Megan is Anderson Music Therapy's newest member to join our Music Therapy team.
Why did Megan become a Music Therapist? ....
The simple answer is, music has been such an influential force in her life, she pursued a career in it and never looked back!
Megan completed her internship at the Veteran Affair's Medical Center in Salem, VA where she worked on various units of the hospital supporting Veterans in navigating mental health, substance abuse, pain management, and quality of life.
Megan became a Board Certified-Music Therapist in December of 2023 and has been a Registered Behavioral Therapist since February of 2021.
Fun fact: Megan's french horn cost more than her car!
Read the interview below to find out more about how Megan got to where she is today!
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Growing up, I wanted to be a teacher. I remember being a kid and teaching my stuffed animals out of education books I would borrow from the library. Despite being heavily involved in music since the age of 3 (and enjoying it), it wasn't until middle school that I really fell in love with music and started to consider a career in performance - ideally working on film scores or in musicals.
While my ideas for a career molded to whatever stage I was at in life, the underlying reason was always the same. The people I looked up to were influential enough to make a positive impact on me and created a safe-space for me to simply exist as I was.
I wanted to do that for others.
It didn't matter to me how I made that impact, just that I was making the world a better place, even for one person.
How did you learn about music therapy?
Actually, it was an accident!
At this point in my journey, I was attending the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana as a music education major. I figured, if my involvement in band/orchestra/choir etc. could impact my life so positively, then I wanted to provide that space for someone else. However, the further into the education aspect I got, the more I realized that there were a lot of boundaries (more fitting for therapy) I could not cross as an educator that seemed appealing to me!
This led me and my advisor down a path of "creating" my own major of Music and Psychology, and eventually, to my transfer to Illinois State University where I discovered Music Therapy.
I had never heard of it before, I just knew I was passionate about music, I was driven to help others, and I wanted to get into the nitty-gritty of these peoples lives to benefit them.
Once I started as a music therapy student, there was no looking back.
Why did you want to become a music therapist?
It blends my two favorite things, music and helping others.
My heavy involvement in music via various ensembles (jazz, orchestra, musicals, a cappella, band, marching band, basically anything that had to do with music or performing) is what helped me get through some of the hardest times of my life, and trust me, it's been hard!
Music has always been a way for me to feel validated in my emotions, to find the joy in life again, and most importantly it allowed me a healthy way to express myself and connect with others.
It was in recognizing how impactful music had been for me, joined with my self-imposed purpose in life to help others, that finally lead me to music therapy.
What is your favorite thing about being a music therapist?
My favorite thing would have to be the growth I see in my clients. It warms my heart when a client reaches a milestone or shares about an experience they had where music had been utilized effectively. I am a HUGE advocate for celebrating every milestone and any progress, no matter how seemingly small or big it is.
If you weren't a Music Therapist, what would have been your career path?
If I wasn't a MusicTherapist, I would have either pursued a career in performance, behavior analysis, or been a clinical psychologist.
The brain has always fascinated me, and music has always been my passion; It makes sense that even if I wasn't doing music therapy, I would still be doing music and I would still be doing therapy.
You're a new addition to the crayon box.
What color would you be and why?
I want to say pink because it is my favorite color, but also, I feel like pink is a good embodiment of the color of my energy!
To me, pink signifies connection, love, trust, and compassion. It's also a lighter shade, which I feel matches my subtle yet intentional interactions with others.
What is your favorite pop/rock song?
This is always such a hard question!!! I can never quite place my finger on a favorite when it comes to music - I really am an appreciator of all organized sounds. However, if I had to choose maybe a top song as of recent, it would be "Talk it Up" by Sammy Rae and the Friends.
Although, I guess I'm not sure if that would fall under either of these genres... perhaps a jazzier pop? Her message is thoughtful and authentic, as we all should be with ourselves!
WELCOME TO THE TEAM, MEGAN!!!!
Megan is currenlty taking new clients. She specializes in supporting children through adults with autism, brain injuries, depression, anxiety, and general well-being.