Pitching Music Therapy: What Do I Say?! Amy Rodgers-Smith, MT-BC Erin K. Spring, MM, MT-BC

Why Me?

●  “I’m just a student, I don’t need to advocate yet.”

●  “I have a full time music therapy position, I don’t need to advocate.”

●  “I’m too busy to advocate, someone else can advocate.”

●  “I don’t know how or where to start.”

How Will Advocating Help Me?

It can: ●  Create jobs ●  Increase job security ●  Increase project opportunities ●  Increase job satisfaction ●  Provide reimbursement ●  Enhance networking connections ●  Help us stay ahead of the learning curve

Part 1 Defining Music Therapy

What is your answer...

To the dreaded question...

“What is music therapy?”

“What is music therapy?”

Responses should be formed based on: ●  The Inquirer ●  Topic of Interest ●  Situational Variables

“What is music therapy?”

The Inquirer: ●  Is this person:

○  A healthcare professional? ○  An educational professional? ○  A parent or guardian? ○  Asking for an agency? ○  A potential patient/client?

●  What is your relationship to them? ●  What is their motivation for learning about

music therapy?

“What is music therapy?”

Topic(s) of Interest: ●  A specific age group- adults, children,

elderly ●  Specific diagnoses- Autism, Stroke,

Developmental Delay, Cancer, etc. ●  Specific agencies/facilities ●  Reimbursement ●  Interventions/Techniques ●  Research

“What is music therapy?”

Situational Variables: ●  How much time do you have? ●  What setting are you in?

○  Public ○  Private meeting ○  School ○  Agency ○  etc.

●  How many people are present who might join in conversation or listen in.

“What is music therapy?”

Key elements to include in all definitions: ●  Evidence-based ●  Board-certified ●  Music is the medium for addressing goal

areas ●  Therapeutic relationship ●  Example(s) relevant to inquirer’s interest

‘Bag of Tricks’ for defining MT

Useful Phrases: ●  music as a therapeutic tool ●  music to achieve maximum client

participation ●  music to address non-musical goals ●  empowering clients through music ●  enhancement of human capabilities ●  the promotion of health through music

‘Bag of Tricks’ for defining MT

●  strategic use of music to improve quality of life

●  planned music influences on the brain ●  scientific or prescriptive use of music ●  an established healthcare profession ●  supportive of non-musical therapeutic

aims ●  complementary therapy

‘Bag of Tricks’ for defining MT

●  treatment within a therapeutic relationship ●  empowering clients to achieve goals with,

through and to music ●  active and interactive music making

Let’s practice

Scenarios where the question “What is music therapy?” is asked.

Part 2 “Selling” Music Therapy

“Selling” Music Therapy through:

●  Networking ●  Communication ●  Marketing

Networking: Finding Connections

Networking- Finding Connections

●  Networking- is there anyone you can find who knows someone in the administration you are trying to contact? ○  Friends ○  Family ○  Co-workers ○  Acquaintances

●  Make a list of all the people you know, at any level; most people have HUNDREDS.

Networking- Finding Connections

●  Six-degrees of separation- networking might seem daunting at first, but often (with a little effort), a path to anyone can be found through people you already know.

●  Exercise- Reach the President

Networking- Finding Connections

Advantages: ●  Makes your initial contact less “cold” and

random. ●  Gives an element of validation to your

product or service. ●  Can make the person you are contacting

more comfortable talking to you. ●  Can provide an additional means of

support for your goal.

Communication: Means and Importance

Means of Communicating ●  Phone call (indirect and direct) ●  E-mail ●  Information Packet ●  Letter of Interest ●  News Articles ●  Videos ●  Face-to-face meeting

○  1 on 1 ○  Group ○  Inservice/Presentation

●  Through an advocate

Important Communication Targets

●  Advocates ●  Parents/Guardians ●  Caregivers ●  Direct supervisors ●  Department administrators

Marketing: Means and Importance

Marketing Means: Materials

●  Brochures ●  Business Cards ●  Website ●  Flyers/Postcards ●  Special Events ●  Letter of Interest ●  Advertisement ●  Testimonials- AMTA Approved

*Consult code of ethics

Marketing Importance: Purpose

●  Branding (what makes you unique) ●  Quality Services ●  The Value ●  Clear Message

●  Concisely Answers the 5Ws ●  Contact information ●  Needs Addressed

Part 3 Pitching your services

In Preparation...

●  Find out what the facility/individual’s needs are and figure out how music therapy can meet those needs

●  Anticipate areas of concern (i.e. funding) ●  Does the facility provide services that you

feel are quality to begin with? Do you want to be associated with them?

●  Be honest and realistic

First Meeting...

●  Define music therapy ●  Overview of services ●  Payment/Reimbursement ●  Fact Sheets ●  Professional Background/Information ●  Ask questions (“What are your

concerns?”) ●  Follow-up with phone call or e-mail

Second Meeting...

●  Proposal Draft with all current information ●  Encourage contribution from administrator

for ownership ●  Specific Research ●  Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, Code

of Professional Practice

Program Implementation...

●  Final Written Proposal ●  Signed Contract with specific terms ●  Music Therapy in-service for support staff ●  Implement Pilot Program ●  Permanent Programming

Ongoing Advocacy/Educating/Reporting

●  Team Meetings ●  Supervisor Updates ●  Educational and Reporting In-services ●  Documentation ●  Data Reports ●  Who do you share successes with?

○  Remember who controls your funding and who will advocate on your behalf!

Questions/Comments

Discussion Time!

Bibliography American Music Therapy Association (2013). What is Advocacy. Retrieved from: http://www.musictherapy.org/policy/advocacy/

The Certification Board of Music Therapists (2011). Advocacy. Retrieved from: http://www.cbmt.org/advocacy/

Daly, John A. (2011). Advocacy: Championing ideas and influencing others. New Haven, NH: Yale University Press.

Erfurt, M., Moore, K. S., & Rambach, R. (producers). (2011, January 10). Music Therapy Roundtable [Audio Podcast]. Retrieved from: http://musictherapyroundtable.com/2011/01/episode-12-government-relations-and-music-therapy-with-dena-register-and-judy-simpson.html

Smith, Amy R. (2008). Information Sharing: Corporation and foundation funding for music therapy program enhancements. Music Therapy Perspectives, 26, 122-125.

For Presentation Slides:

Erin K. Spring www.ohiomt.com

Amy Rodgers Smith www.onabetternotemusictherapy.com