Music Therapist
New Song Music Therapy is seeking music therapists to join our passionate team. Depending on the home, full day services (7.5hrs, 9am to 5pm), or half day services (3.5 to 4.5hrs, mornings or afternoons) will be required on a weekly basis. These opportunities have potential to grow.
If you are passionate, reliable, self motivated, interested in working within a music psychotherapy framework, and love to work with seniors who are striving for personal development then New Song is looking for you.
WHO WE ARE
New Song Music Therapy is a music psychotherapy company based in Ontario, Canada serving the community since 2009. We are a creative company that cares about seniors and senior living. Over the past 12 years, we have developed a transformative and signature music therapy program for the needs of seniors, and we are happy to see just how much of a difference it has made in their lives. We could not have achieved this without our team – the skilled, compassionate, and committed people that are the key to our success.
WHAT WE OFFER TO OUR THERAPISTS
- Full-time and Part-Time Employee Positions with room to grow
- Paid Vacation and Stat Holidays
- Clinical and Peer Supervision
- Team Meetings and Socials (which often includes Ice Cream Cake)
- Continued Education Opportunities
- Ongoing Training, support and development
- A growing company with various opportunities
- Additional resources
- Onsite session time and documentation supported by our cloud-based system
- Caseload and groups are pre-established, as per the New Song model
- Each location has its own set of instruments
QUALITIES WE LOOK FOR
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to work within the new song model which includes a music psychotherapy framework
Music Therapy Degree
Music Therapist Accredited status or seeking Accreditation
A Member in Good standing with the CAMT
The ability to work as part of an inter-professional team and independently
Passionate about music therapy
Willing to engage in ongoing training
Strong music skills
CLINICAL SKILLS:
- Ability to assess, observe and document a patient’s mood, affect, behaviour and responses to music interventions
- Desire to develop Psychotherapeutic techniques
- Experience in Geriatrics is an asset
- Maintaining Professional Behaviour
MUSICAL SKILLS:
- Ability to play basic chord progressions (I, IV, V) in various keys on the guitar
- Ability to accompany yourself on the guitar while singing and engaging clients in the music
- Ability to improvise, using percussion instruments, voice and/or guitar
- Ability to quickly learn music and apply it in different interventions
PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN DEMONSTRATE THE FOLLOWING:
- Understanding of a music therapy model that includes counselling
- Access to a vehicle.
- Meets or works towards requirements for registration with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Concert Support
As part of the New Song Team, you will play, sing and engage residents in the music. You would also assist the music therapist as needed before and after the concert. The successful candidate will be offered various opportunities to accompany concerts at various locations throughout the year. A training will be provided to the successful applicants.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to learn the repertoire chosen for each concert
Comfortable singing while playing the guitar
Able to interact with the audience throughout the concert to keep a lively atmosphere
Improvise in times of need to ensure a smooth transition between songs
Able to adjust communication to meet the needs of elderly people
Music Therapist Intern
START DATES:
January, May, and September
POPULATION:
Adults living in Long Term Care Facilities. Some of the common issues we address include: social isolation, loss, difficulties with life transitions, mental health issues, responsive behaviours, and coping with death and dying.
TIME COMMITMENT:
- The duration of a full time internship is 7 to 8 months and is a minimum of 1000 hours.
- The duration of a half internship is 3 to 4 months and is 500 hours.
- Internship hours will primarily be from 9:00am- 5:00pm Monday through Friday.
- Team Meetings occur once a month in the evening.
EQUIPMENT:
The intern will have access to a variety of percussion instruments such as Tubano drums and tone chimes at each site. The intern must have access to a guitar as not all sites provide guitars.
SUPERVISORY TEAM:
The intern will be supervised by the New Song Music Therapy team. A New Song Music Therapist will be at each facility to observe, provide supervision and support the development of the intern. Primary supervisor will be Thyra Andrews, RP, MA, MTA, AVPT.
FEE:
New Song does not charge the intern a fee for internship supervision.
A monthly stipend for the intern is available after the 2nd Module.
LEARNING CONTRACT:
An agreement regarding requirements while working at New Song will be reviewed with the intern and signed before the internship begins. As part of the learning contract the intern will discuss and document their personal learning goals for their internship.
INTERN REQUIREMENTS:
- Completed or Enrolled in a Music Therapy Degree (Bachelor or Masters)
- A Member in Good standing of the CAMT
- The ability to work well independently and as part of an inter-professional team
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CLINICAL SKILLS:
- Ability to assess, observe and document a client's mood, affect, behaviour, and responses to music therapy interventions
- Knowledge or ability of age appropriate music
- Experience in Geriatrics is an asset
MUSICAL SKILLS:
- Ability to play basic chord progressions (I, IV, V) in various keys on the guitar
- Ability to accompany yourself on the guitar while singing and engaging clients in the music
- Beginner ability to improvise, using percussion instruments, voice and/or guitar
- Ability to quickly learn music and apply it in different interventions
INTERNSHIP SITES:
- Based on the Interns location. Multiple sites available.
- The homes you are assigned to you would be at regularly. For example if you are at West Park on Tuesdays you would be there every Tuesday from 9 to 5.
