August is recognized as National Wellness Month. First established in 2018, it emphasizes taking care of the whole person, not just one aspect of their health, and brings light to the importance of self-care. Supporting wellness can look different for different folks. Whether it’s having conversations about self-care and how to utilize it or it’s encouraging clients to advocate for themselves, it’s important to support them as they explore what wellness means for them and how to take care of themselves.

As music therapists, how can we support our clients in their pursuit of wellness? How can we help our clients take care of themselves?

Many music therapists at Dynamic see a variety of clients with varying needs, ages, and modes of communication. While some are able to have those conversations about what wellness means to them and how they can take care of themselves, others need support in a different way as they explore wellness.

Emily Theurer, MT-BC shared with us her thoughts, and discussed how important it is to allow and encourage choice within sessions. Emily noted that if a client doesn’t want to do music with her that day and they express that to her, that is something she is going to respect. Advocating for oneself is a large part of taking care of oneself, and especially for our clients that maybe can’t have those more straightforward conversations about what wellness or self-care is, it is a great way to still explore this with them.

Wellness is about more than just physical health, it’s about listening to your body and understanding what you need, and understanding that self-care can sometimes mean doing the hard things. This month, we encourage you to explore what wellness means for you personally and to pursue that.

Rebekah Ralston, MT-BC