Music Therapist Getaway Weekend

Being a music therapist can be lonely and isolating, but it doesn’t have to be!
Come join other music therapists who are also working to find the perfect balance!

Join us in the Berkshires, in Western Massachusetts, for the Music Therapist Getaway Weekend you’ve been dreaming of!

With a focus on self-care, supervision and coaching, this weekend is just what you need to reinvigorate your practice.

This is your invitation to set aside a couple of days in the most beautiful surroundings to:

  • Articulate your personal vision for your work as a music therapist
  • Design a new plan for work-life balance, turning your energy into action
  • Experience masterminding with other music therapists and benefit from peer and individual supervision and coaching to address clinical and ethical challenges
  • Connect with other like-minded music therapists to recharge and reenergize
  • Recognize the importance of self-care, and not just talk about it, but actually do it!

Experience the arts for you as we explore self-care through:

  • Drumming
  • Improvisation
  • Music Assisted Relaxation
  • Reflective time for journaling and lettering
  • Mindfulness exercises
  • Physical activities in nature
  • Visual arts experiences, like zentangles and manadalas
  • Music performance opportunities

September 27-29, 2019
Pittsfield, Massachusetts

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Here

  1. Develop valuable connections with like-minded, creative, music therapists that will help support you in your journey.
  2. This experience cannot be imitated! From the activities we have planned to the magic that will happen in this particular group, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
  3. Experience professional music therapy supervision with Music Therapists and earn 20 CMTE Credits, including 20 Ethics Credits!
  4. Share some creativity with yourself! The focus on self-care and continuing education in this weekend can help keep the passion flowing for your work and your career in music therapy.
  5. You Deserve This! Between the gorgeous retreat accommodations, the spectacular scenery, the fabulous meals and time and space to invest in you, this place will fill you so that you can keep giving to others.

Course Schedule

Friday, September 27, 2019

  • 4-6:00 pm Arrival at our Guest House in Pittsfield, MA – Dinner Provided
  • 6:30 pm The Retreat Experience Begins!
  • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Orientation and Introductions; Foundations of Self-Care; Examining the Ethics of Self-Care
  • 7:30 pm – 8:15 pm Defining Self-Care; Recognizing our Own Needs and Wants
  • 8:15 pm – 9:00 pm Setting Your Personal Purpose and Vision for your Career
  • 9:00 pm Taps Evening Rest

Saturday, September 28, 2019

  • 7:00 am – 8:45 am Breakfast
  • 8:45 am – 9:45 am Mindful Morning Wellness – Guided Mediation with music or Outdoor Nature Walk
  • 9:45 am – 10:00 am Break
  • 10:00 am – 11:00 am Goal Setting – Mindfulness around the work that we do
  • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Self-Care / Supervision / Coaching Block
  • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Working Lunch in Small Groups – Focus on Ethics
  • 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Afternoon Outdoor activity focused on self-care and well-being
  • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Group Supervision
  • 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm Large Group Discussion – Focused on Ethics of Self-Care
  • 5:30 – 6:00 pm Dinner preparations – An Experience in Mindfulness
  • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Working Dinner in small groups focused on ethics and boundaries in self-care
  • 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Evening Reflections and Music Making

Sunday, September 29, 2019

  • 7:30 am – 9:00 am Breakfast & Packing Time
  • 9:00 am 9:30 am Mindful Morning Wellness – Guided Mediation with music or Outdoor Nature Walk
  • 9:30 am – 11:00 am Self-Care / Supervision / Coaching Block
  • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Wrap Up and Evaluations
  • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Check out and lunch to go
  • 1:00 pm Final Departures – Everyone must leave by 1
  • 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Optional Trip to MassMOCA

Choose Your Package

All Packages include Meals from dinner on Friday until lunch on Sunday and 20 CMTE Credits for music therapists, including 20 Ethics Credits. Shared accommodations are provided in the cost for Friday and Saturday evenings. *If there is someone you would like to room with, please identify your requested roommate(s) on the application. Spaces are limited! Sign up Today to Reserve your spot!

Weekend Experience

With Meals & Shared Queen Bed Accommodations

$750

*before August 30, 2019

Weekend Experience

With Meals & Private Single Bed Accommodations

$950

*before August 30, 2019

A small number of Single Rooms are available. Call for more information!

