Music changes lives one beat at a time

Music is more than notes on a page or the beat of a techno song. It’s more than playing air guitar or rocking out on stage. Music is a way of life, a medicine for all ages.

Music therapist Jonni Fogerty, who specializes in helping children and adults with developmental disabilities, opened a private practice in town. Fogerty is the only active music therapist in the area.

“By starting my private practice, I have brought music therapy to the people here in this area who were otherwise not able to receive music therapy services,” Fogerty said.

Each client’s therapy is different and suited to their needs, Fogerty said.

“When I meet with a new client, I do a music therapy assessment of their strengths and their needs, and then I develop a treatment plan to work with them,” Fogerty said. “When I implement that treatment plan, it may be just listening to music and discussing its lyrics or listening as relaxation, developing different relaxation techniques.”

Fogerty completed the requirements to become a music therapist, including becoming a board-certified music therapist and completing a four-year degree at a college approved by the American Music Therapy Association and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

She also completed the required 1,040 hour internship at an accredited health care or education facility. To keep her certification, Fogerty is required to fulfill continuing education requirements.

“It’s quite challenging to develop music skills in that wide range, and it’s also difficult to develop therapy skills at the same time,” Fogerty said.

Although music therapy is offered as a degree at four colleges in Indiana, music therapy is not available at IU-Bloomington. IU-Purdue University Indianapolis and IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne have music therapy programs.

IU sophomore and trombone performance major Broc Power thinks this should change.

“I’d want to learn more about it,” Power said. “It just seems like a topic that needs to be understood more. There needs to be a more scholastic approach to it. When you’re having a bad day, you go home and listen to music to feel better. It helps with depression and stuff like that.”

Mary Wylie, chair of the Music Therapy Department at the University of Evansville, believes music therapy is a tough job, but the future is looking bright.

“We’re constantly working,” Wylie said. “We have music from around the world and from all kinds of different styles throughout history to work with, but we also have to be familiar with that music because we’re going to use it for the benefit of our clients.”

Music therapy is not only growing in America but expanding globally.

“There are groupings of music therapists in different parts of the country,” Wylie said. “For example, in Texas and Michigan, therapists work in the correction facilities. (They work in) schools, throughout the United States. There are music therapists in Europe, South America and Asia.”

Through her private practice and working with Medicaid waiver program in Indiana, Fogerty is bringing music therapy to Bloomington to increase the rehabilitation services to Monroe County residents.

“Bloomington is a very cultural community and very supportive of the arts,” Fogerty said. “Music therapy is adding value to the community by helping to ensure that everyone is able to benefit from the arts, including people with disabilities.”