Conference 2014

Moving the Profession Forward: Music and Medicine in Concert

Featuring Dr. Deforia Lane

Conference Keynote Speaker and Workshop Facilitator

Saturday, October 25, 2014
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Capilano University, Library Building 321 and 322

On October 24th and 25th, 2014, the conference committee was proud to host the 7th Annual MTABC Conference and Workshop with attendance of 57 people for the workshop and 118 people for the conference including the speakers, guests, vendors, sponsors, committee members and the delegates, the largest registration in the MTABC conference history!

The conference was held at Capilano University who continue to support and sponsor the event by providing the location and other supplies including printing of the conference program and audio/visual, and musical equipment. And we would like to thank Roland Canada for their continuing support for the MTABC. They provided the grand prize for the raffle prize. HSA continues to support our conference every year.

This year’s conference theme was “Moving the Profession Forward: Music and Medicine in Concert”. The two day event was filled with inspirational, motivational, and energetic presentations.

We were extremely fortunate to have Dr. Deforia Lane, a world renowned music therapist, the Director of Music Therapy at University Hospitals Case Medical Centre’s Seidman Cancer Centre from Cleveland, Ohio, as the keynote speaker and the workshop facilitator.

Dr. Lane energized us with hands on workshop on Friday. The workshop described some of the strategies, challenges and solutions of creating and sustaining a medical music therapy program, effective in-service techniques, suggestions for addressing resistant staff, and ideas for presenting and engaging hospital and community audiences.

The conference day started with the Intuitive A Capella Choir with Susan Summers, Karin Roberts, Valerie Bird, LaRee Mohr and Shannon Ingersoll leading us with a song “It’s a Joy to Get to Know You”.

Dr. Lane’s keynote “The Unbelievable Journey: Choices, Challenges & the Unexpected”, explored the personal and professional journey of Dr. Lane. She shared the invaluable and poignant lessons learned from those with whom she’s worked, children and adults with developmental disabilities, patients with mood disorders, cancer, stroke and addictions. Her transparent approach to her presentation was truly engaging, inspiring and insightful. We could have listened to her all day long if given a chance.

Afternoon begun with more music with the Intuitive A Capella Choir leading all the participants with “When We Meet in the Music”, a song Valerie Bird composed for the Canadian Association for Music Therapy’s 2014 conference.

Janet and Kim Ross, a mother-daughter duo shared valuable ideas about collaborating between Physio Therapist and Music Therapist to reach the clients’ goal with very useful ideas applicable to various populations.

Dr. Robin Hsiung, Assistant Professor in the Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia shared his study result conducted with Kevin Kirkland. He explored the biological mechanisms of music memory and how it affects patients with dementia, as well as reviewing the current evidence of music therapy for patients living with dementia

Susan Summers moderated a panel discussion with Dr. Lane, Katherine Wright, an Accredited Music Therapist and a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Michelle Oucharek-Deo, President of the British Columbia Art Therapy Association and the owner of Van-Art Expression and Olga Kastioukevich, an Accredited Music Therapist, who has also recently completed a Master of Occupational Therapy program as they discussed their insight into collaborating with other health care professions.

The day finished with all of the participants singing “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow” led by conference co-chairs Michaela Wallis and Adam Carabine.

We would like to thank everyone for your contribution to our exciting raffle sales!

Thank you to our vendors, Music Therapy Suite, She.Lee. Music, and Gandharva Loka for their fabulous display and the exhibitors Liz Moffit and Ester Thane for introducing us to great products and services.

Thank you to all the sponsors and donors for their generous donations to make this event possible. Giggle Dam has provided us with fabulous food for the entire event.

Our gratitude to all the presenters, board members, volunteers, delegates, sponsors and vendors who have contributed to this conference to make it huge a success!

See you in October 2015 for another exciting conference!

Not an MTABC member? Consider joining to take advantage of other benefits offered to members! Not a music therapist? Join as a Friend member. Click here for membership information.

For further information, go to www.mtabc.com

Mayumi Holbrook, MTA

Michaela Wallis

Adam Carabine

MTABC Conference Co-Chairs

[email protected]

Click here for the Conference Program

Click here for the Conference Poster

Click Here for Resource Materials from the Conference (sign in to the secure member area first)