March is Music Therapy Month in Oregon. we invite you to join us in celebration & education.
As many families prepare for Spring Break , Oregon music therapists are gearing up to host their regional music therapy conference. As Local Chair for this year’s conference, I’m delighted to invite you to our Community Forum on Thursday, March 27, 2014, 5:30-6:30pm, at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel. This event is sponsored by the Oregon Association for Music Therapy and will feature a panel of local music therapists working with a variety of populations.
I know many of you are already familiar with music therapy and are eager to help educate the community. Please consider inviting teachers, doctors, parents of children with special needs, hospital administrators, local officials, legislators, human resources personnel, program directors, administrators, clinical managers, and others who may benefit from this educational opportunity.
The Community Forum is followed by the Opening Session of conference featuring keynote speaker, Jana Stanfield. The thirty minutes of time between the Community Forum and Opening Session will give you an opportunity to peruse our Silent Auction and enjoy live music by Portland based Indie band, Stoneface Honey. Both of these fantastic events are free and open to the public.
Finally, I want to thank Governor John Kitzhaber, MD, for proclaiming March as Music Therapy Month in Oregon. We are grateful for the support and appreciate the acknowledgement. Our proclamation:
- Music therapy, as a profession, provides excellence in service to the citizens of Oregon and beyond.
- The profession of music therapy was founded by a group of pioneers dedicated to clinical services, education, and research over 60 years ago.
- Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional.
- Music therapists work with individuals of all ages who require special services because of behavior, social learning or physical challenges.
- Marylhurst University and Pacific University train highly qualified music therapists in the Beaver State.
- Music Therapy Month celebrates the efforts of board certified music therapists working with patients, clients, health and education facilities and the community to provide quality music therapy services.
- The Western Region of the American Music Therapy Association has chosen Portland, Oregon, to officially hold their 2014 conference.
Angie Kopshy, MM, MT-BC, is a board-certified music therapist and owner of Music Therapy Services of Portland.
Big Sky Music Therapy 