S1: From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's
S1: your host, Sam Colley.
S2: Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And
S2: for the next half hour, we talk matters of blindness
S2: and low vision.
S3: Music can have such a profound impact on people. And
S3: you don't have to be a musician by any means
S3: for that to be true. But to use music in
S3: a therapeutic context is such a privilege for me. I
S3: think what makes music therapy so crucial is that it
S3: can be an incredible way to connect with someone, and
S3: to give them a voice, when sometimes other therapies may
S3: not have been the answer. Music therapy can be such
S3: a motivating way of achieving these functional outcomes.
S2: Welcome to the program. This week we feature a very
S2: important conversation, and you might have heard about this in
S2: the news recently. We're talking about music therapy with music
S2: therapist Emily Shanahan, somebody I've had a great deal of
S2: respect for over the past two decades with her work
S2: in music therapy. And that conversation is coming up very shortly.
S2: So make sure to stick around. And then after we
S2: hear from Emily, Maureen from the library is back to
S2: preview some new events coming up in the Vision Australia
S2: library for members in 2025. And on that book theme,
S2: we finish up with a reader recommended from Francis Caitlin.
S2: I hope you'll enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision.
S2: Following the news in recent weeks that music and art
S2: therapies were currently under review by the NDIS. Questions have
S2: been posed around the evidence that music and art therapies
S2: provide such a vital service, which has been responded to
S2: in overwhelming fashion by not only therapists but so many
S2: participants out there over the years, myself included, who have
S2: benefited so much from music therapy. And in that vein,
S2: it's my absolute pleasure to welcome somebody I've known for
S2: quite a long time. Music therapist Emily Shanahan to Talking vision. Emily. Hello.
S2: Welcome to Talking Vision. Thanks so much for your time.
S3: Oh, it's great to be here, Sam. Thank you so
S3: much for the invitation.
S2: It's great to connect up with you. Let's just get
S2: a bit of an overview of yourself and your work
S2: in the music therapy space.
S3: Well, I have been a music therapist for a very
S3: long time now. I think where we first crossed paths
S3: was about 24 years ago. The vibe in Burwood.
S2: That's right. Yep.
S3: And, um. Yeah, it sounds crazy that it's that long ago.
S2: It does. Really?
S3: I'm still. Yeah, I'm still working in the field, and
S3: I've spent a fair bit of time in specialist schools
S3: and pediatric hospitals and in early intervention. I've been doing
S3: on occasions a bit of teaching at Melbourne Uni in
S3: the subjects of clinical improvisation and simulated practicum. And I'm
S3: currently working in early intervention in a community healthcare setting.
S2: Oh, fantastic. And, um, let's just go into a bit
S2: about what we are here to chat about today. Now,
S2: people have no doubt probably followed the news recently, in
S2: the past few weeks with a lot of I guess
S2: uncertainty is the word we'd use around the future of
S2: music and art therapies going into 2025. So I'd just
S2: like to get some thoughts from yourself, and I suppose
S2: the sector and other colleagues of yours and how you've
S2: reacted to this recent news regarding the funding changes.
S3: Yeah, I think I mean, you really hit the nail
S3: on the head with the word uncertainty because it was
S3: a complete shock when we found out about this, that
S3: the funding was going to be cut. And as a result,
S3: it's been a really challenging couple of weeks for music therapists,
S3: but also for our participants who are now feeling a
S3: little bit on edge, like there will be 8000 participants
S3: who will be impacted by funding cuts if this goes ahead.
S3: And so, I mean, that is an enormous number of
S3: people who are going to be really, seriously impacted. The
S3: Music Therapy Association has been incredible. Like their response is amazing.
S3: As registered music therapist, we're pretty used to having to
S3: fight for our cause, but this has really been extreme
S3: as a positive. I guess the support that we've felt
S3: from each other and the community has been incredible. And
S3: our petition to keep music therapy as an NDIS funded
S3: therapeutic support is it's now reached 58,000 signatures.
S2: Oh my God, that's incredible. No, that's, um, that's really
S2: pleasing to hear that it's gotten such a really amazing
S2: response like that. But it really does speak to the
S2: importance of music therapy. And this ties into something you
S2: and I are both acutely aware of. And that's why
S2: music therapy is so crucial to so many people in
S2: the community. Now let's go into that because there's so
S2: much we can unpack here. There's so many different aspects,
S2: and I know the impact that it's had for me,
S2: but I'd just love to get your thoughts and go
S2: to the heart of why it's so important, and why
S2: it really means so much to be involved in that sector.
