2019 American Music Therapy Association National Conference

Innovate! Integrate! Motivate!

November 21-24, 2019

Minneapolis, MN

Every year music therapists far and wide travel to a designated location for our national association’s annual conference. It’s four days packed full of learning, connecting, exhibiting, making music, and exploring the city (if time allows). KidLinks was proud to be a part of yet another national conference by having a booth in the exhibit hall. The exhibit hall consists of many different groups, all of which have a representative whom conference attendees can meet and speak with, products to check out, and informational material. These groups can be universities that are trying to connect with music therapy students, instrument manufacturers/companies, companies that provide music therapy services (like KidLinks), publishers selling reading material, and even people selling handmade trinkets.

KidLinks was ready to go this year with a TV displaying KidLinks songs and videos, written material with our story and mission, CD’s with original songs, and even a brand new Kala Soprano Ukulele as our raffle prize! Leigh Trevino, Director of Programs, and Sara Chigani, MA, MT-BC, music therapist, were the lucky staff members to attend this year’s conference and we couldn’t have been more excited. This was Leigh’s very first music therapy conference and Sara’s second (although first conference outside of Dallas). We were able to connect with many familiar faces and lots of KidLinks supporters. We also met many people who had never heard about KidLinks and fully appreciated our mission. Although KidLinks is based in the DFW area, making connections nationwide helps with our Therapeutic Music Entertainment tours that cover various regions of the country while also bringing attention to our music therapy services.

Not only is there an exhibit hall, but there are sessions going on throughout the entire conference. These can vary greatly as it’s always great to have such a wide variety of topics to choose from. Some of the sessions this year included “ADHD and Music Belong Together” presented by Kathryn Ryan, MM, MT-BC, “Interviewing Skills for the New Music Therapist” presented by Megan Resig, LCAT, MT-BC, and “Music Therapy Interventions to Support Social Development in Early Childhood Inclusion Classrooms” presented by Carol Ann Blank, PhD, LCAT, LPC, MT-BC, but that’s only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. These sessions are great for music therapists to obtain a new perspective on a familiar topic or learn something completely new!.

We were so happy and honored to represent KidLinks this year and hope to see you next year!

Sara Chigani, MA, MT-BC