It’s the time of year when people start thinking about friends, family, and good things in their lives. We think about what has happened over the past year, what hasn’t, and how we are thankful for all of it.

For music therapists, it’s also a time to get pumped for our national conference! I am regrettably unable to attend this year (starting a business has that effect), but I thought I’d web Thanksgiving and Conference together to present to you 5 Music Therapy Thanksgivings.

1. My Clients– I couldn’t do what I do without them! I am beyond thankful for my clients for providing me the opportunity to practice and for telling their friends and neighbors about me. Every single person I work with is an absolute joy and I am thankful for each and everyone one of theirs presence in my life.

2. Local Networks– These include The South Carolina Autism Society, Family Connection, The Barclay School, the Chabad Jewish Day School, Speechworks, Business Women of the Midlands, the West Columbia/Cayce Rotary Club and more that received my information and published it without my even knowing. These groups and people have used their resources to let my clients and potential clients know about what I do! Promoting a business is no easy task, but all of these organizations have given me wonderful opportunities to reach out to our community and educate them about music therapy. I am so thankful for your openness and enthusiasm about music therapy!

3. My Colleagues– In a recent post I mentioned the feeling I had before of being cut off from my colleagues, or at least unable to relate to them. I can thankfully say that that feeling is GONE! Thanks to the internet, I feel like I have friends all over the country (couch surfing, anyone?) I’ve been able to simultaneously message music therapists on either side of the country to bounce ideas, ask questions, or just talk and the most wonderful thing about it is that they respond! I’m definitely attending National Conference next year, and I feel comfortable with the thought that I won’t be lost in a sea of strangers.

4. My Family– With our anniversary coming up this weekend, I’ll talk more about my husband then. However, every member of my family has been supportive and inquisitive about the starting of my business. I’ve had someone to call and talk to when feeling frustrated,  someone to call with questions, and even tax advice! I’m very thankful for the web of support I have around me, because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to be where I am today.

5. New Information– I love that I am in a field that is constantly expanding in knowledge. I love that every new article that comes out actually contributes something and isn’t. Since starting my practice, I’ve had time and motivation to actually sit and reestablish a relationship between myself and literature. I’m reading about things that didn’t get covered in school (and how could you ever cover everything in school) and constantly reassessing both myself and my clients as I learn and grow. I am thankfully every day that I have the ability to tap into new information (and that I found some awesome tools to do it with!)

So there you have it: my 5 Music Therapy Thanksgivings. Do you have a music therapy thanksgiving that you’d like to add? Feel free to drop it in the comments section!