In this 13-minute conversation, Cathy Knoll shares six specific strategies for a successful career, no matter the circumstances. The recommended pro-active steps emerged from Cathy’s bumpy 40-year journey as a music therapist. 

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Moving Forward in Good Times and Bad
Cathy Knoll, MA, MT-BC
March 12, 2009

I was still a teenager the first time my music therapy career crashed and burned. When I was a sophomore in college, my seemingly healthy dad died unexpectedly just weeks after his 50th birthday. In an instant, my mom, three brothers, and I were mourning the death of my dad. Without warning, we found ourselves scrambling to keep our family business afloat in the absence of my dad’s skills and expertise, not to mention his presence. At that point in my life, my plans to become a music therapist seemed like an impossible, unattainable dream.

In those dark days, I just kept taking steps forward, probably because that is what my dad would have advised. Because I kept moving forward, I find myself now, forty years later, in a dream job sharing music therapy adventures every day with dozens and dozens of individuals with special needs, impacting their lives and mine.

But this career path has been bumpy. During those four decades since I enrolled as a music therapy major in college, I have encountered other major roadblocks and potentially career-ending circumstances.  For example, when I was a healthy 33-year-old mother of two boys, I suddenly lost all hearing in my left ear and started having disabling episodes of vertigo amongst a constant onslaught of aggravating tinnitus and continual dizziness. I was relieved to learn the eventual diagnosis of Meniere’s disease, which was certainly preferable to the expected brain tumor. But the uncontrolled vertigo and significant hearing loss certainly stood in the way of my being a music therapist. Despite the significant new bumps in the road, I kept taking steps forward.

The one indisputable fact that emerged from these and other experiences is this: we all face an uncertain future. No matter the state of the economy or other life circumstances, we may encounter situations that threaten our financial well-being, or even our music therapy careers. For example, as I speak, some music therapists face layoffs, cutbacks in salaries, decreased contract hours, partial or complete elimination of benefits, or other career issues because of factors beyond their control

When faced with challenging situations such as these, we can either give up or move forward. I recommend the second option, and propose taking six prudent steps, whether times are good or bad.

Step 1. Take a deep breath. Don’t panic. Stay calm. Pause. Think things through. Be patient. Avoid rash decisions.

Step 2. Take inventory. Look closely at your financial situation, but look beyond money. Where does your career stand now? What are your professional goals? Your personal goals? Irregardless of economic conditions, where do you want to be in five years? Take stock of your skills and interests and abilities. In an economic downturn, music is definitely a plus. Music can be used in a variety of ways to produce income.

Step 3. Explore all options. Recognize new opportunities to get paid for your skills and talents. Investigate all income-generating alternatives. Two successful projects I’ve launched in the past few years are Guitar Camps and Arts Clubhouse. Send me an e-mail if you want to know more about either of these profitable, easy-to-implement projects.

Step 4. Diversify. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Even if you have a secure, salaried position with great benefits, always have one or two other projects in the works. For example, I contract services to four different school districts. Some of those contracts have lasted for over 30 years. But I’m always looking at options and developing new income alternatives just in case funding for music therapy ever dries up in one or more of those school districts. As a free-lance therapist, I have flexibility that allows for broad diversification, but even music therapists with full-time jobs can launch one or two small projects as insurance against future career glitches. Some of my diversified projects are listed below:
+ Private clients: individuals and groups in my home-based studio.
+ Internet based projects: FAQautism.com and MusicWorksPublications.com.
+ Consultative services: one time consults or on-going mentoring for agencies and for individuals.
+ Services for typical individuals: Guitar Camp and Arts Clubhouse.

Step 5. Build value. Whether your job is rock solid or on shaky ground, take time every day to build the value of music therapy services and to build your own professional value. Increase the visibility of the music therapy program. Volunteer for committees and for special projects so decision-makers in the agency know you and know music therapy. Demonstrate the impact music therapy has on individuals, on staff, and on the agency as a whole. Avoid getting caught up in professional jealousies and factions. Run a tight ship, making music therapy services as cost-effective as possible. Sharpen your professional skills and expand your professional network. These are just a few elements of a pro-active plan to build the value of music therapy program, an effort that will, over time, lead to the opinion that music therapy is an indispensable service the agency cannot afford to lose.

Step 6. Keep your foot in the door. Should you face downsizing or if a proposal for a new music therapy service is turned down, do not burn any bridges. Maintain a positive professional attitude. Consider making a counter proposal. Search for alternative funding for music therapy services. Let me share two potentially disastrous experiences.

A. Counter proposal. Last year, a new superintendent in one of my school districts arbitrarily decided that all “non-essential” services must go. After 24 years of loyal service, I received a sudden, unexpected termination notice, leaving 40 students and 17 staff in 6 classes high and dry.  Rather than stomping off in anger, or joining in the chorus of discontent, I submitted a rather radical counter proposal offering monthly music therapy services free of charge for the remainder of the year. The “free” offer caught the attention of the new superintendent. He asked around about music therapy, discovered the broad-based support for the program, and reinstituted music therapy services two months later. I’m not necessarily recommending that my fellow music therapists offer free services, but I am encouraging you to market music therapy services aggressively. WE know music therapy is an effective, efficient service that makes a real difference in the lives of others, but we need to realize that not everyone is aware of that impact. In this case, I was in no position to march into administrative offices and demand respect or a job. But I could take bold steps to raise the awareness of the value of music therapy.

B. Alternative funding sources. The parents of a musically gifted therapy client with significant behavior issues were going to withdraw him from weekly music therapy sessions when the dad lost his job several years ago. Not wanting to interrupt the progress the youngster was making, I offered his family a “scholarship” and rescheduled a small music therapy group to overlap his session.  This arrangement worked out well. Not only were the financial needs solved, but also we discovered, to our surprise, that the teenager thrived in the group setting. When dad began working again, we decided to keep the teen in the group since he was gaining such therapeutic benefit from the setting. This experience, among others, taught me to think creatively about funding. The goal is to keep services going – to keep a foot in the door until economic circumstances improve.

In closing, let me encourage you to invest in the future. Every day, in good times and bad, take purposeful steps to sharpen your professional skills and to broaden your professional and personal network. Look at your goals for next year and the next five years. What is your dream job? Invest your energy and time in that dream. Develop contacts and a strong presence in your preferred work place, even if you just volunteer for a few hours a week. Let people know you and your services. Put yourself in a position to prosper when the economy turns around or when circumstances are more favorable for your career.

Again, I am Cathy Knoll. You can contact me via e-mail at [email protected]. I am a self-employed, board certified music therapist. I contract services to four school districts in north-central Texas, and I provide music therapy services for groups and individuals in my home-based clinic. I produce professional self-study courses through Music Works Publications http://MusicWorksPublications.com, and I produce daily podcasts about autism at http://FAQautism.com. Please feel free to comment on any aspect of this podcast, Moving Forward in Good Times and Bad. Just enter your ideas or questions in the “Leave a Reply” box at the bottom of the symposium text, or send an e-mail to [email protected]g.

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