Upon graduating from Shoreline Christian, I began studying at Seattle Pacific University. My freshman year, I began exploring majors while also working part-time as a job coach for individuals with disabilities, and began developing and leading a volunteer relational ministry program at Union Gospel Mission Men's shelter. My sophomore year, I discovered music therapy, and saw that SPU was the only university in the state that offered this program - I immediately knew this is what I wanted to study.      

 

Music therapy is the intentional and functional use of music to achieve therapeutic goals. Essentially, we use music to reach non-musical goals. We study the brain's response to music, and how to use musical elements to reach certain parts of the brain. Our brains light up when we listen to music, and even more when we are interacting and playing music - music reaches all areas of the brain! Music therapists work in conjunction with other healthcare professionals, doctors, surgeons, teachers, therapists, and more to help individuals who may respond well to what we have to offer.

 

A music therapy student fulfills all the music major requirements as well as clinical foundations in psychology, physical therapy, biology, and special education. We also begin our practicum upon being selected into the program. While in the program, I continued developing the homeless ministry at UGM as well as began to explore further program work as a job coach, eventually working at Seattle Children's Hospital my senior year. I also began working at the education and outreach department at the Seattle Symphony - called Soundbridge - in the summer of 2014. 

 

This June I walked in my university graduation ceremony, and will receive my degree upon completion of my required 6-month full-time music therapy internship. I decided to stay local, and complete a joint internship between Music Works Northwest in Bellevue and Snohomish County Music Project. My first half of internship at Music Works was working mostly with individuals on the autism spectrum and adults with developmental disabilities. My second half of internship at Snohomish County has me working with Alzheimer's memory care, and adjudicated youth at the Denney Juvenile Justice center. I also work with at-risk and referred adjudicated youth, Vietnam war vets, PTSD, gang prevention, and trauma care surrounding the Marysville shooting last year. I've also have the privilege of working with the 3rd grade class at Shoreline Christian.

 

I will be finished with internship the week before Christmas, and will be sitting down to take my board exams and become a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) at the end of December!

 

I still work with Soundbridge on my days off of internship, and am receiving a promotion in January to do further work with the symphony, and help create music therapy sites that we can serve. I am also in the process of getting in contact with various hospitals and organizations in the area, hoping to develop a music therapy program or programs of my own. (If anyone has any potential connections for me, please let me know!)

 

I won't forget the amazing and loving SCS community and how it gave me the confidence and ambition to pioneer the amazing field of music therapy in the city of Seattle.