What is the main thrust of your activity as a therapist?
I brings me great joy to work with people through music and to see the clinical progress made towards their individual goals from week to week.
What area in music therapy interests you the most?
Neurological Music Therapy is interesting to me as certain techniques in music are facilitated to strengthen cognitive, sensory and motor functions. When working with my internship supervisor, who has an accreditation in NMT, I implemented a technique from this treatment with a client who suffered from a stroke. After seven months of working with this client, certain speech patterns were recovered. I hope to pursue training in NMT in the near future as this area intrigues me.
And what about activity in your coextensive field of music?
I hope to achieve greater confidence in playing a wider variety of instruments as I find the guitar and flute to be limiting at times when improvising with clients. Currently I'm taking piano lessons to strengthen
my skillset and confidence. I hope to learn how to play other instruments with time.
Could you explain the current music therapy tie-in with psychotherapy in Ontario?
Currently I am working on my application to grandfather (“grandparent” in current politically correct language – AR) into the College of Psychotherapy in Ontario since music therapy has recently been
recognized under the practice of psychotherapy. The link between psychotherapy and music therapy is fascinating as the modality of music opens up pathways to one's emotions, memories, personal beliefs, etc.
Through music therapy, a client's voice can be heard as they strengthen their own individual identity, understand emotional conflicts or past trauma. The current tie-in between psychotherapy and music therapy continues to develop as the title of Music Therapy begins to mold into “Music-Centered Psychotherapy.”
Having mentioned Elena's musical activity at the outset, we'd like to add some details about her professional work in K-W and Toronto. This includes Long Term Care facilities such as Columbia Forest, Lanark Heights and Suomi-Koti. She also supervises undergraduate and graduate students at various clinical placements under the aegis of Wilfrid Laurier University.
We're looking forward to meeting with Elena, Ellen Lindau and others working in the field or in related areas (medicine, music, education, etc.) at Dr. Eve Lukk's presentation/lecture on Wednesday, March 29
(7.00 pm) at Tartu College.
Andres Raudsepp, Toronto
