Music Therapy and Study Abroad (July 2024)

Written by:  Maren Meneley 

In May, students from the University of Kansas embarked on a new, hybrid clinical and  experiential study abroad opportunity in both the speech-language pathology and music therapy  fields. Four music therapy and 11 speech-language-hearing students spent 10 days in Bulgaria and four days in France. While this wasn’t  KU’s first interdisciplinary, therapy-based trip, this was the first to feature music therapy!  

Maren Meneley, a second-year undergraduate music therapy student, explains what drew her to participate in this opportunity. “I have always wanted to study abroad,” said Meneley. “When I heard about this trip, I knew it was the perfect opportunity for me to not only gain clinical experience before entering into practicum but to be immersed in a new culture.”  

The students spent the first couple of days in Sofia, Bulgaria. On the first day, they met with  individuals from the Bulgarian Music Therapy Association, learned about their approach to using  music therapy with different populations, and participated in a few activities led by the Bulgarian music therapists. The next day, the students met with individuals from the Bulgarian Alzheimer’s  Association and they shared their perspective of being professionals in the field of memory care.    

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Along with the informational presentations, students also had the opportunity to explore Sofia. “I  really loved walking around downtown,” said third-year undergrad music therapy student  Kiersten Grant, “and my favorite building was the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral because of  how beautiful it was inside and out.” Graduate music therapy student Grace Park enjoyed  visiting and learning about the many ancient churches of Bulgaria. “These visits gave me a  deeper understanding of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage and history,” stated Park. “The beauty and  peace of these sites made the experience truly memorable.” 
After spending a few days in Sofia, the group made their way to north-central Bulgaria, where  they would be spending the bulk of the trip. They provided interdisciplinary speech-language  therapy and music therapy at a children’s home and an elder home in nearby villages. “It was a  big adjustment for me to just jump into the clinical work rather than having weeks to plan,” said  Meneley. Grace agreed. “I learned a lot about the importance of being flexible and adaptable in  clinical settings,” stated Park. “Additionally, I realized how important it is to be open to learning  from every interaction, whether it’s with clients, team members or local professionals.”  

When asked about her favorite part of her clinical work, first-year undergraduate music therapy  student Simone Ross brought attention to the impact that music had on the groups the students  worked with. “I learned that music therapy has the ability to bring people together no matter  what their backgrounds are,” said Ross. “We were able to create memories and unique  relationships with the clients that we worked with by bonding through music.” Kiersten touched  on the specifics of co-treating with both speech and music therapy. “While working with the  speech-language pathology students, we focused on providing intentional music while they  focused on the direct communication,” expressed Grant. “We all learned to use each other as a  resource because everyone had something different to bring to the table.” 

When their time in Bulgaria was finished, the group also traveled to Athens to visit historical  landmarks like the Parthenon in Acropolis and to Santorini to learn more about the culture of  Greece. After spending a few days in Greece, the group made their way back home. “Leaving  Europe was very bittersweet,” says Meneley. “I can’t wait to start practicum this year and see  how much I have grown not only as a music therapist and a person.”  

“The opportunity to study abroad was easily one of the best decisions that I think that I will have  made in my entire life,” expressed Ross. “Not only did I get the chance to explore a country that  I otherwise would never have gotten to, but I got to create new memories and friendships with  individuals who also share the desire to help others through their respected specialty.”

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