Term 4 is just about over, what a year it has been yet again!
This term has been a whirlwind, we have said goodbye to some team members & hello to new ones, celebrated together, learnt together, started working with new organisations, planning ahead for the new year & so much more.
Like always, thank you for supporting SMT!
Happy reading, you might need a cuppa for this one but we promise it is worth it!
Funding Challenges
There have been many mixed messages this year about individualised funding.
On behalf of our families and people we work with, Southern Music Therapy has been in regular contact with various disability support services to keep up to date with ongoing changes. Communication from recent Whaikaha announcements has been confusing and sometimes upsetting, please know that we are working to find the right information with every change that is happening. As it stands, our clients are able to use the carer support & individualised funding under respite.
At Southern Music Therapy we write summaries that state our purpose for the sessions and the outcomes we expect, we always aim to do what is best for the client, offering sessions in the home or in the community and moving forward with a plan to transition into a group setting if suitable.
We will continue to keep a close eye on any changes. If you have any concerns, we encourage you to read this to your case manager, - sometimes they are unaware that this funding can be used for Music Therapy.
If you still need support with this then please email us info@smt.nz.
Advocacy for our profession
Music therapy is an evidence-based allied health profession with proven impacts on functional outcomes.
RMTs design and deliver individualised music-based interventions that support social, communication, sensory, physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural skills that enable greater participation.
If you ever need research or evidence to back up your funding application, or discussion with your ACC, or IF case manager please let us know.
One example is:
This is the Disability Evidence Summary written by the Australian Music Therapy Association.
2025 availability
Our year is filling up fast already with us being booked out already until February 2025. We invite you to complete a referral form if you are interested in commencing music therapy sessions.
All current or previous clients, please email info@smt.nz with your availability & a little information about what type of sessions you are interested in. If you need to make changes to your 2025 timetable, please let us know asap.
If cost is a barrier, we welcome you to contact us to discuss. You can email us info@smt.nz with these concerns & any contact information for yourself or a case manager. We work with many funding bodies.
SMT Groups
Keen to join us in 2025 in a group environment?
We would love to hear from you as we have a few spaces left for our groups!
Halswell Group
1.00pm - Monday group - 1 space available - Seeking members
Adult Improvisation Band
2.15pm - Tuesday - FULLY BOOKED - add me to the Improv Band waitlist please!
Young Adult Group - Jammin' Group
3.30pm - Tuesday - 2 - 3 spaces available - Seeking members
Find out more about all our groups - www.smt.nz/group-work & info@smt.nz
New clients keen to join - Referral form link
Current clients keen to join - info@smt.nz
All new clients may be required to attend an initial session to ensure the group is the right fit for you, these start from $120+gst and are a one-off cost.
If the initial session is proving to be a financial barrier to you attending these groups, please get in contact with us info@smt.nz.
Term dates 2025
Term 1 2025 - 12 clinical weeks 20th January 2025 - 11th April 2025 | Term 2 2025 - 11 clinical weeks 22nd April 2025 - 4th July 2025 |
Term 3 2025 - 11 clinical weeks 14th July 2025 - 26th September 2025 | Term 4 2025 - 11 clinical weeks 6th October 2025 - 19th December 2025 |
Please note: The final week of term 2 & term 3 fall in the first week of the school holidays, please contact your therapist to discuss options should this not suit you.
Farewell to....
VALENTINA!
Valentina has been a valued member of the SMT team starting as a music therapy assistant, then a music therapy student & then growing into the talented music therapist that she is today. Valentina has thrived in her work at Hōhepa Canterbury, Cantabrainers Choir & is much loved by many of our private clients. Valentina was with SMT for the past 4 years & while she may no longer be with SMT, she will forever be part of our extended family. We wish Val all the very best in her future endeavours.
SHI NI!
Shi Ni has been on placement with us this year whilst completing her postgraduate degree in music therapy. Shi Ni has been placed at Allenvale School, St John of God, Cantabrainers Choir & Enliven Canterbury. Thank you for being part of our SMT family, we have had a wonderful time working alongside you, laughing with you & watching your grow into the creative therapist you are becoming. Shi Ni will be spending the holidays traveling New Zealand before heading home to Singapore to be with family & we wish her well.
Welcome to...
