Dear NER-AMTA music therapists,

AMTA is seeking a new Executive Director as Dr. Andrea Farbman is retiring after 30 years of service. As part of the search process we want to hear from you about your hopes for the organization and the Executive Director transition. Working with Raffa, a  national search firm that specializes in founder or long-tenured non profit executive transitions, the AMTA Board has developed a search process outlined on the website. A Stakeholder Committee comprised of members elected by their regions, AMTAS, or appointed by the president has worked closely with Raffa staff to generate this  survey.

We invite you to  take the “AMTA Survey to Support Executive Director Transition.” The responses are completely confidential and go directly to Raffa. All professionals and students, regardless of AMTA membership status, are encouraged to participate as we would like maximum input toward this important work. . Most importantly – this survey is open to all music therapists and music therapy students regardless of membership status or level of practice. Feel free to share the survey link with your colleagues and fellow students.

Please complete the survey by Wednesday, May 16th (5:00 pm EST)

You can follow the process of the AMTA Executive Director Search through regular updates posted on the AMTA website at www.musictherapy.org. As the search and transition work progresses, we are following two key principles: 1) Using AMTA’s mission and strategic plan to guide the leadership skills, experience, and attributes that will best serve the organization; and 2) utilizing a process that is tailored to our organization, values, and culture.

The AMTA’s Stakeholder Committee thanks you in advance for taking time to respond and participate.

Amy Furman (Chair), Wendy Woolsey (Vice President Elect), Natalie Generally (Council Coordinator) Piper Laird (Assembly Delegate), Jean Nemeth (New England Region), Joke Bradt (Mid-Atlantic Region), Cathy McKinney (Southeastern Region), Meganne Masko (Great Lakes Region), Blythe LaGasse (Midwestern Region), Robin Edwards (Southwestern Region), Sara Cannon (Western Region), Annette Whitehead-Pleaux (AMTA member representing diversity/multiculturalism), Rachel Quirbach (Undergraduate Student), Garrett Weeks (Graduate Student), and Penny Brill (Community representative/musician)

SURVEY LINK: Here is the link to the survey.

West Bay Collaborative is looking for a per diem or part time Music Therapist located in or around the state of Rhode Island.

Currently, there are approximately 4 clinical hours available with the option to increase up to 8-10 if interested. This is also a growing caseload so there is potential to grow hours to full time. This is also a flexible caseload and many clients can be moved and adjusted as needed.

Qualifications:

– Bachelors degree from an accredited college.

– MT-BC required.

– Rhode Island license required (will help acquire).

– Understanding of Microsoft office, Google Drive.

– Proficiency of multiple instruments.

– Experience writing IEPs a plus.

If interested, please contact SDonovan@westbaycollaboritive.org

This month, Barefoot Books is offering 20% off when you spend at least $60.00 online. The special offer code to use in the cart at check out is LAUGHUS.  Your continued support of this fundraiser helps support the NER Membership Support Program.

We invite you to take advantage of our Early Bird Registration rate for another week. We will move the deadline to Monday, March 13th. If you are planning on taking one of the wonderful CMTEs that we are offering, we suggest that you register for that as soon as you’re able, then we can be sure there is a suitable number of participants for each CMTE.  
 

Registration is easy enough, but if you have any questions or concerns regarding the process, please feel free to contact our web mistress at web@musictherapynewengland.org

Follow this link to register now! http://www.musictherapynewengland.org/

Some of the great offerings at this year’s conference are:

CMTEs –

The Leadership Academy, 3 hr. CMTE, Thursday, March 30th, 9:00am to 12:00pm

This popular CMTE offered at our National Conferences is coming to NER to help professionals identify and further develop their leadership skills and qualities.

