the beginning

In three days I will be at college, ready to start a new adventure.  It's one part terrifying, one part exciting and two parts emotional!  I am realizing just how much I am surrounded by wonderful people.  It's not all butterflies and rainbows, but I have such a great support system and I know that I will always have people here that care about me.

I wish I had the perfect answer for people when they ask me about music therapy.  Umm ... it's therapy utilized through music?  Lame, I know ... but that's usually what comes out.  Here's the official definition from the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA):

Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.

Did that clear things up?  Let me try to explain my understanding ... which I know will change as I actually start learning more!  Music therapy is used to help people emotionally, spiritually (so cool!), physically and mentally.  It is in the healthcare field and is recognized to help people not only cope, but also heal.  Honestly, it is so cool!  It's a relatively new field, and the power of music is being recognized more and more all the time.  Hopefully that will mean that music therapists will be in more demand four years from now!  Music therapists meet with clients in one-on-one and group settings and use music to accomplish goals.

Like I said, this is my understanding, and even that is very limited.  In eighth grade I knew I wanted to help people, and I really felt like God has given me musical talent.  Put the two together, and tada!  I did a research paper on music therapy, and ever since then it has been the career that I kept coming back to.  I am so incredibly excited to see how God wants to use me in this field.  I truly believe that he has placed this desire in my heart.

I want this blog to be a place for me to keep record of my journey, and for you to share in it as well!  I hope to be posting some things that I have been learning, as well as keeping you updated on everything.  I can't promise that I will be faithful in writing as music therapy is an intense major, but it's the thought that counts, right?  Thanks so much for listening to me try to share my heart!

~Amanda

For more information, check out AMTA's website: musictherapy.org