Journey to Healing through Music

"Colleen, your playing and singing for and with me during my medical crisis was appreciated not only by me, but also by the hospital staff at Johns Hopkins. The music certainly was an aid in my healing." --Sara Moses


JULY  2018: Thank you dear friends, for supporting me. I have reached a milestone!

MILESTONE 1:  I have now completed the MHTP required hours of playing my lyre for patients! This has been accomplished with the help of supportive staff at Holy Cross Hospital, where I have been playing for the past 10 weeks. The nurses have been a very appreciative audience, as well as the patients.

MILESTONE 2:  Is a 30-minute recording I am required to make of myself playing pieces for various patient conditions. I have been diligently (and nervously) making repeated tracks of the pieces, trying to "get it right." When that is done, I will write a final essay, hoping to have all this complete by the July 19 deadline.

MILESTONE  3: After MHTP completion, I will receive the Certified Music Practitioner credential.  I intend to play wherever I am invited, including as a volunteer. My main concern is to go where I can be of most service.

MILESTONE 4: I have more hours to complete for a different obligation: my agreement as a Holy Cross volunteer. I have done about two-thirds of their 100-hour requirement, and and intend to keep playing, completing this sometime in the fall.

A CHALLENGING PATH: the privilege of bringing the warmth and light of the lyre tone, and of reaching out to people in institutions, is both demanding and rewarding work. At times the reality of the lyre tone as  a force for bringing healing becomes very palpable.  I struggle with the constant distraction from the noise of the machines, striving to concentrate on the music; to focus on the lyre tone; to direct my attention to the patient's being, whether they are conscious or not. I depend on the prayers of friends!

Once more I offer a big THANK YOU to my community of support, who for three years have given cash donations, prayers, and deeds of friendship to carry me this far. I intend to continue playing the lyre for individuals who call on me, as well as for various events in the community.

FINANCES: I still have no paying work, and am in need of financial help to pay my expenses. Each month, I make it through because of the generosity of many people.  Gifts of any size are welcome; none is too small!

THERE IS A MAGICAL ALCHEMY  when donations are combined with the supportive deeds and prayers of many friends. I am very grateful to have experienced this alchemy, and trust that support will continue to be provided for me to serve wherever I am called, wherever I can be of most help.

"Colleen came on several occasions to play the lyre for my mother in her last few weeks of life. When I asked my mother if she liked the music, her face lit up and she nodded and smiled. The lyre tone was soothing and uplifting. The last time Colleen played the lyre was just a few hours before my mother's passing. I am so grateful that Colleen was able to come." --Jennifer Downs


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May, 2018 NEWS : I HAVE RESUMED PLAYING LYRE for my internship in the Music for Healing and Transition Program (MHTP).  On April 16, I began playing for patients at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD. I have been going two and three times a week since then, and intend to continue with that schedule, playing for patients in a variety of units.

A PATH OF LEARNING: The privilege of bringing the warmth and light of the lyre tone to people in institutions is both demanding and very rewarding work. The challenge is to stay focused, direct my attention away from distractions, and make myself available to the potential of the tones as a healing force.

A VERY BIG THANK-YOU to my community of support, who for nearly three years have generously given cash, prayers, and deeds of friendship to carry me this far. I am grateful that I have been able to continue playing lyre for various events in the community also, as a way of giving back.

PROGRESS TOWARD COMPLETION: My internship hours are now more than two-thirds compete, and I will be working diligently to finish by July 19, the date when I complete the requirements and receive a credential as a Certified Therapeutic Music Practitioner.

FINANCES: For any work to count toward my internship, I am not allowed to receive payment from any institution or patient. And right now I have no paying work, so I am in need of financial help to pay my expenses. I need funds for:

**Self-care (such as bodywork, sturdy shoes, health care) for carrying the lyre, playing it for extended periods, walking long halls.
**Car maintenance, to get to the hospital.
**Lyre maintenance items (such as new strings).
**General living expenses.

THERE IS A MAGICAL ALCHEMY when donations are combined with the supportive deeds and prayers of many friends. I am very grateful to have experienced this alchemy, and trust that support will continue t be provided for me to serve wherever I am called, wherever I can be of most help.
               

