Join us for a brief interview with our therapists Robert Magill and Andrea Nuthak! The link to the entire interview is included below.
Andrea is one of the master's level interns at Magill Counseling Associates. She is completing her degree in clinical mental health counseling at Lancaster Bible College and is currently in her last year of her program. Working at Magill Counseling Associates allows her to obtain some outpatient experience in the field.
She is a board-certified music therapist and has worked with inpatient mental health clients utilizing this. She is passionate about using music and the arts in her sessions.
Andrea's philosophy and approach to therapy is that the client is the expert of their experience, so her goal is to come along side the client and help them process and work through the difficult situations in their life.
What Is Clinical Counseling?
Andrea shares that clinical mental health counseling is not about giving advice. It is about helping people come to a realization about the strengths they already have within them and how to use that to work through their difficult situation. She also points out that you don't have to wait for something to really be "wrong" to come to counseling. Counseling is something that anyone can do at any time.
Rob questioned Andrea regarding the difference between clinical counseling and marriage and family therapy. Andrea explained how the clinical counseling focuses on the individual one-on-one counseling, whereas marriage and family is focuses on the couple or family dynamic of the relationship.
How Can Music Therapy Help?
Andrea explains some difference in music therapy, such as a passive experience, listening to a song, or a more active involvement, such as going through lyrics and identifying how it relates to what you're going through or how the emotions connect with your current situation. Music can help the individual with the coping process. In addition, there's the active music process, such as singing or playing an instrument or creating or writing music.
Andrea finds that the passive process is more accessible in sessions to pick apart lyrics or help clients identify with music passively than actively, while both are effective methods.
In closing, in her own words, Andrea shares, "I am really passionate about helping people find the best way for themselves and the genuine, authentic part of themselves that they know can help them get through some of these most difficult times."
Check out the complete interview below with Rob and Andrea!