Music Therapy Internship
Our internship program in private practices provides music therapy students with opportunities to expand their clinical skills in diverse clinical settings. We want interns to become well-rounded music therapists, with general and entry-level knowledge in a variety of placements.
At RGV-MTWC, we specialize in music therapy for Mexican American communities and incorporate culture-centered music therapy practices into our supervision and treatment processes.
Our goal is to prepare interns for entrance into the professional world and we guide students in further developing important clinical and professional skills including time management, clinical documentation, conducting music therapy assessments and other reports, and session planning.
Music therapy students will observe, co-lead, and then led music therapy experiences under the supervision of music therapists on our treatment team.
Internship Eligibility: We currently offer music therapy internship positions for students seeking experience in private practice.
We currently only offer university affiliated internships, and we have established affiliations with Sam Houston State University, Texas Woman’s University, and Saint Mary of the Woods College.
The Internship Experience
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Applicants that are accepted into the internship program will be required to adhere to routine background checks prior to or at the start of internship.
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Interns receive a total of $3,000 throughout the six month internship. Payments of $250 are issued on the 1st and 15th of each month. Housing and transportation is not provided.
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Interns are expected to average 40 hours per work week. Interns may attend community events with our staff to receive additional hours as needed.
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As a private practice, we work in a variety of clinical settings including:
Neurodivergent adults in community-based settings - individual sessions
Youth and adolescence in mental health settings - individual and group sessions
Telehealth (diverse clientele) - individual sessions
Memory care - group sessions
Hospice music therapy - individual sessions
Music-based community wellness
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We categorize our setting as private practice and interns within our program will experience the full range of settings offered within our private practice including individual sessions with neurodivergent adults, individual and group sessions for youth and adolescence in mental health settings, individual hospice sessions, group sessions at memory care facilities, and community wellness events.
Internship placements vary depending on the needs of our community and current/available settings during the time of internship. Interns will work with their primary supervisor to determine what settings meet the student’s current learning objectives and build clinical experiences to expand their therapeutic skills.
We provide both in-facility and community-based music therapy throughout the Rio Grande Valley. This means that interns will have time in their schedules at our center as well as home health sessions and sessions in community facilities.
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Interns will have access to our Resource Drive, which includes support for documentation, navigating the EHR system, interventions, session planners, study guides, and more!
Interns are also encouraged to attend weekly team meetings for additional support, feedback, and guidance.
Each intern will receive an Internship Resource Book (featured on our TikTok/Reels) to improve organization, self reflections, hour tracking, and recommended readings.
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Our primary approach to music therapy in this region is a culture-centered framework, which honors the unique culture and community of the Rio Grande Valley. It draws from Mexican American studies and decolonization, feminist perspectives, humanistic approaches, and highlights person-centered healthcare.
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This placement is structured to provide music therapy students with opportunities to grow and develop their musical and clinical skills.
As supervisors, we strive to create a well-round environment to prepare interns for the professional setting through a sequence of observation, co-therapy, and then leading music therapy sessions independently.
From a person-centered perspective, we encourage students to bring their authentic, whole selves to supervision, and we value honesty, positive work ethic, empathy, and self reflection when working with students. We feel that it is important to have open and constructive dialogues in order to facilitate a positive learning environment.
We seek to meet the learning needs of each student by meeting them where they are in their clinical journey and providing them with resources to develop their own clinical style and find their unique place within the profession.
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Interns will complete two projects throughout the course of their internship. Topics for projects will focus on the student’s objectives and seek to expand clinical and/or musical growth in those areas.
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Interns will complete midterm and final evaluations throughout the course of internship. This will include musical evaluations via voice, guitar, and piano to demonstrate proficiency of clinical repertoire for this setting and culture. Written evaluations will also be completed at each point to assess student progress and identify areas for growth.
Upcoming Training Periods
July - December 2024
Application Deadline: 2/15/24
Interviews: 2/16/24 - 2/28/24
Announcement: 3/15/24
January - July 2025
Application Deadline: 7/15/24
Interviews: 7/16/24 - 7/31/24
Announcement: 8/15/24
Application Requirements
Completed application (form below)
Two letters of recommendation (submitted directly to Marisa de Leon at marisa@rgvmusictherapy.com)
Optional Resume (email to marisa@rgvmusictherapy.com)
Interview and musical skills demonstration (Additional materials will be sent to you once the application has been processed)
Apply for Music Therapy Internship
Are you interested in an internship position at RGV-MTWC? Fill out the application below and we will be in touch shortly! We can't wait to hear from you!
What to Prepare for the Interview and Musical Skills Demonstration
After your application has been received and processed, our team will reach out to you to schedule an interview. Interviews can be completed through Zoom or in-person (preference will NOT be given to either format).
During the interview, you can expect to be asked questions about your clinical interests, previous practicum experiences, strength and weaknesses, and therapeutic philosophy. We are also encourage you to prepare any questions you may have for us related to the internship including logistical information, general region information, clinical settings, and more.
A portion of the interview will also include a musical skills demonstration for applicants to showcase their proficiency in appropriate clinical repertoire.
Applicants must prepare:
Two songs using guitar and voice (contrasting styles and accompaniment patterns)
Two songs using piano and voice (contrasting styles and accompaniment patterns)
One song using percussion and voice (acapella with functional accompaniment pattern)
One song using a third instrument (optional)