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First off, the student scholarship award played an instrumental role in my travel to the World Congress of Music Therapy, for this I am immensely thankful to all of those who maintain the tradition of student scholarship. I gained several memories, friendships, and professional insights while abroad; two of which I will share with you.
One of my outstanding memories of Congress was a self-realization moment (I assure you, there were many). This moment struck during a roundtable discussion about the humanistic approach to the expression of anger in the school setting. Preceding that roundtable I would have been the first to tell you that I have an open mind with regards to the approaches to music therapy. About twenty minutes into the discussion I noticed a feeling of discomfort. It became so extreme that I had to take a moment to tune out my surroundings, process what was happening, then tune back in. What was my realization and source of discomfort you ask? I am, apparently, strongly tied to the ideals of cognitive-behavioral approaches. I had no idea my beliefs were so strong! This was a true aha moment for me. I now look forward to expanding my knowledge of approaches, and practicing them in my upcoming clinical and professional work.
Another token from Congress is larger and more figurative. This is the foundational development of a lifelong and career-long network of friends and music therapists. At first I was afraid, but not quite petrified. Who would I talk to during congress? Would I make friends? Well of course! There were over 1,000 music therapists--nothing could go wrong--my fears quickly evaporated. By the end of Congress I had made several sustainable connections with amazing people from around the world. Thank you WFMT!!
Sarah Carney
Student at University of Missouri-Kansas City, USA
2014 WCMT Student Scholarship Recipient
