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“Well… it depends…”: Four insights into studying music therapy at CMU

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On June 4, 2025

In 2024-25, academics, student life

Four years ago, I had never heard of music therapy. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Kaija Feldbusch, Bachelor of Music Therapy student

In the fall of 2017, I was heading into the last year of my Bachelor of Music in piano at King’s University in Edmonton, trying to figure out what to do afterwards. As I skimmed through a promotional brochure about what to do with a music degree, the words “music therapy” caught my eye. I was instantly intrigued. I remember phoning a music therapist to get more information. When I asked what a typical music therapy workday might look like, she replied with, “Well… it depends….” While I thought this answer was profoundly unhelpful in the moment, I’ve seen how true it is after studying music therapy at CMU.

Despite my previous research about music therapy, CMU’s program was more than I ever could have expected. Definitions of music therapy and course descriptions failed to show me how difficult, rewarding, diverse, and fulfilling it would be to study music therapy at CMU. Therefore, to anyone curious about music therapy or considering CMU’s program, I offer four insights into what this transformative experience is actually like.

1. It is a lot of work

If you are planning to study music therapy, brace yourself. To be admitted to the program, you need proficiency in piano, voice, guitar, and percussion. However, once you’re admitted, the work just continues. I spent countless hours practicing music for lessons and performances, learning songs for practicum (I learned to sing and play almost 100 songs in this past school year alone!), finding and sometimes composing music for use in sessions, and rehearsing for group performances. This past semester, we divided into bands for a Music Therapy Coffeehouse, in which students switched instruments between songs to showcase their different skills.

Last semester, music therapy students put on a coffeehouse to showcase their work.

In addition to making music, there is other knowledge to be learned. Part of what sets music therapists apart from performers are their clinical skills to select appropriate music for the client’s needs and facilitate sessions effectively. To develop these skills, music therapy students take psychology courses, music therapy methods, and much to the dismay of many students, anatomy and physiology. Furthermore, music therapy is an evidenced-based profession, meaning that for every population I worked with during my studies, I had to first write a research paper about which music therapy methods had proven effective for that clientele.

2. It is incredibly rich and fulfilling

Although any potential music therapy students might be reconsidering after my first point, let me reassure you that this hard work is all worth it. My experience in the music therapy program was rich beyond measure. Rich in what way, you may ask? Well… it depends…

Some days our classes were rich in play. Whether it was trying to play a drum based on how a basketball was bounced or collaboratively writing a blues song about our end-of-semester stress, we often shared the joys of making music together, laughing until our bellies ached and tears streamed from our eyes.

Other classes were rich with different emotions. The bonds we built as a class created space for people to share their struggles, burdens, and tears. There were stories shared, hugs exchanged, and Kleenexes blown as individuals opened up about their lives or responded to musical interventions.

Assignments included not only papers, but artistic opportunities.

My studies were also rich in reflection. As students, we were constantly encouraged to take stock of ourselves and monitor our own responses. Sometimes we reflected artistically, through drawing, improvisation, or mask-making. Other times, we wrote reflection paper after reflection paper.

There was also incredible richness and fulfillment in working with clients. Every music therapy student does three practicum placements, plus a longer internship at the end of their degree. In each of these practicums, I was touched as I got to know my clients and see the ways music impacted their lives. Sometimes clients told me how much they valued music therapy, but often it was a simple look or gesture that showed me I was making a difference.

3. It is experience-based

These practicums were incredibly formative for me. When I asked a question in class about what to do in a situation, I was often met with, “Well… it depends.” Since every individual is unique in their own way, there is no way to know how a person will respond to a therapeutic intervention until you do it with them. Hands-on learning gave me a chance to work with real people and let me learn from music therapists with a range of experiences. I had the privilege to learn from six different music therapists, including my professors, throughout my degree, and I’m looking forward to working with two more in my upcoming internship. Because music therapy is such a broad field, this range of experiences helped equip me for wherever I end up in the future.

While my studies helped me build confidence in the role of the therapist, they also let me experience the role of the client. Classmates often led interventions for each other, and being on the receiving end helped me understand the client’s perspective. In this role, I discovered how vulnerable it is to sing in front of a group, and learned that things that appear “too simple” as a leader are often still immensely valuable as a participant.

