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I am a second year music therapy student at the University of Melbourne, and I often tell others that making the decision to enter the profession of music therapy was the best decision I have ever made. It is hard to choose one particular meaningful experience of becoming a music therapist since the content and journey of the last year has been so life changing. Studying music therapy is not for the faint of heart. The training is rigorous. As students we must engage with ourselves, others, and the world in new and thought-provoking ways. One thing that has stood out to me is the deepening levels of how we seek answers but also seek to broaden our questioning skills. This music therapy course is characterised by ever-expanding thought processes and reflection.Those who choose to pursue a career in music therapy are people who have an intimate relationship with music. We have to explore our attachment to music and see it through varied and unusual angles. Music therapists work in areas that are challenging and confronting. Gaining understanding about a range of different client populations and the struggles and triumphs they go through has been both demanding and enlightening. I have found myself thinking about topics and people groups in a way I have never thought about them before. Placement has required immediate application of our theoretical knowledge, and that has been incredibly tough but undeniably useful in my training. I have had to take responsibility even as a student for what I do and say in clinical practice. As a result, I have more confidence that I will be ready for the workplace when I graduate.The University of Melbourne has been an amazing place of learning. It has been a privilege to be instructed by the lecturers that teach there. They have made great contributions to the profession of music therapy and continue to do so. It is inspiring to follow in their footsteps. Not only do they have a wonderful passion and gift for imparting their knowledge, but also they are understanding and compassionate towards us as students. They recognise the complex processes of embarking on the journey of music therapy and they do everything they can to be the best support and facilitators of our education. The structure of the course and the learning activities that we engage in are creative, practical, and well-thought out. We are truly learning from the experts in our field. From their examples, I look forward to joining them in the exciting future of music therapy.Joy Lim, Music Therapy Student at the University of Melbourne, Australia
