Designing Music Wellness Classes for Your Community (2 credits)

Presented by Sally Bonkrude MA, MT-BC

Have you thought about offering a music-based wellness class or program in your community but weren’t sure what to offer, who it should serve, or how to get started?

As interest in wellness continues to grow, music therapists bring something valuable to the field: a deep understanding of music, people, facilitation, and how musical experiences can support well-being. Designing a Music Wellness Program will help you turn that expertise into a program you can begin bringing to your community.

In this practical course, you’ll identify your strengths and skill sets, explore potential audiences and niches, and begin developing a music wellness offering that reflects both your expertise and the needs of the people you want to serve.

You’ll also examine research that can help you communicate the value of your program, develop clear goals and objectives, and begin shaping the language you’ll need to market your offering effectively.

Rather than finishing the course with just an idea, you’ll begin building the foundation of an actual music wellness program, giving you a clearer path from “I’d like to do this” to “Here’s what I can offer.”

In this workshop, you will learn:

How to identify your strengths, interests, and existing skills and turn them into a music wellness offering.
How to choose a niche and identify the community or population your program could serve.
How to distinguish a wellness-focused program from traditional music therapy services.
Current research you can use to support and communicate the potential benefits of music-based wellness experiences.
How to develop meaningful goals and objectives for your wellness program.
How to begin positioning and describing your program so potential participants and community partners understand its value.
Practical first steps for moving your music wellness program from an idea toward implementation.

Here’s What People are Saying:

“Some of the highlights for me were: Marketing ideas e.g. using performing skills to attract interest, complimentary class to get started, doing a fundraiser, You Tube video, writing a column in the local newspaper about music therapy, public speaking to groups” Paula U.

“This class gave us a task list of decisions we need to make to design our wellness program. Those decisions include the target client population, the primary topic that will meet the needs of that population, the SMART system to define and build the content that will meet the goals of that topic, a marketing plan, etc.” Judith D.

“I enjoyed the many interactions we had with course members, specifically Sally’s individual time to us to discuss our ideas, issues, questions. She was very attentive and helpful.” Brittany S.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the four key factors of how music affects cognition, based on Dale B. Taylor’, Ph.D., MT-BC book: Biomedical Foundations of Music as Therapy.

2. Assess your skill set and experience, and decide on the type of classes and age group you would like to facilitate in your community.

3. Create 2 goals and objectives that could be used in designing this wellness class.

4. Name 3 ways to educate your community on the value of music as therapy and wellness.

Self Study Format:

The self study class consists of watching one hour video recordings and doing a 60 minute assignment.

CBMT Domain Areas:

Domain II Treatment Planning: Task statement 29

Domain V Professional Development: Task Statement 53 Maintain familiarity with the current research and literature in music therapy and related disciplines

Domain V Professional Development: Task Statement 54.Seek and receive clinical and peer supervision to encourage professional growth

Domain V Professional Responsibilities: 5B-9 Advocacy for the music therapy profession

Designing Music Wellness Classes for your Community is approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) for 2 CMTEs-Continuing Music Therapy Education credits. The Spiegel Academy, CBMT Approved Provider #P-106, maintains responsibility for program quality and adherence to CBMT policies and criteria.

Class Description