Music Therapy Matters Monthly - January 2016

January 2016
Welcome to your new and improved member benefit

AMTA’s quarterly newsletter, Music Therapy Matters, has been transformed into a monthly brief focusing on the work AMTA does for YOU. Coming straight to your inbox, this newsletter will be filled with important and timely information, as well as money-saving discounts! The inaugural January issue is available to the public for all to see, but will become a benefit for members only starting in February. Don’t miss out on this member perk! Register to become a member of AMTA today. To purchase Membership in AMTA online click here. Or, if you prefer to mail in a check, mail your payment to AMTA, 8455 Colesville Rd. Ste. 1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or order by phone at 301-589-3300

Presidential Perspectives

Happy New Year!

It is exciting to draft this first column as President of AMTA. Thank you for this honor of serving our growing profession!  Over the past two years, I have learned more about the workings of our Association as well as the needs of us all – the members of AMTA. 

Having just renewed my 2016 Professional membership for $250, I was pondering the meaning of AMTA membership. An important membership benefit for me is the opportunity to serve our profession, in all levels of our organization. My membership is invaluable when it comes to the incredible advocacy work of those who came before me.  I would not be able to advocate as effectively without the experience and mentoring I receive as a member of AMTA. I am also grateful for the important and timely research findings of our journals and the ease at which I can access them, thanks to our partnership with Oxford University Press.  And AMTA-member discounts are excellent, including the generous offering from West Music.

My most treasured benefit of AMTA membership is being part of a larger community of others who are invested in the profession of music therapy.  Having come from a small bachelor’s program, being the only MT intern at the site at which I completed my internship, and now being in private practice, I have relied on other AMTA members so that I do not feel so isolated, so alone.

That is my perspective (after all, this column is entitled “Presidential Perspectives”).  As a fellow member, I would like to know your perspective.  Let’s work together to continue building our music therapy community.

In the age of social media, I welcome you to post your reasons for why you choose to make AMTA membership a priority using the hashtag #WeAreAMTA. Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest and tag me! (Jennifer Geiger or @jennifermtbc) Look me up at www.musictherapy.org under “Find a Music Therapist” to connect “in person.”

Wishing you & yours health and happiness,

Jennifer

PS: I hope you found this inaugural issue of Music Therapy Matters Monthly helpful. Thank you for reading!

New Year Sale on all AMTA E-courses

Enjoy a 20% discount sale on AMTA E-courses now through the end of January.

Go to www.musictherapy.org and visit the bookstore, then Shop for: “Merchandise,” category: “E-courses.” After you put your selected E-course in your shopping cart, enter the discount code EC16-STAND to apply the 20% discount. Don't miss out on this savings opportunity for both members and non-members.  Click here to shop for E-courses.

Student Corner  

A friendly reminder that the deadline for faculty nominations for the Spring 2016 student scholarships is quickly approaching – February 5, 2016.  Many thanks to the faculty who have already submitted nominations!!!! The three awards that require nomination are listed below:

1. Edwina Eustis Dick Scholarship for Music Therapy Interns • Two cash scholarships of $500

2. Brian and Cathy Smith Memorial Fund • One cash scholarship of $500

3. Christine K. Stevens Development Scholarship • Two full tuition scholarships or HealthRHYTHMS training (valued at $599 each).

For details please visit www.musictherapy.org/careers/scholars

Music Therapy Interns: Don't forget to apply for our "Welcome to the Profession" packet & get $150 in coupons/discounts. That's like getting your 1st year of Professional membership for $100! Click here for details.

January Member Benefit Highlights

How is being a member of AMTA beneficial to you? Take a look and we’ll tell you! Every month a handful of member benefits will be highlighted for you to help you use your membership benefits more effectively. See these great perks of being a part of the AMTA family highlighted in January:

TWO new AMTA-pro podcasts have already been posted this month: “Music Therapy for Survivors of Violence” and “Therapeutic Musicians and Music Therapists.” Click here for these and other AMTA-pro podcasts. 

Up to TWO Discounts at West Music. The earlier you join, the more you save!  You'll receive details for how to claim these discounts in the member welcome email you will receive after you join. For more info, click here.

AMTA members enjoy a 25% discounts on all titles from Oxford University Press. Click here for details.

Heard about "Music and Memory" or "Alive Inside?"  Check out this new section of the AMTA website for music therapy-informed music listening programs.

Job Connections from AMTA

In the past 30 days, AMTA provided 40 referral lists of music therapists.
In the past 30 days, AMTA posted 34 new music therapy-related positions.

To see more job opportunities for music therapists, current members may visit the Job Center and log in your email address and password.

As a current AMTA member, you are included in referral lists sent to potential clients and administrators seeking to hire a music therapist.  To effectively use the referral member benefit from AMTA, update any changes in your contact information by clicking the "My Information" tab (found under "My Account" when you log in with your current AMTA member email and password) and "Edit Information." Include populations and settings with which you work so you will be searchable by consumers, parents, and administrators seeking music therapy services. Make sure that you will be searchable in the AMTA online directory by not checking the "Do Not Publish Info Online" box (or if you do not want your name to appear, feel free to check that box). Opt IN to be included on lists the National Office generates for consumers by selecting "Self Employed/Private Practice"; this ensures that your name will be included on those lists.

Job Growth

Did you know that the average reported salary for music therapists increased by over $2900 last year? More salary information, including information about the 90 new positions created, can be found in the 2015 AMTA Member Survey and Workforce Analysis on the AMTA website. Current AMTA members get this resource for free. Just go to Member Resources>Job Center>Resources & Links. Or use this link.

Advocacy for the Music Therapy Profession

January is Social Media Month! This month, our focus is on YOU and on getting you excited about advocacy. For more information, see http://musictherapystaterecognition.blogspot.com/ 

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