Last Thursday was one of the sweetest days and another milestone for me at this very start of my music therapy career. It all happened like this….my present supervisor was supervising four other music therapy students including myself. And on that day, she said in front of everyone that she got something to say to me but she wanted everyone to listen. In my heart, I thought what big “BOO BOO” I’d made and needed to learn but this was what she said:

Cheryl, I got a message from another music therapist in the Royal Children’s Hospital where you did your practical last term. There was this boy that you were seeing by the name of K. He came back to the hospital lately and he excitedly asked for you. The music therapist then had to explain that you were just a student and was no longer there. But he told her that he wanted to convey a message to you,

“Tell her that I want to say thank you for having music therapy sessions with me in the hospital. I know I was a very difficult and stubborn kid to deal with. But I just want to say thank you”.

Note on K: K was a 13-year old boy who was undergoing surgery due to some complications in his intestines. He had to stay in the hospital for more than a month and that was when I had weekly sessions with him. He was referred to music therapy because the nurses found him having very flat facial expression, not motivated to cooperate with other staff, depressed and isolated. According to the other music therapist, no one among the staff could actually breakthrough and talk to him as he was very stubborn. But I am glad that even though I might have thought that my sessions with him were not very fruitful initially, but now I know, that they made a difference and really meant something to him. It has been 6 months since I left the hospital, but it was surely a memorable practical experience for me.