Enriching lives through participation in music
Music Therapy Services of West Music
A Legacy of Training Students: Music Therapy Internships
07/01/24
Music therapy internships are the final educational step before a student earns their degree in Music Therapy and is then eligible to take their board certification exam. The internship lasts six months and students are given the opportunity to experience full-time work in the field while under close supervision of a board-certified music therapist. Throughout the six months, interns gain increased independence in preparation for the “real world” after college.
West Music first accepted interns from the University of Iowa beginning in 2007 and in 2010, the internship site was opened up to students from any college or university with an accredited music therapy program. Over 30 students have completed their music therapy internship at West Music from schools including The University of Iowa, Wartburg College, Illinois State University, Western Illinois University, the University of North Dakota, the University of Minnesota, Maryville University, & Augsburg University. As of 2024, West Music has two internship sites: one in Coralville and one in the Quad Cities.
According to one supervisor, "The internship is mutually beneficial for both the interns and our therapists. It is fun to see the interns grow from students to professionals over the course of 6 months. But it is equally fun to see the effect the interns have on the therapists. It forces us therapists to really think about WHY we are doing what we are doing and articulate it in a way that helps the intern understand and grow. The interns bring an infusion of energy and fun into the office and helped us motivate all of the therapists to stay engaged and push ourselves to be better."
Both interns & therapists have positive things to say about the experience - continue reading for reflections from internship supervisors and our most recent intern!
What are some highlights from supervising interns?
"I have been most proud when an intern pushes themselves to figure out a tough situation or practices the "hard song" so they can play it for a client. It's those little moments of grit and tenacity that make me most proud. Of course, in hospice, every session is different. The first time an intern encounters an actively dying patient is always tough. I have always been so proud of the interns for how they handle themselves in those moments and for really pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones to dig in and be present for the patient and their families during that time."
"I’m always proud when I'm about to jump in to help and the intern takes the initiative to do whatever I was about to do before I have a chance to. I’m also impressed when an intern figures out something about a client that I hadn’t noticed: for example, I had a nontraditional piano student who was struggling to differentiate his right & left hands, and an intern figured out exactly what was causing this trouble so we were able to adapt better! I’m also proud to have two former interns as colleagues now!"
"I’m always impressed when an intern figures out something about a client that I hadn’t noticed: for example, I had a nontraditional piano student who was struggling to differentiate his right & left hands, and an intern figured out exactly what was causing this trouble so we were able to adapt better!"
"One intern, who was a particularly great musician, developed a great bond with one of our hospice patients, seen virtually. She took initiative to help make a legacy project with him. He had a wide variety of musical knowledge that he loved to share, and she was able to organize all of his favorite genres, singers, and songs into a book for his family. He loved it and was very touched with the end product. It was a way that he could continue to share his music with his relatives."
What is the number one piece of advice you would give a student nearing their internship?
With practice and a growth mindset, you will get to a place where you are competent and confident in your skills and also more able to accept your imperfections.
Work on your musical skills! Lead music at church or summer camps or teach lessons. Especially practice leading music for people to sing along to in any way you can – at campfires or nursing homes or play for open mic nights. Practice playing & leading pop/rock/contemporary music in groups – not just on your primary instrument.
Apply to internships that you think will help you grow, not just in skills you already have. It's important for an internship to help you build on less strong skills.
Build your repertoire! The more repertoire you can build before internship, the better off you will be. Internship is busy. While there is some time built into the schedule for practicing, there are so other professional skills to work on, that you will be much further ahead if you as much music as possible before internship.
Check out the included list of songs that West Music’s supervisors suggest learning before internship.
Our most recent intern, Hannah says this about her West Music internship experience:
"I've really liked how I was able to work with different groups of clients and different music therapists. I saw different perspectives and was able to work on building my skills with many different kinds of people."
Learn more about a music therapy internship at West Music!
“The music therapy internship at West Music is really one-of-a-kind! Not only was I able to gain valuable experience with a variety of populations, but the supervisors also helped me to grow exponentially in my clinical skills. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have worked with such a dynamic, supportive team!”
- Alisha Luymes
3 - Internship
“My internship experience at West Music was excellent, and set me up for success as I entered the profession as a board-certified music therapist. Having a chance to work with a wide variety of populations gave me the skill set and problem-solving techniques to best serve the individuals with whom I work. I was consistently challenged, yet supported throughout my internship, and I am immensely grateful for that!”
-Hayley Graham, MA, MT-BC
2 - Internship
“My internship with West Music gave me a wide variety of clinical experiences and I was able to learn from many different Music Therapists. This helped me develop my own style and prepare me to be a confident, independent Music Therapist.”
– Janel Metzger
1 - Internship
