Page 54 - Final Inspirational Women Issue

Inspirational Women

HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF played the clarinet and cym- her car and with $100 in her
I speaking with another one bals in the marching band and pocket moved to San Diego.
of San Diego’s Inspiration- the bass clarinet and oboe in I asked her what she was
al Women, Barbara Reuer, the concert band. thinking when she decided
Founder, CEO, and Internship In 1970, Barbara was head- to move, and she responded
Director of MusicWorx. Before ing to Northern State College, with "Obviously I wasn't." We
I talk about MusicWorx, great and she was undecided as to joked about how when you
name, I’d like to tell you a little what her major would be; lan- are young nothing seems
about its’ founder. Barbara guages, math or music. It was crazy or impossible. After one
Reuer, Doctor of Philosophy, then her life would change week in San Diego, Dr. Barbara
University of Iowa. Master of when her youngest brother, Reuer registered her brand-
Music Education, University Ronnie, stricken with muscu- new business, MusicWorx.
of Kansas. Bachelor of Music lar dystrophy subsequently Now you know why I called
her gutsy!
Music is My Therapy, sicWorx Inc. is a music therapy
“Founded in 1987, Mu-
How About You? and wellness agency whose
mission is to create, nurture,
and maintain an environment
By Carol Heath of growth and unlimited
potential for those around
Photos by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions us. The company executive
office is located near Del Mar
in north coastal San Diego
Education, Northern State died in Barbara’s freshmen County, California.” This is the
University, and I need to add a year. She made a vow to her- statement that appears on the
gutsy woman. self when Ronnie succumbed MusicWorx website. I guess I
I believe it was I would never put words to complications from could have paraphrased it, but
Shakespeare who said: in Dr. Reuer’s mouth, but pneumonia, that she would why tinker with perfection.
honor his memory somehow.
Barbara is a dedicated pro-
after speaking to her and
"When words fail, reading about her, I think she Again, music called her when fessional and shared with me
music speaks." I've would agree when I say music a visiting professor mentioned the many ways music is used in
always found when I'm therapy picked her she didn’t a career in music therapy, a therapy. She has some 40 years
of clinical and administrative
pick it per se. She pursued her fairly new field at the time.
sad; music makes me passion by following a path Barbara decided right then experience. This includes a
happy; if I'm stressed that led her from the plains and there that was the road myriad of different ways music
music relaxes me; if I of South Dakota to the sunny she was going to follow. can achieve her personal goal:
shores of San Diego, Califor-
She pursued her education “My life aspiration is to develop
feel lonely music is a nia. and wanted to work with dis- music therapy and wellness
great friend. I could Barbara was born in South abled children, but she would programs nationwide, create
go on with just about Dakota, the eldest of six accept jobs that presented opportunities for other music
themselves along the way
children which brought a lot
therapists, build a music thera-
every feeling one can of responsibility. She learned and ended up working with py and consulting agency that
experience, but I think a work ethic that was instilled adults. Then in 1975 with the sets a precedent for superior
you are beginning to see in her as a young farm girl, passage of a new law con- quality, ethics, morals, and
and she was the example that
program delivery."
cerning disabled children, a
why I acquaint music her siblings emulated. Her new position presented itself, For further information
with therapy. early education consisted of a and Barbara's wish of working about Dr. Reuer or Mu-
one-room schoolhouse with with disabled children finally sicWorx, please check their
just 13 students in 8 grades. came to fruition. And the rest, website which lists in detail
By the time Barbara got to as they say, is history. History their services (clinical, cor-
high school, she was ready to except for the part where porate, and wellness needs),
participate in just about every armed with lots of degrees the staff of music therapist,
activity her new school of 99 she decided to sell everything the internship program,
students had to offer. Music she owned, asked friends to past and upcoming events,
began to pull her, and she store her books, packed up at www.musicworxinc.com.

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