Meet Laura: My Journey to Music Therapy and How Mother Knows Best

Written by Laura Bill, MT-BC

This is one of my favorite stories to share! And that’s a good thing because I’m asked to share it quite often. So, why did I become a music therapist? 

Well, in order to have a full picture, let’s go back in time to when I was two years old. My mother often recounts when I came to her and sang this simple song:

“One, two, three

I clap my hands

Now that’s all done”

I know, clearly the next Mozart and yes, the song did come with adorable hand motions. When she asked where I heard the song from, I told her I made it up. From then on I was always singing around the house, much to my father’s dismay, and creating songs. I performed original pieces in elementary school all the way through high school, and had many more ideas that were (are) incomplete. This was my passion, my calling. I was going to be a singer/songwriter. Then in my freshman year of high school my parents told me I needed to plan for a real job.

So, I still participated in all the music activities I could during school, but it couldn’t be my future anymore. I thought about being an accountant, a teacher, even an animal behaviorist. Nothing was the perfect fit though. No matter what career I considered I felt like I was settling. I then took a music theory class junior year and fell in love. At that moment, I knew I couldn’t walk away from music forever. How could I keep it in my life and ease my parents fears of becoming a starving artist?

Now, I may have left out a rather large piece of my life that is important to the story.

One of my biggest influences is my sister, Mary. Mary has autism. When I was little, I would advocate for her by explaining to others that “Mary just doesn’t talk yet”. I always kept an eye out for her and tried my best to help when I saw she needed it. There were good times and there were bad times (still true today), but Mary taught me how to notice other people’s needs and how to support them. Through all the uncertainty, I knew I always wanted to help people.

Here we are. A puzzle to be solved. What career incorporates music and helping people? As the Gen Z’er I am, a Google search led me to music therapy. I read about how music impacts the brain, how it can help people with all kinds of diagnoses and what qualities music therapists have. I was in love again! I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life. From there, I found the university of my dreams, studied hard for 4 years, was accepted to the internship I picked out in high school, worked for the business I always wanted to for 2 years and now we’re on to the next dream, starting a practice of my own. 

I’m sure you’re thinking, well great story, but how was your mother always right? Well since middle school, she was recommending music therapy as a career. She saw how I made songs and interacted with my sister and her peers. She could see this was the perfect job for me. Of course I always told her no. In typical kid fashion, I had to figure it out on my own, but looking back she was absolutely right. And I truly couldn’t be happier.