Still talking!

I am still talking about music therapy to everyone who will listen! Just today, the owner of the tree pruning company I hired to prune my huge plum tree asked me what I do. I had planned to be home after my client this morning to pay him but had gotten a call from another client who had previously needed to cancel this afternoon's session but ended up being available for music therapy today. So when he said, "so what do you do?" I launched into action!! He shared with me some experiences he has had with alternative therapies, and said although he considers himself pretty well informed he had not heard of music therapy. I still have so much talking to do! I have to add that I was stopped in the hall at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital the other day by a physician who wanted to ask me about what I do. He smiled and nodded and agreed that music is indeed, therapeutic. . . had a similar experience this past Monday. Another doctor and several nurses chatted with me about their own experiences with the healing power of music. I asked if they could refer me some patients on the floor who could benefit, and, instead of the usual "oh, I can't think of anyone" said, "Really EVERYONE on the floor could benefit!" Yes!! That's what I like to hear! (Actually music therapy is contraindicated in some situations.)

Music = Brain Exercise

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/26/health/mental-health/music-brain-science/index.html When you play music, you are exercising your brain in a unique way. In fact, very few things change the brain like music does. "I think there's enough evidence to say that musical experience, musical exposure, musical training, all of those things change your brain," says Dr. Charles Limb, associate professor of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins University. "It allows you to think in a way that you used to not think, and it also trains a lot of other cognitive facilities that have nothing to do with music."

Music Therapy and Dementia

Here's a great article about music therapy and dementia: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-friedman-lmsw/music-dementia_b_1483446.html

962, almost there!

I had a wonderful time at the Special Ed Conference held at Prairie High School today. It was a great event, well-attended and I gave 2 presentations as well as speaking to a number of people who came by my exhibitor table.

Happy 80th Birthday, Casey Kasem!

Happy Birthday, Casey Kasem!! In one of my music therapy groups today, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Casey Kasem and reminisced about his show, American Top 40. We played tambourines to the very first song to be played on "American Top 40" (July 4, 1970) -- Marvin Gaye's "End of The Road." The number one song on that first broadcast was "Mama Told Me Not to Come" by the inimitable 3 Dog Night, which we sang and played drums to. In the top 10 on that day were Elvis' "Wonder of You" and the Beatles "Long and Winding Road." Stretching our limbs seemed a natural fit for the Elvis song, and we joined in singing "I'll never know the reason why you love me as you do. That's the wonder, the wonder of you!" The Beatles tune worked nicely with a pentatonic tone chime improvisation. My clients were surprised to learn the #1 song from the 1970s was "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone. The group sang the song beautifully, accompanied by guitar. "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John was American Top 40s' #1 song of the 1980s, which of course we exercised to! It just seemed so right . . . What a fun walk down memory lane with Casey, AT40 and all those great artists. Long distance dedication to Casey!!

Music Therapy in the Longview Daily News Here is a link to an article about the music therapy group I lead in Longview for client with Alzheimer's: http://tdn.com/lifestyles/music-therapy-group-offers-sound-approach-to-healing/article_aa097142-8b43-11e1-8fe4-0019bb2963f4.html This group is sponsored by SWAAD and offers caregivers a chance to come to their support meeting while their loved one attends music therapy. The group is a pilot project and has been well-received in Longview!

908 I'm getting close to that 1,000 mark! I spoke to a lovely group of women at a PEO Sisterhood meeting Tuesday night. At the meeting were 15 women, many of whom are musicians and could relate to my topic because of their own experiences. Several women sing with "Vancouver USA Singers" and one with Bravo! Vancouver. Another woman works for a bereavement organization and has had much experience with helping people deal with grief through music.