West Music Company is excited to announce the arrival of their newest music therapist, Lucy Schipper, NMT, MT-BC. Lucy will be pioneering music therapy services in the Cedar Falls area.
Lucy is a 1999 graduate of the University of Iowa with a Bachelors degree in Music Therapy. She received certification in Neurologic Music Therapy in 2007, maintains board certification, and is a member of both the American Music Therapy Association and the Iowa Chapter of Music Therapy. Lucy has worked as a music therapist in long term care in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area for ten years. She has served as a clinical training director of a music therapy internship program and has supervised Wartburg College music therapy students in field experiences.
Lucy has played viola in the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra and at her church, and taught private string lessons in the Cedar Falls area. Lucy received the Leading Edge Care and Service Award in 2008 from the International Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (IAHSA), for spearheading a music therapy assisted walking program. She also received recognition by Wellington's Who's Who Among Women in 2008.
Oh, the ocean drum! It is a favorite of young and old. A music therapist has many uses for this delightful instrument.
You can use it for relaxation or stimulation. You can use it as a sound effect or as a focal point for sharing. You can pass it around a circle. You can play it over someone’s head. Maybe you count coins on it. You can probably think of more!
Today, I had a group that felt as if it were spinning out of control. Sometimes, this happens when not enough music is going on in a group. Sometimes, this happens when there are tons of people participating in a group. Neither was true of this group.
Music was ever-present in this group. This group had more adults than kids. These adults wanted to see to the needs of their child, and I fully support that. However, they didn’t really see a problem in speaking over me. I tried to encourage everyone to listen and even said, “I hear lots of talking. I need to hear singing” at one point. No difference.
“Music therapy uses music to achieve non-musical goals,” board-certified therapist Kelly Fowler says. “For example, a patient with loss of arm strength often responds very well to exercises using a drum and mallet. It’s fun to strike the drum, and strengthening takes place as a side effect.”
Music therapy supports occupational and physical therapy goals, notes Director of Rehabilitation Jodi Dykema [of Trinity Regional Health System of the Quad Cities]. “Research shows that music therapy can be extraordinarily effective,” she says. “It can help achieve such goals as improved range of motion, enhanced pain management and reduced stress and anxiety. It can help brain-injured patients recall memories and improve speech patterns.”
Learn more about how Dale Wingler, a retired police officer and Vietnam veteran, found help for his pain and stress through music therapy at In Touch Community Newsletter.
And learn more about Music Therapy services offered through West Music by Kelly and the rest of her staff.
I recently had a baby and know that countless other music therapists have, as well. Along the way, I found it necessary to adapt things to accommodate my growing belly. I thought I'd share my adaptations for anyone who is pregnant and doing music therapy.
I was so happy for certain equipment during my pregnancy. First the rolling cart: it is fantastic. It really minimizes your lifting and carrying. I store mine in my trunk, though, so I had to be careful to lift with my knees and not my back. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I even lightened the load within my cart by using a wave drum instead of an ocean drum and shape drums instead of paddle drums. I took the heaviest things (books, etc.) out of the cart before lifting it in and out of my trunk.
As promised, here is an example of a playlist for your next workout. Whether you're walking in your neighborhood or working out at the gym, this progression of songs guides your heart rate from warm up to cool down in approximately 45 minutes.
Music is used in conjunction with exercise in the music therapy community for rehabilitation and geriatric populations. But you too can use music to enhance your everyday exercise routine! A 2003 study showed that satisfaction with music was a significant factor in keeping people engaged in regular exercise.
Relax!
We all need to relax on a regular basis. Your body actually needs to learn to relax. You probably don't remember learning how, but hopefully by now you've mastered it. Sometimes music can be especially effective in helping us relax. It can also be helpful for use with clients.
Tips for Integrating Children with Special Needs into the Music Classroom Although I am not a special education teacher or a music teacher, I do have experience teaching K-8 music in the schools. I taught at a catholic school for one year to fill in for their teacher on sabbatical. The experience was eye-opening and played a vital role in my current job as a music therapist in the schools. I saw first-hand how difficult it can be to integrate even just a few children with various special needs into a classroom full of boisterous kids. I'm hoping that I can offer some helpful tips for educators, based on both my music therapy and education experience.
West Music Staff Blogs