Service To Your Profession

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Written by Melissa Reinhardt, MSEd, MT-BC.

 I recently had the privilege of attending the Southeast Region (SER) Music Therapy conference held in LaGrange, Georgia.  This once a year conference is a time for music therapists to learn, connect and grow with each other through attending continuing education seminars, concurrent sessions and business meetings.  And, of course, the ever important networking with other professionals. 
      As the elected Secretary of the SER, I attended two Board of Directors meeting which included the following persons:  Carmen Osburn, President: Christine Leist, Immediate Past President, Minda Gordon, President Elect: 1st Vice President: Martine Bullard;  2nd Vice President: Diane Garrison Langston; Yvonne Glass, Treasurer; Government Relations Chair(s): Rachel Coon-Arnott and Kirby Carruth; Regional Conference Chair:  Austin Robinson; Student Advisor: Fred Ra and Student President-Elect: Rachel Barber.   
     Why is it important to know these names and their positions?  According to the SER-AMTA Constitution and By-Laws (Article V, Section 2), “The board of directors shall speak, act on behalf of and represent the membership on matters pertaining to the profession and objectives as stated by the Constitution.” These are the folks who spend countless hours volunteering to serve our region for the benefit of all constituents who are involved in some way with music therapy - whether it be as a therapist, a client, a family member, a co-worker, etc. 
     You may wonder why myself and others decide to commit to a 2 year position to serve on the Board of Directors.  Service is defined as “the act of helping or doing work for someone” Sound familiar? As music therapists, we act, we help and we do work for someone, but we are lucky enough to get paid for it!  Service to our profession is just an extension of our role as a music therapist. Throughout my professional career, I have placed an importance on participation in service to the states and regions where I have lived and worked.  To me, service is an opportunity to give back to the profession; a profession that I dearly love (and have for over 25 years!). Yes, there is work involved, but when the opportunity arises to know that I am making a difference, the answer is an easy one.  
     Click here to learn more about SER-AMTA. How have you served your profession?  Has it made an impact on your life? If so, leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

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