Posted on

April Hickey, MT-BC (she/they)

Where do you work and who are your clients?

I am the founder and sole music therapist of a private practice called Your Song Music Therapy, LLC. I live and work in the city of Chicago on the southside in the Bridgeport neighborhood. I have an office location in the Pilsen neighborhood, and I also provide in-home sessions in downtown Chicago. The majority of music therapy work I do is focused on mental health. My clients range from children to adults with various needs, and most of my clientele are adults who have always loved music and are seeking out a creative outlet to support their mental wellness.

What is your favorite part of your profession?

My favorite thing about being a music therapist is the flexibility we have in our work to meet the needs of our clients in the moment with music. I love that our practices don’t have to be standardized and that we are able to be creative in finding ways to support our clients that can include any genre of music and any use of music! I also love that music interventions can have an immediate effect on our clients- while we see progress happen over longer periods of time, we can also often see immediate responses to our interventions, because music truly is a powerful force! My favorite thing about having my own private practice is the freedom to create the life I want to live.

What inspired you to become a music therapist?

I feel so lucky to say that music therapy found me- I just happened to be attending Eastern Michigan University (one of only 2 MT programs in the state of Michigan) because my viola teacher had sent me there for their school of music. My freshman roommate as well as some other friends were in the MT program. I had never heard of MT before as I am from a really rural and isolated area where there are not many music therapists even in the region, but I knew I wanted to have a music career that was not in music education. I took the intro class at EMU and knew right away that it would be a perfect fit for me! I love getting to use music every day, and I love being able to support people of all backgrounds through this profession.

Posted on

Melliza Malabanan, MT-BC

Melliza Malabanan photo

Where do you work and who are your clients?

I currently work at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare Systems. I provide group music therapy sessions for the inpatient child, adolescent, and adult units.

What is your favorite part of your profession?

I enjoy creating music with my patients. I recently had a session where we did group songwriting. The patients decided they wanted to write about one of the staff members they all admired. We were able to create the song from scratch and present it to her.

What inspired you to become a music therapist?

I come from a musical family and was raised by a single dad. Being the first child, I had to set the stage for my brother, so I originally majored in nursing in college. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted to care for others. I discovered music therapy while my grandmother was in hospice care and realized that I could use my love for music and caring for others at the same time. It was a surreal realization for me. I went to my Trio counselor at my community college and told her, “THIS. This is what I want to do.” and we made it happen.

What do you do for self-care?

I’ll admit, I haven’t been doing much self-care lately because I work two jobs, working 7 days a week, but what works for me is songwriting, talking and hanging out with my friends/family, and sleeping. Oftentimes sitting in silence and binge watching TV shows helps me relax.

What’s one piece of advice you have for students or new therapists in the field?

Patience and perseverance. You’re not going to know everything but you have to be willing to try and learn. Everything good that has happened to me was because I stepped out of my comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to do that. Small scale, large scale, the scale is your own. Don’t compare yourself to others either. You belong here. You have something to bring to the table. You’ve made it this far, so take that next step you’ve been holding back on. I believe in you!

Posted on

Allison Gunnink, MBA, MT-BC

Where do you work and who are your clients?

Since March 2018, I’ve been a full-time music therapist at Joliet Area Community Hospice, soon to be known as Lightways. I provide support to patients and families in the field and at our inpatient unit alongside two other wonderful music therapists. We also assist the grief support department with various events and/or groups.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Outside of supporting people in one of the most vulnerable times in their lives, the part of my job that I enjoy the most is working together with my teammates to try and provide the best care that we can. It is such a privilege to work in this setting. I enjoy taking time to get to know the people we are working with and collaborating with the team to try and best meet their needs.

What inspired you to become a music therapist?

My family is service oriented. I grew up with my parents setting the example of giving back to the community through serving on various boards and participating in different events. My three brothers and myself were all in band, so music was a big part of our lives. I knew that I did not want to teach and I did not want to perform for a living. My bassoon teacher mentioned music therapy to me and after I read more about it, I was sold. The idea of using music to help others just felt right to me.

What do you do for self-care?

There are many different things that I do for self-care. I guess it starts with first tuning into myself and figuring out what I need at that time. From there, I have my main go-to self-care activities. A big part of my self-care routine includes exercising; I’ve done Orangetheory Fitness for the last 5.5 years, and I’ve also run a total of 5 half marathons since 2014. I try to eat well to nourish my body and mind. Receiving my own counseling regularly is something that I’ve prioritized over the years as well. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, as well as hanging out watching some favorite TV shows with my two cats.

What’s once piece of advice you have for students or new therapists in the field?

Regardless of the setting that you work in, there will be systems in place that have existed for some time. It is important to learn how the systems work, and to work within the system when needed. However, it is also important to question and advocate for changes when necessary. Try not to become defensive about the value of music therapy and what it can do. Just like we do with those we work with, meet people where they are at and go from there. I’ve learned through experience that these things can lead to burnout quickly, so take care of yourselves so you can continue to help others.