"Colleen came on several occasions to play the lyre for my mother in her last few weeks of life. When I asked my mother if she liked the music, her face lit up and she nodded and smiled. The lyre tone was soothing and uplifting. The last time she played the lyre was just a few hours before my mother's passing. I am so grateful that Colleen was able to come." --Jennifer Downs

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(From May 2017...
THE FUTURE: The privilege of bringing the warmth and light of the lyre tone, and of reaching out to people in institutions, is both demanding and very rewarding work. For now I will continue to go to the hospice one or two days per week. To gain experience playing for a variety of patient conditions, in the late summer I intend to add a hospital or other facility to my schedule.  My goal is to complete the internship in  2018. More and more hospitals and nursing homes are recognizing the benefit of therapeutic music, and I trust that support will be provided for me to serve wherever I can be of most help.

SUPPORT TO GO FORWARD: There are still needs for going on, financial and otherwise. Here is a list, for those who are interested. Details are available on request.

Car repairs                   $1,000
Lyre Conference       $300
Self care                         $300 (to offset effects of holding     and playing the lyre for extended periods)
Supplies                         $100 (folding chair, watch, non-    
          chemical hand sanitizer, etc)
Living expenses           any amount
           (as an intern, I am not allowed to charge or 
             receive donations from any of the patients I play
             for)

Community support has enabled me to come this far on the MHTP path, and I am deeply grateful. I trust the magical alchemy of deeds combined with the supportive thoughts and prayers of many friends.
THANK YOU!!

from Colleen



September 15, 2016

Dear friends,
To skip to the financial update--see paragraph 5
For what comes after Module 5--see paragraph 6

Now I'm back from a very wonderful weekend at Module 4 of the Music for Healing and Transition Program (MHTP) in Baltimore. Sitting in the class last weekend I had the clear feeling that I have found my calling, and am destined for this work. Before looking to the finances and the future, I'd like to tell some of my experiences of this past weekend.

It was full of content and hard work, and was musically challenging. I met wonderful fellow-students whose evident motivation is to be of service through music. We had already been given a lot of techniques and information on how to use music for five different patient conditions, and that was expanded and built on even more this time. It was a bit overwhelming, and I was grateful when the instructor gave us this motto: "tools, not rules."

Altogether it was very inspiring, and I return full of enthusiasm to get ready for Module 5 in early November. At that time we will play for patients at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, observed by our instructors and classmates. We'll receive feedback, of course. I find this very exciting and can hardly wait.

As before, this past weekend was made possible by the gifts and support of many people, to whom I am very grateful. This whole musical journey (starting with Resonare in September of 2014, continuing with MHTP starting in July 2015 until the present) has been funded mostly (probably 90%) by friends, family, and community members. AND the needs beyond finances have been just as generously met, for use of a car for travel, housing, and pet care, for example.

FINANCIAL UPDATE: $550 needed for Module 5. Tuition payment due by OCTOBER 3.

Details for those interested: I will need $750 total, and I already have $200 in savings from the generosity of people last summer (!!) so only $550 is needed now. the $750 will include $560 for tuition (due Oct 3). Then $75 (or so) for a cart to tote things around the hospital, $115 for books, music, and miscellaneous expenses. Housing has already been offered to me, which is worth hundreds of dollars!! (A big thank-you to Gail Ritscher and Noris Friedman!)

WHAT COMES AFTER MODULE 5?
Module 5 finishes the classroom work, and then I'll be about halfway through--sort of. There are six more steps, and they are a lot of work.
1) A written exam; and complete ten book reviews.
2) Make a repertoire list (90 minutes each of singing and lyre playing!)
3) Advisor interview; play and sing for my advisor.
4) Find medical sites (hospital, hospice, skilled nursing facilities) and make arrangements for an independent practicum. This responsibility is on me!
5) Play and sing for a total of 100 patient interactions. Fill out a patient log for each, to be verified by an on-site liaison and sent to my advisor. **
6) Submit two recordings of myself playing and singing, 30 minutes each.

**As a student, I WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CHARGE for this work, or even to receive donations from patients.
Once I have received certification, and become a certified Music Practitioner (CMP), the organization encourages me to charge for my services.

I am so grateful for the support of friends, whose donations, thoughts, prayers, and moral support carry me forward!
Colleen Shetland


September 1 update

Dear friends,
In July, I attended Modules 1 and 2 of the Music for Healing and Transition program.  (See brief description below if you don't know about this training.) It is truly a great program (rigorous); and I felt a good connection with the group, who are all on a path of service. Altho donations were short of the needed amount, loans made it possible for me to go anyway. At this time I have $300 saved toward attending the remaining Modules, which will take place in 2016 in Baltimore: 
Module 3 in May; Module 4 in September, and Module 5 in November. After completing them, I will do an internship, and then...I hope to become a Certified Music Practitioner! There's lots of work between that goal and me, but with the support of so many friends, I feel hopeful.