4. It is a community like no other

Kaija Feldbusch and some of her fellow music therapy students—and now, friends.

Because there are so few music therapy programs in Canada, CMU’s program attracts people from a wide variety of places, both within Canada and beyond. This meant that our cohort had a range of ages, backgrounds, and experiences. However, it is the most accepting group I have ever been in.

I felt I could bring my authentic self and share my honest feelings, knowing I would be seen and supported. I am so privileged to have such an incredible group around me, and our activities outside of class are a testament to these connections. I have watched my peers’ concerts, attended the wedding social of a classmate, organized a group potluck, shared about non-school related things in our group chat, and made plans to attend a songwriting group with several peers. While there are so many amazing things about CMU’s music therapy program, it would not have been the same without this incredible group of people.

So, if you were to ask me, was studying music therapy at CMU the right choice? Well… yes.

Kaija Feldbusch is currently completing her 1000-hour music therapy internship, the final requirement for her Bachelor of Music Therapy.

Finding your people at CMU | Emma Williamson

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On May 5, 2025

In 2024-25, residence life, student life

Life at Canadian Mennonite University is full of unexpected lessons. Some come from professors, others from classmates, and many from late-night lounge chats or spontaneous games of hide and seek in the forest. For CMU students Ella, Jewels, and Adalynne, living and learning on campus has been just as much about personal growth as it has been about academics.

Ella doesn’t just participate in student life—she’s practically the poster child for it. “How much time do you have?” she joked, before listing off an impressive roster of roles: soccer and futsal player, Indigenous student leader, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion volunteer, member of the Music Student Association, CMQ, Arts and Entertainment, and the list goes on. Somehow, she does it all and still manages to sound genuinely joyful about it.

CMU students (left to right): Adalynne, Ella, Jewels

Jewels keeps busy too, but with a slightly different flavour. She works as a barista at folio café on CMU’s campus and sings in two CMU choirs. Adalynne brings a thoughtful energy to their many contributions. They’ve volunteered in the student-run Blaurock Café and Meraki Maker Space, performed at coffeehouses, and played in the Mennonite Community Orchestra. “It’s been a really nice experience,” they said simply, the kind of understatement that hints at something richer beneath the surface.

Dorm life, while not without its challenges, has shaped them all in meaningful ways. For Ella, it was a surprising source of friendship. “I somehow stumbled into a great friend group,” she said. Being an introvert, she wasn’t expecting it. “Living in a space with people forced me to socialize, which helped me make connections in a place where I knew nobody.”

Jewels described it as deeply educational. “I’ve learned a lot about other people and a lot about myself in ways I didn’t know I was going to,” they said. From late-night conversations to quiet, shared moments with a roommate—Adalynne—Jewels has come to appreciate how much growth can happen when people are simply nearby.

The social landscape at CMU also includes the ridiculous and the ridiculously fun. Jewels shared stories about impromptu Nerf gun battles and forest-wide editions of the tag game, manhunt. “These are the fun things that just happen when you live on campus.” She also touched on the vulnerability of it, how hard it is to hide your struggles when you’re always visible. “You’re on display, good and bad, to many different people.”

Roommates Adalynne and Jewels at CMU’s Christmas Gala

Adalynne pointed out the beauty in the everyday. Dinner table debates, casual TV nights, the quiet moments where you realize who you want to spend time with, and who becomes your emergency contact when life gets heavy. “At any given point, you can knock on someone’s door and say, ‘Hey, do you have a moment?’” That kind of connection, they said, is heightened when you live on campus rather than commute.

Ella, who roomed with someone she didn’t know beforehand, had her own perspective. “I love Annie. We’re like besties now,” she said. “But at the beginning it was scary. Move-in day is a lot.” Still, she trusted her gut, took the bottom bunk, and it worked out. “Everyone in our hallway who didn’t know their roommate going in feels the same way [as me]. It’s very lovely.”

