During my senior year as a music therapy undergraduate student, I had the opportunity to live and volunteer at a Hospice home for those who had a prognosis of 3 months or less to live and did not have a stable living situation. While I was not yet a practicing music therapist, the experiences I had there shaped my understanding of the particular power of music and prevalence of spiritual care in this population.         Hospice/End-of-life care is palliative in a physical sen

Bad Bunny’s historic halftime show celebrated many aspects of Puerto Rican culture. As music therapists, it is important to understand cultural values and their impact on our clinical approaches to best support the therapeutic alliance with both the client and the client’s family.             In Melisa de León’s article “Mexican American Values and Therapeutic Alliance in Music Therapy: Composite Vignettes from the Rio Grande Valley”, she accounts her personal experience as

The increased ICE presence in Minneapolis has left many people feeling scared, overwhelmed, and stressed. If you find yourself feeling this way, know that you are not alone, and there are many resources available to you. The following is a list of resources that provide legal support, mental health care, and community support. These resources offer services that you can access and/or ways that you can get involved in the community. Many websites on this list also have more re

Books are a common tool music therapists use in sessions to bring a story to song, or a song to life in a different way. For music therapists working with children or vulnerable people facing the stress and fear of separation, deportation, or detention, check out this book list compiled in collaboration by the MN Department of Health and UMN Extension. The document also has helpful tips for using these books sensitively. Below are a few considerations for music therapists. A