A combination of many factors made it possible for me to attend Modules 1 and 2: cash donations and loans; the loan of a car for transportation;  friends taking care of my cat; friends offering lodging before and after the course.
Again, I express my gratitude to all the friends and helpers, seen and unseen, who support me with donations, kind deeds, prayers, and strength.

It's not too late to donate! I'm saving up for Modules 3, 4, 5 and internship!

With gratitude,
Colleen


July 31, 2016

Dear friends,
Again our community has come through in a marvelous way. In only one week, enough came in to pay my tuition for Module 4 in September, plus extra for books, travel to Baltimore, etc.
And the last three donations that came in this morning, totalling $200, can be put in savings toward Module 5 for November!!

With a heart full of gratitude,
Colleen

July 23, 2016

Dear friends,
With gratitude I report that last May, once again the miracle of community happened. The generosity of many people made it possible for me to complete Module 3 of the Music for Healing and Transition Program (MHTP), in Baltimore. As before, the help people offered in lodging, pet care, and so forth added to the cash gifts, which were sufficient to cover tuition, gas to Baltimore, books, and incidentals. I also felt carried by many thoughts and prayers, which I am sure contributed to my receiving very good evaluations for all three modules.

Now I am preparing for Module 4, Etiquette and Internship: the Profession of Music Practitioner. There are books to purchase (and read and review); music homework to do; and videos to watch. The tuition of $460 must be paid thirty days in advance, by August 10. Yikes--that's only two weeks from now!! Another $100 will be needed to cover other expenses, but that can be gathered by September 10.

So once again I turn to the supporting community to ask for your help. At this time I have no savings, and am starting from scratch for this. If you are not familiar with MHTP, it is a professional training to prepare me to play music (in my case, on the lyre) for people who are ill, recovering from surgery, PTSD, or transitioning across the threshold.

There will be a Module 5 in November (tuition for this one will be $565); then an exam, and an unpaid internship. It's quite a rigorous process to go through before I will become a Certified Music Practitioner (CMP). You can find out more about the program at www.mhtp.org.

With gratitude for all that has come, and all that will,

Colleen Shetland
Dedicated to the freed tone of the lyre


July 5

Dear friends of music,
A big thank you to all the friends who made the earlier "Journey into Experipence of Tone" possible through the Resonare training. This was a wonderful course, and has prepared me to take the next step in this journey.

The next step is training with the Music for Healing and Transition Program (MHTP).

Why MHTP?
This training will professionally prepare me to bring a healing experience of live music, the freed tones of the lyre, to anyone who wants it:
a child or adult who is in a process of illness, either acute or chronic, or recovering from an illness; anyone suffering with PTSD; anyone approaching the threshold of death.

The need for healing music at bedsides is great, and I aspire to increase my capacity to serve humanity as a Certified Music Practitioner (CMP) through healing tone.

Please tell more about MHTP.
MHTP trains musicians to work in institutions such as hospitals and hospices, as well as in homes and other venues. The organization is known around the country, especially in large metopolitan areas. See their website at www.mhtp.org and their ten-minute YouTube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viq8mnvrthY

Every contribution is received with gratitude, whether a cash donation, or your interest and supportive thoughts!


SPRING UPDATE!! ONLY $200 needed to continue!

April 8, 2016

Dear friends,

It has been 7 months since I posted on this website, so I will give an update. I am now preparing to register for Module 3 of the MHTP program, which will be offered in Baltimore May 14 and 15. (Scroll down for info on MHTP) I need only $160 to complete payment of the $460 tuition, because the generous gifts of friends last fall have been gestating all through the winter!!
There will also be some minimal travel expense, and a book to buy, so I'll say $200 total.

Background info:
Even tho the cash amount that appears here, on the green thermometer to the right, is less than the original goal, I was still able to complete Modules 1 and 2 of the MHTP training last summer. That is because friends generously supported me with travel, pet care, and other help in addition to the generous cash gifts recorded here. And your prayers and loving thoughts made a difference too.
Although I was not able to raise funds in time to continue with the modules last September, friends continued to donate through the fall, enabling me to save $300 for Module 3. Actually the delay was all for the best, as I needed some time off to absorb the rich content of the course.

The good news now is that Modules 3 thru 5 will be offered in 2016 in Baltimore, which considerably reduces travel expense, as well as lodging expense, again because of the generosity of hospitable friends.