S3: Yeah. Great question, I think. I mean, music can have
S3: such a profound impact on people. And you don't have
S3: to be a musician by any means for that to
S3: be true. But to use music in the therapeutic context
S3: is such a privilege for me. I think what makes
S3: music therapy so crucial is that it can be an
S3: incredible way to connect with someone, and to give them
S3: a voice, when sometimes other therapies may not have been
S3: the answer. And I think we're hearing a lot of
S3: stories about this at the moment in the news. So
S3: many participants saying I couldn't access other things. I couldn't
S3: you know, I think music therapy can be such a
S3: motivating way of achieving these functional outcomes. And look, that's
S3: the language that's really important to funding supports like the Ndia.
S3: Is that functional outcomes, those things like improved participation and
S3: independence in daily practical activities. So this is what's being funded.
S3: And as a therapist that we're really trying to prove
S3: that what we're doing is impacting the daily lives of
S3: our participants.
S2: And I must say, I'd vouch for that 100%. You know,
S2: this is something I've gotten involved in since a very
S2: young age. And I think without music therapy, there's a
S2: bunch of doors that wouldn't have been opened. Although, you know,
S2: I have always been quite musically inclined. I've had perfect
S2: pitch and all that sort of thing. But responding to that,
S2: when you're 3 or 4 and then people sort of think, oh, okay, there's,
S2: you know, something there. So it moves on to the
S2: next kind of thing. And having that involvement with other
S2: people as well, that social element and, you know, making
S2: music together. And and that's just been so fun as well.
S2: And that was just, you know, have memories that last
S2: a lifetime. And then one of those people is now
S2: a world touring. You know, singer in a rock band
S2: and you just think, oh my God. Well, that just
S2: wouldn't have been possible without music therapy. And there's so
S2: much to unpack and so many great stories to share
S2: and all that sort of thing as well.
S3: Would it be okay for me to say, Sam? Yeah.
S3: So I think when you met me in 2001 and
S3: we there was a choir and a few performances that
S3: happened and a lot of laughing and learning. I think
S3: from that group there are quite a number who are
S3: working professionally in music.
S2: Yes.
S3: And I mean, that's just incredible that talking of functional
S3: goals that, you know, people have it now is their vocation. Yeah,
S3: I learnt a lot in that setting and look perfect pitch.
S3: How amazing. Not a skill that I have, but so
S3: many people at rehab had these incredible skills that that
S3: it was just beautiful using music to embrace that together.
S2: That's exactly it. And, you know, one of those was
S2: the late, great Dorothy Hamilton, who sadly left us a
S2: few months back now. She had such a profound impact
S2: on Braille music and getting kids who are totally blind
S2: and getting them into music and teaching them that music
S2: is accessible in that way. And, um, absolutely. We had
S2: a conversation with one of the transcribers of Braille music,
S2: Geordie Howell, who works at Vision Australia, and she's quite
S2: a central figure or has been in the braille music
S2: camps over the past almost two decades now, both as
S2: a student and going back and helping out as a teacher.
S2: So there's so many different connections and ways that Braille
S2: music can interface with other parts of, you know, the
S2: music therapy space. And so that's that's also quite interesting.
S2: What sort of things would you have to say in
S2: terms of music therapy in particular with relation to blindness
S2: and low vision. I know we've spoken a bit about
S2: the interactions with people through our vibe, but what sort
S2: of things have really stood out for you over the
S2: decades in terms of how those two kind of interact?
S3: Thinking about it in terms of the language that we're
S3: needing to use with the NDIS and those functional outcomes.
S3: I've been doing some work with a young student who
S3: is blind, and it's about those daily supports around, you know,
S3: how you might have a shower or how you might
S3: go into a public space and things that you need
S3: to think about. So we might do chanting or breathwork
S3: and relaxation activities around that, or we might create songs
S3: together to the point where they can be used independently
S3: to help with those goals. And I think in terms
S3: of accessibility, I think music is just something for so
S3: many people that I've worked with has just been particularly
S3: Accessible because there are just so many skills in that area.
S2: Finally, Emily, I think we'll get back to particularly what
S2: you and others in the music therapy space are hoping for,
S2: anticipating in terms of next steps that you'd like to
S2: see from the government and from the Ndia going forward
S2: in the next weeks and months to come.
S3: I guess ultimately what we're hoping for would be for
S3: this decision to be reversed. Yes. And for the government
S3: to keep music therapy as an NDIS funded therapeutic support.
