Tools And Essentials For The Traveling Music Therapist
Did you just get a new traveling music therapy job? Are you wondering what to gift to your music therapy team or to your favorite traveling music therapist? Maybe you’re looking for ideas on what to add to your music therapy wish list? This list of essentials and tools will give you insight on some must-haves for the traveling music therapist.
Something to note is that, even though I wrote this list with the traveling music therapist in mind, these items will also be beneficial for any other type of home health professional or traveling therapist like physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, social workers, nurses, etc.
This list is not extensive, whatsoever. It is comprised of items and tools that personally provided comfort and helped me do my job in an efficient way. This list also does not cover musical instruments, the items included here are “basics”, essentials that will provide the traveling therapist with convenience (like this cart with wheels for stairs!) and solutions (like this car heating lunch box!), and will hopefully help them in doing their work with ease. If you are looking for a list of instruments every traveling music therapist should have, stay tuned for a future post about my favorite instruments for music therapy sessions!
1. Car Heating Lunch Box
Being on the road all day meant that I either needed to stop to buy lunch or that I needed to bring food that did not need to be warmed up since I would be far away from our offices where I would have access to a microwave. Eating out every day can get expensive and I prefer a home-cooked meal anyway, so the solution? This car heating lunch box that allows you to bring your own food and heat it up in your mobile office— your car. It’s convenient, it’s awesome.
2. Steering Wheel Desk
Documentation, eating lunch, writing notes, etc… it would be so convenient to have a nice surface area in our car to do these things and more. This steering wheel desk makes it possible.
This Yeti insulated tumbler is my favorite to keep my coffee warm for longer… or tea, if you prefer that.
4. Stainless Steel Tumbler
Stay hydrated and keep your water cold with this stainless steel tumbler. I love that it has a straw and it fits in your cup holder. Bonus points because it’s also pleasant to look at.
5. Lumbar Support Pillow For Car
Long hours on the road means long hours sitting down. Many of us therapists already carry so much and engage in sometimes strenuous physical activity to do our jobs, leaving us with aches and pains (especially back pain). This Lumbar Support Pillow is meant to provide support to your back and make the long car rides a little more comfortable.
6. Car Seat Massager
This car seat massager may or may not be a necessity, but it sure will make being on the road so much comfortable and pleasant. It’s also a nice and practical way to engage in some self-care.
7. Cart With Wheels For Stairs
We carry instruments, sanitizing products, iPads, props, visuals, etc. and we already know we need a bag that will hold up all of our essentials. This rolling cart will help you stay organized while also helping you carrying your stuff wherever you go with wheels specifically made for stairs.
8. Trunk Storage Organizer
With so many things we carry and store in our car (instruments, books, sanitizing equipment, books, etc.), our car can get a bit messy. I love this trunk organizer because it helps me keep most of the tools and necessities I use everyday in one place.
9. Waterproof Car Garbage Can
Do you really need a trash car in your car? My car is my mode of transportation, and is also my office and most of the time, my lunch break room. Trash will generate and I just love to keep my car clean and organized throughout the day. This waterproof garbage can for the car helps with that.
10. Car Phone Holder
Phone calls, GPS, emails… we all know our phone is such an important tool to get our work done. This car phone holder helps to keep my phone accessible and safe on my dashboard.
11. Essential Oils Diffuser For Car
Is this essential oils diffuser a necessity? Probably not, but it is a really nice-to-have. I especially like diffusing Plant Therapy’s lavender essential oil to help me feel relaxed throughout the day.
12. Portable Folding Stools
As dramatic as it might sound, bringing a portable folding stool to my sessions was a game changer for me. As a traveling music therapist (and even when completing rounds at the hospital), visiting clients in their own spaces (home, room, etc.), means that I need to scout a place to locate myself. Sometimes this is easy to do, but sometimes, there are no chairs or places to sit and comfortably + safely facilitate a music therapy session. Bringing this portable folding stool with me means that I will always have a comfortable place to sit that I can arrange in the client’s space as needed.
13. Car vacuum cleaner
I know I’ve already talked a lot about cleaning and organizing but I think that keeping our car tidy makes a big difference visually and mentally. We spend so much time in our car, why not make it a tidy, enjoyable space? If you or your therapists like a neat, organized car like me, then you/them might enjoy having this car vacuum cleaner.
That’s my list of essentials (and must-haves) for the traveling therapist. I hope this wish list can give you ideas on what to give to your music therapy team or what gifts to ask for as a music therapist.
Is there anything I missed that should be on the list? Send me a message and let me know ♡
