How to Be Your Own Music Therapist

When Jackie Pierce’s father entered hospice care last year, he began receiving music therapy. She was curious — it was the only part of hospice he never complained about — so she sat in on a session with him during an extended visit.

What Jackie witnessed convinced her of the transformative power of music. She talked about this and how to become your own music therapist in a TEDx Talk earlier this year.

The TEDx event was held at Lake-Sumter State College in Florida, where Jackie is an assistant English professor. She is advisor to the Rho Eta Chapter and serves as Immediate Past Chair of the Association of Chapter Advisors. She was also a 2018/2019 Faculty Scholar.

“What was interesting was that the TEDx theme just so happened to be transformations at the same time as PTK’s (Honors in Action) topic was transformations,” she said. “The inspiration, of course, was my dad’s story. I was able to be with him for the last months of his life, and the hospice care he received was amazing.

“For him, I know the music therapy was the best part.”

Jackie began researching music therapy and its variety of uses. As she learned more about the practice, she realized that she had been her own music therapist for most of her life.

Watch her entertaining TEDx Talk.

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