S3: Our association did meet with Minister Bill shorten recently, and
S3: he did acknowledge the importance of music therapy as an
S3: evidence based support. And now there's going to be an
S3: independent review that will maintain and ensure the quality of
S3: the therapeutic services. So Doctor Stephen Duckett has been appointed
S3: to review the evidence, and the Amta has requested that
S3: he provide some copies of evidence that founded why this
S3: decision happened originally. But yeah, we also hope, I guess,
S3: that he meet with participants and their families to hear
S3: firsthand about the work that we're doing and the impact
S3: that that can have. And I finally, I'd say probably
S3: as an allied health profession, that we're fighting to have
S3: the same standards and review processes as colleagues, for example,
S3: those in speech pathology or occupational therapy. So, yeah, we're
S3: hoping it will be a very comprehensive review and that
S3: will be consulted through the decision making process. And I
S3: think we need some time really before any changes happen
S3: in the pricing guidelines. Yeah.
S2: And Emily, if people would love to find out a
S2: bit more about music therapy, what's the best place to
S2: head to?
S3: I would say the best place to head to is
S3: our website, which is awesome. Org. I'll spell it out
S3: just in case that will help a u s t
S3: m t a o o u. And there are a
S3: few drop down columns, but the one about music therapy
S3: then drops down to music therapy and the NDIS, if
S3: that is what they're specifically looking for. And in there
S3: there is a disability evidence summary which is really informative
S3: and written by many, many clever music therapists and definitely
S3: worth a read. There are also lots of videos about
S3: music therapy which tell stories of music therapy in different
S3: working in early intervention or working in aged care, and
S3: they're really amazing resources to have a listen to if
S3: people are interested.
S2: Perfect. Well, I've been speaking today with Emily Shanahan about
S2: the changes in music therapy and the future of both
S2: music and art therapies in 2025, so we both follow
S2: that with great interest. Emily, thank you so much for
S2: your time today. It was great to catch up with
S2: you again and chat all about music therapy.
S3: My pleasure Sam, and thank you so much for your support.
S2: On Sam Culley and you're listening to Talking Vision on
S2: a Vision Australia Radio, associated Stations of Reading Radio and
S2: the Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation
S2: as much as I did with Emily Shanahan. If you
S2: missed any part of that conversation with Emily or you'd
S2: love to hear it again. Talking vision is available on
S2: the Vision Australia Radio website. VA radio.org. That's VA radio
S2: all one word.org where you can find talking, vision and
S2: so many other programs on the Vision Australia radio network.
S2: You can also find Talking Vision on the podcast app
S2: of your choice or through the Vision Australia library. And
S2: speaking of the library, well, it's a happy New Year
S2: and happy new library with a bunch of really exciting
S2: events coming up in the Vision Australia Library for members
S2: in 2025, and to have a chat with us all
S2: about these. It's my great pleasure to welcome back Maureen
S2: from the library. Maureen, welcome back to Talking Vision. Great
S2: to have you.
S4: I love being on Talking Vision. I get to live
S4: my dream of being a radio personality.
S2: And we certainly love to have you. And because it's
S2: the New year, happy New Year as well. There's a
S2: lot of exciting things coming up for people out there
S2: in the world of the library in 2025. So let's
S2: get a bit of an overview.
S4: Well, we have a massive year planned for 2025. We
S4: have 16 programs we'll be running, which involves over 61
S4: individual sessions over the coming 12 months. So it's going
S4: to be heaps of fun. There's some new programs that
S4: are there to excite everyone. We've resurrected some favourites from
S4: previous years that had had a bit of a rest,
S4: and then we have our staples from this year that
S4: everybody loves, so hopefully there'll be something for everyone.
S2: What are some new programs that people can look forward to?
S4: Ah, well, under the realm of a reading program. So
S4: we sort of do reading and writing ones. We have
S4: our new book, chap with the Vision Australia Library. So
S4: in that program we will have a Vision Australia librarian
S4: that will be present with me. And they'll give a
S4: review of two newly released mainstream best selling books, so
S4: they'll have a discussion of what's really good about the book. What?
S4: Tell us a bit about the author and really give
S4: a sort of warts and all appraisal of the book.
S4: And then once they've gone through their two books, we're
S4: going to go around the group and all the participants
S4: that are present, those that want to will tell us
S4: what they've been reading and they'll give a review of
S4: their recent reads, so they'll get to channel their inner
S4: Margaret Pomeranz or whoever they want to be. And they
S4: can be highly critical, or they can be glowing with
S4: their praise. And the idea is that in the span
S4: of that hour, and we're going to do it quarterly,
S4: that we will have the opportunity to fill your bookshelf
S4: with a whole lot of new books, and that you've
S4: got an idea of, you know what's good about them,
S4: which ones you want to read, and just a little
S4: bit of a taste to get you excited.
