Allison, (Alli) Millstein is a music therapist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. Alli sees clients out of her private practice and also works per diem as a music therapist for a research study led by Joke Bradt out of Drexel University." People can read more about my background and work on my professional website at www.allisonmillsteintherapy.com
1. What inspired you to become a music therapist?
I've been playing music since I was a child and when I entered college I knew I wanted a career that allowed me to incorporate music in my professional life.
About three years after I graduated college, I reached out to a former professor to ask him about voice-over work, and he shared with me
his experience of recently entering into the music therapy field. With his guidance, I did more research into music therapy and realized it combined my interests of music, science, and working with others.
2. Do you have musical hobbies outside of your job?
Yes! I think all music therapists should have musical hobbies outside of their jobs. I of course love listening to music and going to shows, but additionally I also write and perform. Whenever I can I also play and sit in other bands, mostly on saxophone but occasionally on guitar and bass.
I released an EP this year entitled "Psychic Distance" and hope to return to more live performances when venues and clubs start to re-open.
3. What has been the most surprising thing about being a professional music therapist (good or bad)?
I think the most surprising thing for me has been how curious other people are when they ask what I do and I tell them I'm a music therapist. At this point I expect follow-up questions, and it's been really fascinating to see how other people outside of the field respond when I say what I do.
4. Are you doing any research right now, if so, can you speak to that? Right now I'm working per diem as a music therapist on a study led by Joke Bradt of Drexel University, examining the effects of music therapy on various mediators of pain in late-stage cancer patients and cancer survivors. You can learn more about my experience as a clinician on that study by reading an
article we just published in the Nordic Journal of Music Therapy. It's titled, "Experiences of implementing treatment manuals: Clinician, supervisor, and researcher reflections". Here is a link to the article: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08098131.2020.1790632
5. How has the pandemic shaped or changed your work as a music therapist?
My work has moved from on-site to remote teletherapy. It's been a change to try and implement aspects of a research protocol into a teletherapy space but I feel lucky to be able to continue with participants using new techniques such as music listening and discussion as well as interactive playing over a teletherapy platform. The teletherapy platform requires some creative set-ups and I'm continuing to learn how to work with the latency aspect of interactive playing over the internet. I also have a private practice where I've begun seeing a lot of talk-therapy clients. I consider my orientation as a therapist to be shaped by my music therapy perspective, so even with my talk-therapy clients, aspects of music and other creative therapy elements come into play in the work even if it may not take the shape of interactive music making.
6. Are there any favorite memories in your career so far you’d like to share?
I have a lot of favorite memories! Many of them are with clients involving particular meaningful therapeutic moments. Moments of attunement and synchronicity in the improvisational space stand out to me as being especially magical and memorable. In addition to the clinical work I would say just the feeling I've had when I started new exciting positions professionally including my first day at my internship site, my first day as a research fellow at the Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine, my first day as a research clinician at Drexel, and the first private practice session I conducted.
7. What are some tunes you’re listening to these days?
I've had a few songs running through my brain lately. One is "Trouble" by Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam. It feels especially topical right now. I've also been listening to the song, "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire as I've been trying to develop a cover of it.
8. What’s your favorite band?
I don't know if I have one favorite band, there are so many! Lately I've been listening to Haim's new album (Women in Music III), Courtney Marie Andrews, Bonny Light Horseman, and Lianne La Havas to name a few...
9. What advice would you give to your younger self?
If I could give myself younger advice I think I'd say to be patient and to listen to yourself more.
10. What tips do you have for someone considering a career in music therapy?
Reach out to music therapists practicing in various settings to get a sense of what they do and what they enjoy about their work to see what you may enjoy. I'd also suggest researching different music therapy programs to learn about how their orientations differ and how they may influence your perspective as a clinician.
11. Do you have any music, or music therapy heroes?
I have so many musical heroes I don't know where I'd begin, but one songwriter who I have been greatly influenced by is Jenny Lewis. When I think of a music hero she comes to mind. There have been many people who have played a role in my career so far and I'm grateful to all of them.
Bonus question: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
The next place on my list is Machu Picchu. Bonus question: What book(s) are you currently reading? Is there a book you recommend for music therapists?
I've developed a semi-bad habit of reading multiple books at once so right now I'm reading "To Shake The Sleeping Self" by Jedidiah Jenkins, "Truth & Beauty: A Friendship" by Ann Patchett, "Me and White Supremacy" by Layla F. Saad, and "The Trauma of Everyday Life" by Mark Epstein. I definitely recommend "The Trauma of Everyday Life" to clinicians. I find myself thinking about it in regards to my session work often. Last one, what's your fave NYC restaurant?
Too many to mention. One neighborhood fave is Silver Rice in Brooklyn, NY.