Why join LMP?

As a new music therapist MANY years ago and with entrepreneurship running in my family, I set out to create an early intervention music therapy program in a county (in Ohio) that did not have ANY music therapy programs. Out of all of the contacts I sent out, only 1 director responded. She was interested but didn’t have the time as she was buried in grant writing for the local Head Start program. But being a music therapist I did what we do & found a way into the system by taking a desk job at the Head Start central office. My title was “disabilities assistant” and I spent a great deal of time going into the classrooms & observing children that had been identified as having possible delays. After spending a year in the office, getting to know how the classrooms & the program worked and getting to know the director a little bit, I approached her again. The result was a part time music therapy pilot program using United Way funding.

In some ways I was lucky being able to work with the director Carla Unkefer to develop the “nuts & bolts” of the music therapy program at Head Start that ran for 24 years, until she retired. And I had a great college education. But I would have loved to have someone to talk to and test out ideas with when I first started. I remember some days feeling like I was “winging it” as I was the only music therapist around. The music therapy program at Wayne/Medina Head Start was the first Head Start music therapy program in Ohio and for awhile the only one. I was, and am, proud of that accomplishment. But having a mentor – or even just a support person – would have allowed me to focus even more on the children vs all of the extras I learned/developed along the way.

I have trained practicum and intern students at the Head Start site. I developed the mentorship program because I want to continue to share my knowledge & experiences. I love teaching others and I love how, when done the right way, the learning continues on both sides!

I hope that you will consider joining us !