S2: Yeah, no, that sounds a lot of fun. Very well received,
S2: but let's keep on that theme of the favorites out there.
S2: The programs that people absolutely loved to get involved with
S2: that are making a return in 2025. So let's have
S2: a chat about a couple of those. What are some
S2: really popular favorites that are making a return for people
S2: to look forward to?
S4: One of our favorites that's really popular is our In
S4: conversations with our authors. So we'll have six authors coming
S4: in this year and the same format as previous years,
S4: will introduce the author, give a little bit of an overview,
S4: and then have about 45 minutes or so interrogating them,
S4: usually finding out about a new release book. And then
S4: people have the opportunity to submit questions either online during
S4: the session, or they can actually submit questions during the
S4: registration process. And then we'll have a variety of interviewers
S4: that will be there for us. So we'll have myself
S4: interviewing Emily Maguire on Valentine's Day. So that's an easy
S4: date for everyone to remember. And Emily's got a new
S4: book that's just been released called rapture, and she's an
S4: award winning author, so that's going to be a load
S4: of fun. Uh, we will have two authors coming in
S4: with the Melbourne Writers Festival in May, and that will
S4: be a hybrid event. So we will have everyone able
S4: to watch online, but they also have the opportunity to
S4: come into Qiyong and see them in person. And then
S4: we will have three more authors later in the year,
S4: and they will be interviewed by Sarah Bloedorn, who's a
S4: library manager, Leanne Sajjadi. And we're also having Dave Tredinnick
S4: do one of ours as well. Oh, fantastic. So just
S4: roll out a whole lot of different interviewing styles, because
S4: otherwise people get bored of the sound of my voice.
S2: No, no, no one can get bored of that. Don't worry.
S2: But yeah, it's very exciting to have Leanne and Sarah involved,
S2: and especially Dave. He's a lot of fun. So I
S2: think a lot of people will love to hear from
S2: Dave what Dave did.
S4: One of our conversations earlier this year with les and
S4: his son Ben and daughter Emily. And that was very,
S4: very well received. It was very cheeky.
S2: Oh, yeah, I love that. No, he's, um he's he
S2: can be quite cheeky. It's, um. Quite. It's always fun.
S2: It's always a bit unpredictable. He's a bit off the
S2: wall sometimes. So. Yeah, a lot of lot of things
S2: to look forward to there. And Maureen, there's something else
S2: exciting that's pretty new. You're gonna have a few conversations
S2: with the narrators, the people behind the scenes who make
S2: it all happen.
S4: We are one of the things we do at the
S4: end of all of our programs and events is a
S4: post-event evaluation. So we ask people, what did you like
S4: about it? What did you enjoy? What you'd like to
S4: see more of? And we asked them for any ideas,
S4: so I can't even take credit for this one. This
S4: one came from the feedback from a number of our
S4: members saying that they'd love to have the opportunity to
S4: speak with the narrators and to chat with the narrators,
S4: and to get to know these people, because a lot
S4: of our members have been listening to books that have
S4: been narrated by the same people for the last 20, 30,
S4: 40 years. And it's like a friend that they invite
S4: into their home. So they're very attached to them. So
S4: we are going to have Meet your Vision Australia Library narrators.
S4: We're going to start with 2 in 2025. So we're
S4: going to put a toe into the water and see
S4: how they're received. And they'll have a three part structure.
S4: So first I'll do an introduction to the narrator with
S4: a little brief overview of their history with Vision Australia.
S4: And then what they're going to do is a reading
S4: from their favorite book that they've narrated for the library. So.
S4: Or even one that they really would have liked to
S4: have narrated. So they'll actually read for 20 or 30
S4: minutes live from one of their favorite books, maybe one
S4: solid section, or it might be a couple of excerpts.
S4: And then afterwards we'll have an interview with the narrator,
S4: including questions that our members have put in during the
S4: registration process or that they popped into the zoom chat.
S4: So it's a lovely opportunity to get to know them
S4: as a person, but also to listen to them reading
S4: something that they really enjoy as distinct from something that
S4: you know, has been imposed upon them now.
S2: Um, speaking of things that people can look forward to,
S2: if people are listening to this and thinking, oh wow,
S2: that all sounds fantastic, I'd love to get involved. Where
S2: do I go to find out more? Let's give people
S2: some details that they can get in touch with the library.