Self-expression has evolved for all three of them during their time at CMU. Ella spoke about becoming more comfortable with her Indigenous identity, and learning to say no. “I still have some people-pleaser problems,” she laughed, “but I feel like here, I can just do whatever and it’s fine.”

For Jewels, change came in subtler ways. “I dress up as a different Dungeons and Dragons character every day now,” they explained, noting how university opened space to explore more authentic parts of herself. “I’m a fuller, [more] whole person here.”

Adalynne talked about vulnerability. Living in community gave them the opportunity to open up in ways they hadn’t before. “There’s always something new to discover,” they said. Being away from family pushed them toward independence, and the abundance of campus activities created opportunities to learn what they care about. “There’s so many things happening on any given day. So many ways to connect and figure out what inspires you.”

Jewels summed up the adjustment with a kind of gentle honesty. “It’s a weird experience, stepping away from your family for the first time.” But CMU, they said, was the ideal safety net. “It already feels like [staff and faculty] know the floor is dropping out from under you and they’re here for you.”

Jewels’s latte art at folio café

When asked why someone should come to CMU, Jewels didn’t hesitate. “If you’re looking for a space to belong, I think you should choose CMU.” She spoke of being known and cherished, and how professors care not just about grades but about who students are. “They all live up to their titles. They profess. It’s inspiring. Also, if you come to CMU, I’ll make you a coffee.”

Adalynne added that the care goes beyond the classroom. “Even people I haven’t interacted with much will stop and ask [how I’m doing],” they said. “There’s a general sense of who everyone is. You can always say hi.”

Ella put it simply. “It feels like an experience, not just school,” she said. “You’re here for the ride, and the schoolwork’s just along for it.” She compared her week at CMU to a friend’s week at another university. “They had classes and went home. I had root beer floats, a tie-dye event, a forum on environmental issues, and a Kahoot.”

Even the professors don’t keep their distance. Adalynne laughed while describing how casually staff and faculty interact with students. “It feels normal to say hi to Cheryl Pauls in the hallway,” they said. “And then you remember, wait—she’s the president.”

There’s no single way to sum up CMU, but if there’s a common thread running through these stories, it’s this: community is something that grows when people show up for each other. And at CMU, they really do.

Emma Williamson is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in English.

Sustainability at CMU | Emma Williamson

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On April 15, 2025

In 2024-25, student life

With sustainable practices at the heart of many CMU students’ values, it’s no wonder there is a student group on campus dedicated to peace and sustainability.

The peace and sustainability committee, in collaboration with the arts and entertainment committee, holds a week-long festival every year with education and events to engage students in sustainability. This year’s festival included a thrift store trip, a fashion show, a winter cycling workshop, a market, and last but certainly not least, a dumpster diving excursion.

To kick off the festivities, they organized a trip to the thrift store via public transit, giving students the chance to save clothes and other items from going to the landfill while also providing an opportunity to find clothing for the following day’s sustainable fashion show.

The fashion show had an audience of students and featured a catwalk, where other students were able to show off their handcrafted or thrifted outfits. From high fashion to Batman cosplay, this event demonstrated that fast fashion and having the newest and trendiest clothing is not necessary to be fashionable.

Next on the agenda was a winter cycling workshop hosted by Valerie Smith, Associate Registrar for Graduate Studies. She has been practicing the skill of riding her bike throughout the winter for 15 years. CMU has a distinct winter biking community comprised of both staff and students, and for good reason. Being located on a central and well-maintained bike route helps winter cyclers get to and from CMU. As explained in the workshop, Valerie believes that having a strong community rallying behind you is an important part of winter biking, perhaps equally as important as layering up and making sure that you’re properly maintaining your bike. “What I took away from the winter cycling event is confidence. It feels like it’s something that’s approachable now. Before, it was just a series of unknowns, but now that I’ve gotten this guidance, I know what steps I need to take,” said Logan Nord, a fourth-year CMU student.

At the end of the week, the heavily-anticipated sustainable market took place. A major draw for the market were Hillary Jorgenson (@h.j.thrifts) and Annika Scheelar’s (@windsorparkthrifts) thrift store finds, both having cultivated a collection of woodsy and aesthetic clothing pieces to choose from for affordable prices. Many students at CMU are aware of them due to their respective Instagram pages where they sell their thrift finds, which drew a large crowd to the market. Other tables included a mug and plant sale, a pin-making machine, and free reusable menstrual products.

