As you are sitting in the speech therapist’s waiting room, pretending to read yet another US Weekly, your attention wanders between the clock, thinking of what to cook for dinner, and snippets of the conversations going on around you. As you drift from one thing to another, suddenly your attention focuses on a conversation that you aren’t familiar with.

Another parent in the room is talking about their child’s music therapist.

“Music Therapy?” You think, and jot it down on your mental note pad.

Being an industrious mother of the 21st century, you whip out your smart phone and Google “Music Therapy”.

The first hit you get is the American Music Therapy Association. You click it and browse the site a little bit, familiarizing yourself with the basic ideas of music therapy. “Okay,” you think to yourself, “this sounds interesting.” You might find the “Find an MT” sidebar, but you don’t really want to wait for an e-mail, so you go back to Google.

“Music Therapy Columbia SC” is your new search term. You might even modify it to just show Places. when your search comes up, you see one listing with a map, address, and phone number listed. You click it and explore the webpage, seeing vignettes, testimonials, and explanations that give you a clearer idea of how music therapy could help your child.

At this point, you ask the other parent about their music therapist. After talking with them, and possibly getting a recommendation, you then call or e-mail the local music therapist to discuss how they can help your child.

I’ve been trying to think a bit more about how you, my clients, tend to find me. This is, of course, from the perspective of a parent who already has their child in other therapies. I’d love to hear how you found me!