Get to know Miya Music Therapy team member, Silvia Li!
1. How did you get into the music therapy field?
I was actually heading towards a different field - Speech Language Pathology. I always knew that I wanted to work in a helping profession, and growing up I thought I was going to be a doctor (still a very distant dream of mine). Music has also always been a part of my life - my parents bought me my first piano when I was one! But I quickly learned in high school that though I enjoyed science, I wasn't the best at it. I also learned that I didn't want to go into music performance. So I studied linguistics in my undergrad with the plan of applying for speech therapy and come fourth year and graduate school application time, I learned about music therapy. All of the prep work that I did to be able to apply for speech therapy paid off as it had also made it easier for me to apply for music therapy. I applied, auditioned and the next thing I knew, I was in! I don't know how I hadn't heard about it earlier or thought about it earlier, but music and people are what make this progression so great and it's been an incredible journey so far.
2. What do you love most about your work?
I love how powerful music is and how music is able to impact a person on various levels - emotionally, mentally, physically, psychologically, spiritually, personally. Previously in my experience in hospital settings, I also loved the interdisciplinary work that you get to do as a music therapist with other health professionals. Amongst many things, music is a great motivator, can be a great distractor and is a great friend. Working with physiotherapists and speech therapists to help a client work towards achieving their goal(s) is rewarding and fulfilling not only because you're helping a person, but you're working together with a team. All in all, I love how music connects people.
3. What populations do you work with?
I work with both ends of the client population! A lot, if not most, of my individual clients are children and adolescents with or without a variety of disabilities. I also work in a few long term care facilities, running group music therapy sessions as well as seeing residents one-on-one. Previously in my placements, I worked in hospital settings, with patients in palliative care and then also with children with brain injury in rehabilitation.
4. What do you enjoy about being on the MMT team?
I love the passion the team brings to the table, not only related to music therapy but how they demonstrate having it in our own lives. Each person is passionate for their clients but they are also passionate about other things that range from improvisation to songwriting to sports to entrepreneurship.
5. What is the last song you listened to?
Never Alone by Tori Kelly