All the Essentials: What I Carry In My Bag as a Music Therapist
Written by Laura Bill, MT-BC
A Bag of Many Bags
When traveling to various groups throughout the day, I tend to have to bring every instrument I could ever possibly need. Stopping back at the office to exchange them, normally isn’t an option. This leads to having lots, and lots, and lots of items to carry of all shapes and sizes. To put it simply, one bag isn’t going to cut it.
So, I have one large bag filled with smaller bags of various types of instruments. This not only allows for the maximization of “packmuling” abilities (aka managing to transport all the things independently) but easy access to whatever instrument is needed at the moment. This way, when I need the egg shakers, I know to grab the small red bag out of the big bag. There is no scrambling or digging to find a shaker for each participant. This keeps the sessions moving smoothly and helps clients stay actively engaged in the music making.
Pro Tip: Make sure all your smaller bags are distinguishable from one another. Have a red bag for this and a Walmart bag for that etc.
All the Visuals
For many of the clients I work with, thinking abstractly can be challenging. So when preparing interventions, I always bring visuals or props to help them. For example, the song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” can include many different animals. I have a picture of each one with the name underneath or a small plush figure. These aids help the clients maintain attention by stimulating multiple senses and associate the word with the actual animal.
These tools also lend themselves naturally to self-expression through multiple ways of communication. Maybe a client in a group is nonverbal. When asking the group as a whole what animal should be next, clients can participate by saying the animal they want or by pointing to the picture. This allows all voices to be heard evenly.
Pro Tip: Laminate all your visuals. They will last longer this way.
Multiples of the Favs
As you observe clients over years of practice, you start to notice there is always some kind of favorite. Whether it’s a favorite color, prop, or instrument there will always be a specific item that can potentially cause issues. Now having a preference is not a bad thing. It is fantastic for clients to know what they like and to share that information. But, when their desire for the favorite item prevents sharing and makes waiting for a turn extremely hard for them, the whole group session can become a little difficult. Especially when more than one person really, really wants the same thing!
To help make this easier on a everyone, I always try to bring 2-3 of the same highly sought after instruments. For example, if everyone loves the mini ocean drums in a session, I try to bring a couple of them. This way there are more opportunities for the clients to play and the overall wait time to have a turn is shorter than if there was only one.
Pro Tip: If you aren’t sure which item is going to be the most desired one for a group, just bring an extra and keep it in your bag. This way when you present the instrument, and you see everyone wants it, you can “magically” pull out the other one.
As Much Adaptive Equipment as Possible!!!
Many of my clients have a wide variety of needs. So in my bag of many bags, I try to keep as much adaptive equipment I can fit. Some highlights include alternative guitar picks (small, large and a rubber spatula head), small maracas with my eggs shakers, and handheld jingle bells and ones that strap on to wrists. These adaptations help everyone stay included and engaged during sessions while also meeting them where they are at to work towards their goals.
Pro Tip: Equipment is not the only thing that can be adapted. Before sessions, make sure to have communication and movement adaptations for all your planned interventions.
Of Course a Speaker
It is always handy to have a bluetooth speaker ready with me for sessions. Sometimes using recorded music is the best option for an intervention. Maybe it is for a choreographed dance where the clients need to see the movements fully done out to master them themselves. Or maybe it's for a small movement song where a child needs more tactile support to follow along. Other times having a steady background song or beat can help with relaxation and grounding while exploring a new instrument that requires more support (like a singing bowl). All of these things are harder to do with a guitar in my hand. So my bluetooth speaker is a must have.
Pro Tip: Make sure to turn on and connect your speaker at the beginning of the session. This helps keep the flow smooth and prevents any pauses due to technology troubles.
Cleaning Wipes (for the “Tasty” Instruments)
This one is pretty much a given. When instruments are being shared by multiple people, in multiple classes, in multiple locations, it is really important to disinfect instruments as much as possible to prevent the spread of germs. A second reason to have wipes readily accessible is for when an instrument is “tasted”. This happens quite often. There are many reasons a child or client would put an instrument in their mouth. Whether it’s teething, sensory stimulation, or because the apple shaker is hyperrealistic, the end result is the same. It needs to be cleaned ASAP. This way it is ready for the next group to enjoy!
Pro Tip: Try to use less abrasive and more natural disinfectant wipes especially for quick transitions between classes. This way if the instrument is tasted again, it isn’t as potentially harmful.
Bonus: GOOD ENERGY
I carry many important tools with me throughout my day, but the most important one can’t be found in my bag of bags. It is good energy! Sure, it is beneficial (and fun) for the clients to sing and dance and play instruments, but the real “magic” of music therapy occurs through interactions between the client and the therapist. So even on days of running to back to back sessions, I focus on keeping a positive attitude and giving my all to helping the individuals in front of me. That is truly essential.
