Avoiding the Internship Burnout

by Nazarene Campodonico

The music therapy internship is one of the most rewarding, yet overwhelming experiences in a future music therapist’s training. Between the constant influx of new information, tight schedule, and therapeutic-identity searching, it is hard to take time for yourself. The constant feedback and improvement can make you feel hard on yourself, and WOW– there is not much time to eat. 
If no one has told you today, you are not alone in this. Myself, and many other interns, have felt the same way. Though it shouldn’t be, the struggle feels like a rite of passage. I’ve been on the burnout bus more times than I’d like to count, but I’ve learned a lot about protecting my peace. From one almost-done intern to another, here is what I’ve learned about avoiding the “internship burnout.”

​    1. Take time to process.
Just like our clients may need time to process things in-the-moment, you also need time to process things. Everyday is full of information to take in– there are so many observations to make and so much feedback to take in. Allow yourself a moment to digest it all. Whether this be in your car, office, an empty therapy room… you need time to absorb it all.

     2. Set boundaries.
One of the hardest aspects of an internship is discovering a work-life balance. It’s easy to bring documentation home or drive to your site on the weekends to get things done… but those habits become routine. It is important to set boundaries with your work and create opportunities where you are not just a therapist; you are a person. For example, I refuse to do anything internship-related at the end of my day. I go home and do things that bring me joy. This boundary allows me to recharge before the next day!

    3. Meet your needs.
Contrary to popular intern belief, we need to eat meals. We also need to drink water, and not just energy drinks. As a society, we tend to put a lot of shame on meeting our needs– it can be frowned upon to bring your lunch to a meeting, or squeeze a fidget toy in a session. While everyone is entitled to their opinions, you are a person first. You’re hungry? EAT! You’re anxious? STIM! As therapists, we cannot show up for our clients entirely if we are not showing up for ourselves.

    4. Take a break from music.
If you’re in this profession, you love music. You might also be tired of music. Two things can be true at once: as amazing as music is, sometimes you need silence. When you are singing Beatles songs all day, a quiet car ride is powerful. Silence can give us the space to process, regroup, and reorganize our nervous system.


These are some tips that have helped me for the past five months of my internship. While I can’t guarantee that what works for me will work for everyone, it never hurts to try! Remember to ask for help and give yourself the kindness you deserve. You WILL be a wonderful music therapist one day.

Reach out whenever!
Nazarene Campodonico, AMTAS President