MT-BC, Baby!

It's so crazy to think that a year ago I was days away from starting my dream music therapy internship and making a home in Lawrence, Kansas. (More on that in the very near future!)

Two weeks after finishing my internship, I began another crazy adventure: moving to Poplar Bluff, Missouri to begin my first job as a music therapist.My dad helped me move, and I quickly started my job. Except there was a tiny bump in the plan: I didn't pass the board exam.

The day finally came: June 4, 2019. It was my third time taking the exam. The day before had been crazy, complete with a busy day at work and a car accident on my lunch break. It had been so crazy that I kissed my Hanser book before I left for STL..of course hoping that it would provide some extra luck!

I finished my exam and walked out to the person who hands you the results. I'd been here twice before, each time receiving the news that I had missed by just a few points. The woman handed me my paper, smiled, and said "Have a great day!"

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I had to look at the results over and over again, because I couldn't believe that I had actually passed. I finally did it! I was finally a board certified music therapist! I cried in my car for 15 minutes straight after it hit me that I had passed, and I'm pretty sure that I only stopped crying because I remembered I had to go to work!

The following was the tweet I made after becoming MT-BC:

"Oh. I'm usually not a superstitious person. But 3 is my favorite number. And: I got the third internship I applied for. I got the third job I applied for. I passed the board exam on the 3rd try. My seat at the testing center today was seat 3. So yeah."

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The day after becoming MT-BC, I was to lead sessions! Let's just say that my first two sessions as MT-BC were quite the adventure! In the first session, my individual popped open a squish ball and the pink liquid from the inside got on his khaki shorts...then in my second session, the individual was obsessed with trying to get my shoe off! To say I slept well that night is an understatement!

It's now two months after those first sessions, and I'm still learning something new every single day. The individuals I serve make me smile and laugh...yet at the same time they push me to grow as a new therapist and to refine my skills.

I am beyond grateful to be a music therapist, and my journey as "Michelle Bingheim, MT-BC" has just begun!