to spend the next four years of my life. (Well... more like 7+ years with grad school!!)
I promise to share more posts about my experiences at TWU and my journey to becoming a music therapist, but for now I just wanted to share about one of the favorite moments in my life, and what inspired me to pursue the best career ever (in my humble opinion.) Thanks for reading! I would love to hear YOUR stories about what brought you to music therapy!
