MusicWorx Alumni
Davida Price, #42
Interviewed by Kristen McSorley
Current Intern #124
Davida Price, MusicWorx Intern #42, has pursued additional training in psychotherapy since completing her music therapy degree. She now works at an intensive outpatient program for clients with chronic mental illness and practices both traditional psychotherapy and music therapy. She praises the diversity of the MusicWorx internship and notes that this helped guide her towards her current career path. She especially loved groups at the McDonald center (now Scripps Drug & Alcohol Treatment Program) and the opportunities for drum circle facilitation!
Read more about Davida’s experience as a MusicWorx intern below:
1. What is your current job?
I am currently a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and I work fulltime as a Treatment Coordinator at an intensive outpatient program for clients with chronic mental illness. Additionally, I have a small private practice where I offer traditional psychotherapy as well as music therapy and other non-traditional interventions.
2. Would you say MusicWorx helped you get to where you are today?
The hospital that I work for was one that I worked at during my internship. Aside from that, I believe that the diverse experiences that I had during my internship offered me the opportunity to work with clients beyond those I had experienced in practicum and guided me in the direction of wanting to work in a psychiatric setting, which later prompted me to get more education in working in psychology.
3. What drew you to the MusicWorx internship?
I had been informed that it was a prestigious internship, as music therapy internships go, and was a great opportunity to get a lot of experience and work with other talented music therapists.
4. What was your favorite moment of your MusicWorx experience?
Some of my favorite sessions were at the McDonald Center and at the Breast Cancer Polster Center. I don’t have any specific “moment” that I remember, because it was almost 10 years ago!
5. What aspects of what you learned at the MusicWorx internship prepared you for your career today?
I believe that everything I learned, from the various populations, the opportunity for creativity, drum circle leading, and business building all helped me in preparing me for what I do today.
6. What was one of your biggest challenges during your internship? (Gas money & lack of time aren’t valid responses!)
I worked at a coffee shop simultaneously during my internship, and so I think balancing that with the internship was my greatest challenge. Within the internship, I think it was probably being okay with some of the trials and errors, for example having a session that didn’t go as planned and having to try other things to be successful with a particular client or group.
7. What was your biggest “aha” moment for your professional and/or personal growth?
When we were doing a Resounding Joy (RJoy) training, in the early days of RJoy, and I remember leading a drum circle and being so happy to be doing that and thinking, “this is going to be my job!”
8. What would be your one piece of advice to future MusicWorx interns?
Enjoy every minute of it! MusicWorx is a blessing of an opportunity to learn tremendously about being a music therapist as well as a great time to learn more about yourself.