S4: Well, the best place they can go really is the
S4: Vision Australia Library website, which is Vision Australia Library. And
S4: if you just scan down that first page to the
S4: What's On section, you'll see all the upcoming events that
S4: we have. So we usually have about six up there
S4: at a time. So you'll see the next six that
S4: are upcoming which will be reading and writing events. But
S4: in addition to that, we also list all of our
S4: events in our bi monthly newsletter. So I really encourage
S4: everyone to make sure that they are receiving the newsletter,
S4: and all library members will receive it unless they've opted
S4: out of having email communication, which they can change if
S4: they want to. And that lists all the upcoming events
S4: that we have. And then the other place they can
S4: always come on is to listen to your show, to
S4: listen to Francis Collins show, to listen to Peter Greco's show.
S4: And I'm always on there talking about what's new and
S4: what's coming up for us as well.
S2: Oh, perfect. All right. Well, I've been speaking today with
S2: Maureen from the library, chatting to us all about the
S2: exciting events coming up for Vision Australia library members in 2025. Maureen,
S2: great to have you as always. Happy 2025 and look
S2: forward to hearing how all the events go.
S4: I hope you have a wonderful year and I get
S4: to come and chat all throughout the year and tell
S4: everyone about our new events.
S2: Absolutely looking forward to it.
S4: Thanks, Sam.
S2: And now here's Frances Keelan with a reader recommended.
S5: Thank you Sam. It has been 60 years since Mary
S5: Poppins first hit our cinemas. So I thought it'd be
S5: good to have a sample of Julie Andrews book home.
S5: Her memoir. Over the years, Julie Andrews has been much
S5: interviewed in the press and on television, but she has
S5: never before revealed the true story of her childhood and upbringing.
S5: In home, she vividly recreates the years before the movies,
S5: and idyllic early childhood in Surrey was cut short when
S5: her parents divorced and her mother remarried. The family moved
S5: to London and there are vivid scenes of life during
S5: the Blitz. Her mother went into musical theatre with her stepfather,
S5: who encouraged Julie to have singing lessons, which led to
S5: the discovery that her voice had phenomenal range and strength
S5: for someone her age. Before long, she was appearing on
S5: stage with her parents. She soon realised how much she
S5: enjoyed looking out into the black auditorium with the spotlights
S5: on her. By the time she was a teenager, she
S5: was supporting her whole family with her singing. A London
S5: Palladium pantomime led to a leading role in The Boyfriend
S5: on Broadway at 19 parts in My Fair Lady, opposite
S5: Rex Harrison and Camelot with Richard Burton soon followed, and
S5: there are wonderful anecdotes about the actors and actresses of
S5: her day. But this is far more than a collection
S5: of show stories. Home is an honest, touching and revealing
S5: memoir of the early life of a true icon. Let's
S5: hear a sample of Home by Julie Andrews, narrated by
S5: Julie Andrews.
S6: I am told that the first comprehensible word I uttered
S6: as a child was home. My father was driving his
S6: second hand. Austin seven. My mother was in the passenger
S6: seat beside him, holding me on her lap as we
S6: approached our modest house. Dad braked the car to turn
S6: on to the pocket handkerchiefs, square of concrete by the gate,
S6: and apparently I quietly, tentatively said the word home. My
S6: mother told me there was a slight upward inflection in
S6: my voice. Not a question so much as a trying
S6: of the word on the tongue with perhaps the delicious
S6: discovery of connection, the word to the place. My parents
S6: wanted to be sure they had heard me correctly. So
S6: dad drove around the lanes once again, and as we returned,
S6: it seems I repeated the word. My mother must have
S6: said it more than once upon arrival at our house,
S6: perhaps with satisfaction or relief, or maybe to instill in
S6: her young daughter a sense of comfort and safety. The
S6: word has carried enormous resonance for me ever since. Home.
S5: So that was home by Julie Andrews. If you would
S5: like to borrow that book, or if you would like
S5: to find out more about Vision Australia Library, just give
S5: them a call on one 365 4656. That's one 365 4656.
S5: Or you can email library at Vision Australia. That's library
S5: at Vision Australia.
S2: And that's all the time we have for today. You've
S2: been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision
S2: Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the
S2: show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you.
S2: So please get in touch anytime on our email at
S2: Talking Vision at Vision Australia. Org. That's talking vision all
S2: one word at Vision australia.org. But until next week it's
S2: Sam Corley saying bye for now.
S1: You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during
S1: business hours on one 384 7486. That's one 384 7486
S1: or by visiting Vision Australia. That's Vision Australia. Org.