SOS – Singing Off Stress and Soothing Our Souls, 3 hr. CMTE, Thursday, March 30th, 2:00 to

5:00 pm

This experiential workshop engages participants in various forms and styles of communal singing and provide ideas and material for clinical applications, opportunities for community building, and a form of self-care.​

Developing and Expanding Supervision Skills, 5 hr. CMTE, Thursday, March 30th, 1:00 to

6:00 pm

This intensive training focuses on the theory and practical skills of clinical supervision. An immersion in both didactic learning and experientials will give participants practice with verbal, musical, and expressive arts techniques for supervision

Music Therapy and Chronic Pain, 5 hr. CMTE, Thursday, March 30th, 1:00 to 6:00 pm

This CMTE reviews symptoms and need areas associated with chronic pain, latest research findings, and advanced music therapy techniques for assessing and treating chronic pain. An experiential component of role playing client therapist relationships will be undertaken in efforts to facilitate opportunities to implement advanced clinical techniques.

Mindful Music Listening with Teenagers: “Bohemian Rhapsody” as a Therapeutic Tool,

Saturday, April 1st, 2:15 to 5:15 pm

The music that shapes our teenage years can be an important experience of connection and insight. This presentation will explore music listening as a creative, mindfulness-based technique, both for therapeutic use with teenagers and as a tool for professional and personal growth.

Walk in, Scramble in, Hop out, or Purge out of the Closet: LGBT Identity Development through the Lifespan, Saturday, April 1st, 2:15 to 5:15 pm

Participants examine theoretical models, the influence of social identities such as race in creating differing patterns, and the impact of social media on identity formation.

Poster Session and Internship Fair

Last years Poster Session and Internship Fair was such a success, so we are thrilled to offer this wonderful opportunity again. If you would like to present your research in the poster session, please see the application form on our web site.

The Musical Yard Sale

Rent a table and sell your old instruments, music, etc, or buy items to add to your Instrument Bag.

For renting a table, see the registration form on our web site

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Business Lunch and Elections

Cabaret

Drum Circle

Self-Care Sessions

We look forward to your presence and participation at our 2017 NER-AMTA Annual Conference!

We are extending our call for papers for 1 week only! Share your expertise with your colleagues at this year’s NERAMTA conference.
Please use the following link http://www.musictherapynewengland.org/2017-conference/
We look forward to seeing you in Newport March 30-April 1, 2017.
Sincerely,
Meg Capen, MT-BC

NER Vice President

Conference Chair

vicepresident@musictherapynewengland.org
Courtney Biddle, MMT, MT-BC

NER Vice President-Elect

Conference Co-Chair

vicepresidentelect@musictherapynewengland.org

Please click on the link below and view pages 98-105 for a beautiful write up on music therapy.
Congratulations and gratitude to music therapists Lisa Kynvi, Sally Harison, Sarah Gagnon, and Emily MacPherson for representing our profession with clarity and grace.

http://wellesleywestonmagazine.epubxp.com/t/15643-wellesleyweston-magazine

Now that most of the holidays are done, it is time to hunker down at home and fend off the New England weather.   While doing that, consider using your talents to make a craft to sell the NER’s craft table.   The craft table fundraiser will make its debut appearance at this year’s NER Spring Conference in Newport. We are encouraging our members to make a craft to contribute to the craft table which will be open to the NER members at the conference. The proceeds from the fundraiser will go directly toward the Membership Support Program. When items are contributed to the craft table, please include your name and a suggested price per item. We also ask, in the event that some of your items do not sell, to please let us know if you would like them back or if you would like us to keep them for next year.   If you are attending the conference, you may bring your items to the registration table at the conference and there will be a collection box for them.   If you would like to contribute but are unable to attend the conference, please feel free to send them to Courtney Biddle and she will bring them to the conference for you. For more information, please contact Courtney Biddle @ vicepresidentelect@newenglandmusictherapy.org

Dear Colleague,

As members of the small but mighty New England Region of the American Music Therapy Association, we know that we are all stronger and better when we are united together! Membership in our regional and national professional organization has given each of us so many incredible benefits that it is too much to list it all here, but we want to share with you some of the reasons why we are members.