To close out sustainability week, students gathered after nightfall to organize themselves into groups and go check out the city’s unlocked dumpsters. One group, hoping to find makeup or art supplies, found that dumpster after dumpster was locked, until they finally hit the dumpster diving jackpot at a furniture store where countless decorations and small pieces of furniture had been discarded. Seasoned dumpster divers often look for groceries, decor, and whatever they might find useful—rescuing food that is still fine to eat but is heading to the landfill. This can also be alluring to young adults who are just beginning to live independently.

CMU’s sustainability week successfully united students in promoting eco-friendly practices through events like thrifting, winter cycling, and dumpster diving. These activities highlighted practical ways to reduce waste and foster community engagement. The week emphasized that sustainability at CMU is not just a trend, but a lifestyle, inspiring students to make a positive environmental impact.

Emma Williamson is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in English.

Lost and found in translations: The international student experience | Trisha Boodhoo

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On March 25, 2025

In 2024-25, academics, residence life, student life

Philosophy books, lasting friendships, faint echoes of laughter, and the comforting scent of hot chocolate while rushing in the hallways…

As I make my way to my evening class on the north side of CMU’s campus, I let flickers of past and present memories wash over me. The castle building looms in front of me, still as massive and beautiful as the first day I saw it.  I get distracted by the beauty of the snow surrounding me, sparkling and looking like fairy dust in the faint light surrounding the pathways. I breathe out loudly to see the cloud made by the cold air and laugh childishly. Having previously lived on a tropical island where sunshine prevails for most of the year, winter is truly captivating, particularly to those who encounter snow only upon arriving in Canada.

Being an international student is no easy feat. Being away from your family and everything you know, while balancing part-time work and the pressure to excel academically, can be overwhelming. However, my CMU experience was transformed by its strong sense of community. I made a few friends within the first few days of university, not knowing that they would become life-long friends of mine. I remember the short presentations on how to prepare for the academic year and ensure success, along with the campus tours led by faculty members that helped ease the transition. Before long, I was familiar with all the buildings and rushing to my first few classes.

The small class sizes at CMU differ a lot from my previous schools. While my more popular science classes have around 40 students, my philosophy classes consist of ten students or less. Not only do you get to know and engage with everyone in the class, but the professors get to know you on a first-name basis. I am incredibly grateful for my professors, as they have all contributed immensely to my academic success so far.

I was not expecting that I would learn so much from my courses. I started the school year thinking I could be an English major. Then I attended my first philosophy course, The Question of Reality, and it was love at first class! Not only did I find it unbelievable that I was acquiring knowledge from an ancient Greek civilisation, but it was knowledge on how to be a good human being. Of course, once again, I firmly believe that the professor teaching the class impacted immensely my love for philosophy. CMU professors have not only provided me knowledge in the classroom, but I was also able to exercise their wisdom outside of the classroom and into my daily life.

I have been warned by many that the transition from high school to university can be hard. I do agree that it is challenging at first, but I can proudly say that I am now an academic weapon! The resources available at CMU, such as private study rooms, school events to connect with other students, and the beautiful library with large open windows, have certainly made a difference in my academic life. Moreover, the free peer-assisted learning and having tutoring sessions with Sam Friesen, a graduate student and a good friend of mine, have helped in my studies immensely. My best memories were made when I was drinking hot chocolate with Sam in one of the study rooms, debating whether Socrates’ arguments made sense or not.

CMU staff, including Ricah Ursos, Coordinator of International Admissions & Programs, and Sandra Loeppky, Coordinator of Accessibility Services, have helped immensely—whether it is to bring international students together or to provide resources such as how to dress warm in extremely cold weather. They have made my experience here incredible, and I am once more sincerely grateful for their help. In fact, once I got used to the cold, my friends living with me in the residence building soon dragged me along to go sledding or have random snowball fights in the middle of the night.