Mekaela Fleener - Music Therapy Assistant & Student 2025
Many of you may remember Mekaela from 2022-2023 & we are fortunate enough to be welcoming Mekaela back from 2024 as our wonderful Music Therapy Assistant. Alongside this position, Mekaela will be completing her Masters degree in Music Therapy with Victoria University on placement in 2025. Mekaela will be with us 1 day per week as an assistant & 1 day per week as a student.
Raeline - Musical Volunteer
Raeline previously worked for SMT as a Registered Music Therapist & is returning as our Musical Volunteer throughout 2025 assisting with our choir/group sessions.
Ting-Wei Lin - Student 2025
Ting-Wei will be joining the team from February 2025 as our Music Therapy Student completing her Masters degree in Music Therapy with Victoria University on placement with us. She strongly believes that music is a powerful medium that can support people’s wellbeing. Ting-Wei will be with us 3 days per week.
Kate Anastasiou - Student 2025
Kate is a singer/songwriter here in Canterbury. She is also completing her Masters degree in Music Therapy with Victoria University and will be doing placement with SMT in a variety of settings. Kate will be with us 1 day per week.
Cantabrainers Christmas Concert 2024
We are excited to share the Cantabrainers Christmas Concert 2024 will be held on Wednesday the 18th of December 2024 from 10am at Empower Church in St Albans.
Join some of the SMT team & many other guests, it is going to be amazing!
Tickets available via the link below.
Cancer Society & Southern Music Therapy
On Wednesday the 13th of November, Kim & May ran an information afternoon at Canterbury Cancer Society in Papanui providing an opportunity for Cancer Society clients, whānau and support networks to learn more about Music Therapy, how it could support their journey and how they can participate in group or individual sessions.
Then the first Group Music Therapy Session (1 of 10 - all free) was held on Wednesday 20th November, at the Canterbury Cancer Centre. Open to all Cancer Society Clients. Clients can attend as many of the group sessions as they wish. The additional 9 group sessions will take place from February 2025, along with the commencement of individual sessions.
For more information, please contact Heather Mechaelis
heather.mechaelis@southerncancer.org.nz or 027-482 4567.
BrainTree Wellness Centre Open Day
On Saturday the 19th of October, Kim represented SMT and Cantabrainers Choir at the Braintree expo, engaging with attendees to share insights into our services, showcasing our new introductory video available at www.smt.nz, and establishing connections with fellow organisations previously unaware of our presence.
Well done, Kim, we can always count on you to spread the word & be a wonderful wealth of knowledge, you are incredible!
What else have we been up to?
Planning, finalising, preparing and playing. Lots going on at SMT with some shifts and funding constraints but the puzzle pieces are connecting together to make 2025 fantastic for our SMT community.
Watch this space.
Huge thank you to Jessie from ‘On The Go Physio’ who did an introductory workshop for us on moving and handling at Braintree Wellness Centre. Lots of important information to help keep our bodies safe lugging all our instruments around as well as safely supporting our clients movements.
We might need a song so we can remember everything she taught us.
Lovely to celebrate with EQ Consultants who deserve our heartfelt thanks for consistently backing our team. We especially acknowledge the dedication of these three key supporters. EQ Consultants - Human Resources & Recruitment.
Farewell & Christmas get together!
With the shift of Valentina & Shi Ni leaving, our team decided to bring our celebrations forward & we all got together for a wonderful evening at the Wade household to farewell Val & Shi Ni but to also celebrate Christmas as a full team early. It was a lovely opportunity for us all to be together, share memories, create new memories, laugh, sing, share gifts & just be together as a team. Our entire extended SMT family were there too, gosh we have grown! It was an evening full of fun, food & of course, MUSIC!
Thank you to you all for being part of our family too, we wish you all a wonderful holiday season!
SMT T-Shirts
Do you follow us on social media?
We share lots of exciting news weekly, please follow, like & share!
Facebook - www.facebook.com/southernmusictherapy
Instagram - www.instagram.com/southernmusictherapy
Referral Form
Do you or do you know someone that would benefit from Music Therapy?
If so, we welcome you to complete our referral form to secure your space in terms 1 & 2 now!
You will be added to our waitlist and contacted when a suitable time becomes available.
Thank you for reading our newsletter, please share this with your wider community, just another way to support Southern Music Therapy!
Comments