Week Two Update

My second week down, and I already feel like my head will explode with everything I've learned! Technically my entire first month is supposed to be spent observing, but my supervisor believes you learn best by doing.... And I've done a lot of doing this week!

On Monday, in addition to our regular clinic hours, I volunteered for a guitar workshop that is leading up to the return of the Guitars for Vets program in September. Guitars for Vets is a national nonprofit organization that makes guitars and lessons available to veterans as a positive leisure activity. The G4V organization sponsors ten-week guitar courses which are led by volunteers following a beginning guitar curriculum; at the end of the ten-week course, vets who participated the entire time receive a guitar. The Salem VA Medical Center sponsors four different groups of the G4V program, and has a two-year waiting list. G4V is technically not a music therapy program, as it is led by volunteers instead of board-certified music therapists; however, the program has a lot of therapeutic benefits, and provides a support system for veterans trying to develop positive leisure habits and good coping skills. Most of the veterans in the program suffer from anxiety, depression, and PTSD, as well as a variety of other service-related disabilities. It was special to see how much this program means to them, and how much they look forward to coming.

I also got to co-lead two sessions with my fellow intern, Laura, this week. One of our patients, let's call her "Star", definitely likes to be the star of the show! She is diagnosed with a neurologically-debilitating condition, and our goals are primarily to maintain breath control and vocal flexibility as long as possible, in addition to providing mood-lifting, positive support. Our sessions are always fun; we start off with silly vocal exercises that make everyone laugh while we warm up our voices and stretch our vocal cords. Then, we sing Star's favorite songs: Broadway hits! We meet clinical goals while singing tunes from South Pacific, Oklahoma, The Music Man, and lots of other musicals I'd never even heard of. 


The highlight of my week, though, was getting to try RAS for the first time. Rhythmic Auditory Stimulus, (RAS), is a neurologic music therapy technique which uses rhythm to assist in gait training. Neurologic music therapy is a medically-based application of music therapy which relates closely to current research in neurology. NMT requires an additional certification beyond the music therapy board certification. My supervisor is NMT-certified, so I'm getting to observe and practice a lot of techniques which go beyond "typical" music therapy.

 The patient who agreed to be my guinea pig, (we'll call him Steve), was partially paralyzed after an accident. My supervisor partnered with the PT at Salem VAMC to try RAS with Steve; after two sessions he was walking again! Steve has progressed past the point of needing RAS, but he agreed to let me and Laura try it with him so we could have the experience. The music therapy clinic in the hospital is small, so we do gait training in the hospital hallways. So, Friday morning I was marching through the hospital backwards while playing Hound Dog on my guitar, trying to sing, cue with my feet, chord, look where I was going, and not get stepped on all at the same time! I got lots of funny looks and laughs, (including from Steve), but it was a wonderful experience to try it!

The clinical experiences I'm getting are incredible; I'm convinced that the Salem VAMC is the best possible place for me to learn. I am challenged every day professionally, musically, and personally. I am settled into my home, and I have found a sweet and supportive church home here. The environment is demanding though, and all thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated!

One final thought: I learned a joke about HIPAA, but I can't tell you...