The reason I came to CMU was as random as finding a pair of well-fitted cowboy boots in your shoe size, abandoned in the streets. I typed “Hogwarts castle,” stumbled upon the university, and noticed there was a tennis court nearby. A couple months later, I was boarding a plane to study at a place where I knew no one. And right now, I am walking towards one of my coolest classes of the semester and mentally taking note that I would love to attend community chapel tomorrow and hang out with my friends afterwards.

Being an international university student means that you are undoubtedly going to go through a lot of personal growth. For me, CMU was the best place I could have asked for to grow emotionally, spiritually, and academically. I still have more growing to do, but I know I will be okay with the people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made, and the support I get from being a student at Canadian Mennonite University.

Trisha Boodhoo is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies—English and Philosophy—and minoring in Biblical and Theological Studies.

CMU: Where creativity and community thrive | Emma Williamson

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On March 11, 2025

In 2024-25, student life

CMU prides itself on its tight-knit and welcoming community, with plenty of opportunities to interact with peers outside of classes, whether you live on campus or you’re a commuter student. One of the driving forces behind these events is the Arts & Entertainment committee.

As the title implies, the Arts & Ents committee is responsible for providing fun events all throughout the year for students to take part in at no extra cost to the students. One consistent event that has remained solid throughout the years is the coffeehouse, usually put on multiple times a year. Coffeehouses are a chance for students to showcase their music or any other forms of performance. As a university with a diverse demographic of students, it’s nice to see what kind of projects your fellow students have been creating in their free time.

Besides coffeehouses, Arts & Ents hosts at least two events per month. They’ve ranged from games nights to a professor PowerPoint night. “The PowerPoint night with the professors has probably been my favorite event so far,” says first-year student Paige-Elise Anderson. “A few students made funny PowerPoints and then the professors had to present them without knowing what they were beforehand. It was great! I’ve never seen the lecture hall so packed with students,” she continues.

Besides live entertainment, the artistic side of events often comes in the form of collaborative activities, such as painting on the lawn or tie-dyeing.

At the helm of the operation are Logan Nord and Aria Klassen, co-directors of Arts & Ents. Logan and Aria hold a weekly meeting that gives other students the chance to voice their ideas for events. This semester, the committee helped organize the annual sustainability festival. The festival runs for an entire week and aims to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly activities.

“We have a few [other] events we are looking forward to this year, including Film 60 and a mega coffeehouse. All are welcome to join our committee to see these fun, creative, and stress-relieving ideas come to life!” Aria explains.

It isn’t just the Arts & Ents team that provides entertainment for the student body. Among other groups, Hillary Jorgenson heads a film club with Dean of Student Life Charlie Peronto. Film club meets once a week in the Poettcker Hall residence building, using the TV in the basement lounge to watch movies. After the films, everyone spends time discussing them and the impact they had on them. “Charlie and I had been talking about it for a while because we have a shared interest in film…and I realized that watching movies in groups of people made me like [movies] more,” Hillary says. “I thought it would be wonderful for people to have a space to watch films they haven’t seen before.”

CMU student Hillary Jorgenson

One important mission for both the Arts & Entertainment committee and film club is the unity of students who commute and students who live on campus. “One side quest of film club was getting both commuters and residence students in one place together, where they could talk to people maybe they haven’t talked to that much before,” says Hillary. “Everyone brings their own interpretations and their own lives to film club, and it’s really eye-opening and rewarding to hear other perspectives. It connects you better with the people you’re watching with.”

For Hillary, her passion for film has led her to Letterboxd, an app used to connect with friends and fellow moviegoers where you can rate and review movies, and display your top four favourite films on your profile. “In no particular order, Fire of Love, Before Sunrise, Universal Language, and The Apartment are my top four,” she says. Her passion for film in general and film club is palpable in everything she says.

She pauses to clarify something about the moniker, film club: “The word ‘club’ can be misleading, and I just want to reiterate that this club is just a group of people who enjoy watching films. You’re welcome to join in at any time, and you do not have to come every week. So many people come just to listen and be with people.”

As CMU students continue to host fun and meaningful events, it’s clear that the spirit of creativity, inclusivity, and collaboration will always remain at the heart of campus life.

Emma Williamson is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in English.

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