How to Get Started

  1. Complete and  submit the application and pay the $500 deposit
    Berkshires Retreat Application 2019 Word Doc  Or  Printable PDF Berkshires Retreat Application 2019
  2. Once your application is received, it will be reviewed and you will be notified with a decision about acceptance within 14 days.
  3. Upon notification of acceptance, you have 14 days to pay the rest of the balance for the Music Therapy Getaway Weekend.
  4. You will receive additional information via email to prepare for your trip and to prepare yourself for the Getaway Weekend Retreat to get the most out of our time together.
  5. Get ready to relax, restore your energy and rejuvenate your spirit!!

About the Presenters

Meredith R. Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC
Meredith is the Owner and Executive Director of Roman Music Therapy Services, LLC, a vibrant community music therapy agency which focuses on serving children and adults through Massachusetts. She is also the Co-Founder of Raising Harmony: Music Therapy for Young Children and the Creator of Sprouting Melodies. Her primary work in music therapy includes working with young children with and without disabilities, individuals of all ages with a variety of developmental disabilities. She facilitates retreats and workshops, speaks at conferences, leads supervision groups, provides coaching to music therapy business owners, and regularly shares her thoughts for cutting edge business owners, with a special focus on Music Therapists through presentation and class lectures around the country.

Annette Whitehead-Pleaux, MA, MT-BC
Annette brings her 20+ years of experience to the Senior Clinical Supervisor position at Roman Music Therapy Services. In this position, they focus on clinical supervision, continuing education development, and administration as well as clinical music therapy. Working from humanist and biomedical philosophical frameworks, Annette’s clinical experience involves working in a variety of settings and with people of all ages. Some of this experience includes a pediatric burn unit, outpatient care for women and families who have experienced intimate partner violence, psychiatric hospitals, hospice and special education classrooms.

In conjunction with their clinical work, Annette is also an adjunct faculty member at four college/universities. Annette teaches a number of courses in masters and undergraduate programs, both in residence and distance programs as well as providing supervision for interns.

Involved in a number of music therapy research programs throughout their career, Annette is also a prolific writer and has a number of peer reviewed articles as well as book contributions published. In early 2017, the book they co-edited with Dr. Xueli Tan, “Cultural Intersections in Music Therapy: Music, Health and the Individual”, was published by Barcelona Publishing..

Learning Objectives

Participants will identify their personal purpose and clarify their vision for their work in music therapy through supervision, discussion and experiences. (BCD IV.A.1, IV.A.3, IV.A.4, IV.A.5)

Participants will explore work-life balance through supervision, discussion and experiences as they create a personal action plan. (BCD IV.A.1, IV.A.2, IV.A.5, IV.B.7)

Participants will mastermind with other music therapists about the importance of regular supervision and self-care in clinical practice. (BCD IV.A.1, IV.A.2, IV.A.4, IV.A.5, IV.B.7, IV.B.8)

Participants will examine ethical issues encountered in music therapy practice. (BCD III.A.1, III.A.6, IV.B.9, IV.B.10, IV.B.11, IV.B.12, IV.B.13, IV.B.14, IV.B.16, IV.B.18, IV.B.20)

Prerequisites 
Participants for the weekend must be music therapists who are interested in enriching their work. All interested attendees must submit a completed application to be sure that this course will be able to meet their current needs. To earn CBMT credit, attendees must be a Board Certified Music Therapist. Individuals who are not board certified music therapists will not receives continuing education credits for taking the course, but may participate in the weekend.

Cancellation and Refund Policy
Our cancellation and refund policy reflects the once in a lifetime opportunity of this retreat in this location at this time. With advanced commitments for lodging, catering and staff support, our refund policy does not allow for any cancellations or refunds after August 10, 2019.

All individuals who submit an application with a $500 deposit are holding a spot for the experience. Once accepted, they will need to pay the rest of the amount owed within 14 days or they will forfeit their space in the retreat. If your application is not accepted for the weekend experience, your deposit will be returned within 30 days. If you determine that you are unable to attend the event after August 10th, you can transfer your space to a friend provided that they meet the requirements for the weekend and their application is accepted. No refunds will be given.

We plan to continue on with our weekend experience no matter what the weather brings, but should the event need to be cancelled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, Roman Music Therapy Services will process a full refund within 30 days of such circumstances becoming known.

Statement of Relationship: Music Therapist Getaway Weekend is approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapist (CBMT) for 20 Continuing Music Therapy Education credits. This course also provides 20 Ethics Credits. The Provided, Roman Music Therapy Services, LLC, P-118, maintains responsibility for program quality and adherence to CBMT policies and criteria.

For more information, or to reserve your spot, please call the office at 781-224-3300.

If you can’t make this weekend, but want to stay in touch, please join our newsletter so that we can keep you informed about our future events for music therapists.