Here are some of the benefits of being a member of the New England Region

• Discounted conference and CMTE registration
• Scholarships for conferences provided to members
• Regional job listings on our website
• Referrals to connect you with interested clients
• Networking with local colleagues
• Staying up to date on issues to related music therapy
• Support for state task forces related to state licensure and regulation
• Receive e-mail updates via The Muse, the New England Region Electronic Newsletter which is sent to all members
• Leadership opportunities within NER-AMTA including committees, task forces and the Regional Board
• Being a part of your professional regional organization that works to support each other and the development of our field

In addition, you get these benefits as a member of the American Music Therapy Association

• Journal of Music Therapy (quarterly journal)
• Music Therapy Perspectives (bi-annual journal)
• AMTA literature (fact sheets, research bibliographies, standards of practice, and mailings of professional interest)

• AMTA’s job center which contains job listings and help in finding a job or improving your employment
• AMTA TechStop: tutorials and tips from the AMTA technology committee
• AMTA e-courses: Affordable, convenient, online continuing music therapy education at discounted prices

• Scholarships and Grants

• Discounts on AMTA products and national conference registration

• Capitol Hill presence – government relations activities including monitoring of legislation and regulations related to health and education
• State recognition initiatives and support
• Communication with federal and state agencies for recognition of music therapy

We love being members of AMTA, and we want each and every music therapist in our region to join us to make our field and our profession stronger.   After all that we have each invested in our training to become a music therapist, the modest annual dues to AMTA help to keep our profession strong and vibrant!

What is this really all about?

This Membership Support Initiative and the Pay It Forward Campaign is designed to welcome all music therapists who want to be part of the New England Region and the AMTA to become a full member! This year’s New England Region – AMTA Board has committed to using donations and budgeted funds to help you get in the game and be part of your professional organization! Maybe you were a member in the past, but for whatever reason, you haven’t renewed your membership lately. Maybe you haven’t been a member since you qualified for the student discount. Or maybe you’ve been buried with student loans and other life expenses and you just didn’t think you could afford to join this year.  If you want to be a member, then we want you to apply for this unique opportunity. The New England Region needs you!

Who qualifies?

• All Board Certified Music Therapists!  We want to help as many music therapists living in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut as possible!

• New Members and Previous Members are welcome to apply
• Seasoned and New Professionals are encouraged to get involved in the region and both are welcome to apply
• With this funding we want to welcome seasoned professionals, new professional, new members and previous members to join and be a part of the AMTA and the New England Region!

How does it work?

This is a “Pay It Forward” Campaign. When you apply, we ask you to commit to a dollar amount that you can contribute towards your membership fee. We also ask you to commit to a non-financial contribution to the region. In this way, you will pay your membership assistance forward to support the profession and music therapy in our region. We give you some ideas of how you can pay it forward, and we also welcome your ideas about what else you think you can do to contribute to our amazing field!

How will the awards be distributed?

We want to use the funds we have available to help the largest number of people possible to become members. Awards will be determined based on the following considerations:

• Stated desire to be a part of the NER Region and of AMTA (40%)
• Commitment to pay the gift of membership forward   (40%)
• Amount of support requested (20%)

We anticipate awarding 40+ Membership Support awards, so we encourage everyone to apply!

What do I need to do?

• First decide and say to yourself, “Yes, I would love to be a member of NER-AMTA!”
• Complete this application in its entirety. We want all of your input. Do not overthink it! Just submit it!

As members of the New England Region and the American Music Therapy Association, we love being members and we know you will too!  Please join us and become a member through this Membership Support Initiative! If you have any questions, please contact ____.  We look forward to seeing why you want to be a member and how you will pay your membership forward!

The Membership Support Task Force

Meredith Pizzi, Judy Engel, Adrienne Flight,
Elizabeth Ferguson, & Sara Casati

Pay It Forward Application