Last week I registered for the National Music Therapy Conference in St. Louis, Missouri and I AM SO EXCITED!!

I haven’t been to a conference since 2013 when I was pregnant and I have been itching to go back ever since. Honestly, for me, waiting for conference is like waiting for Christmas. I get so excited and just cannot wait to fill my brain with new knowledge (yes, it’s true!) and meet up with my MT friends.

This conference is going to be a much needed event for me.

I’ve been a mommy for three years and mom of two for 9 months and it has not been easy. I’ve struggled with splitting my time between raising my girls full time, being a music therapist working clinically “out in the field” and being a business owner.

The hardest part for me has been “shifting gears” so to speak, and transitioning from mommy to music therapist. I’ll go from nursing my baby to grabbing my guitar and running out the door for a session. Or, I’ll go from changing diapers and cleaning pacis to a business phone call about a new contract. These transitions happen multiple times a day.

Can any other MT mommies and daddies out there relate?

I made up my mind that I was going to conference this year and told my husband a while ago that this would be coming (so he could brace himself for four days alone with the girls!) I’m very much looking forward to putting on my MT hat for a few days, becoming a student again for a short while and soaking up everything I can.

I think this conference will be important for me not only as a music therapist but also as a mom. I know that when I come back from a full day of leading sessions I’m happy to be home. I’ve missed my girls and I feel great that I’ve been able to use my creativity in a meaningful way.

This conference will be like that for me. I know I’ll come back refreshed and rejuvenated (not just because I’ll be staying in a room by myself and can sleep!) but because I’ll have had time to learn ways to improve myself as a music therapist.

Who else is going to conference this year and are you as excited as I am? I’ll look forward to seeing you there!