Life and Work with Briana McKinney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana McKinney.

Briana, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I originally wanted to go into Psychology. I had struggled with anxiety and depression as a teenager, and I wanted to help others. I majored in Psychology and minored in music, but quickly realized that it wasn’t the path I wanted to take.

I had always loved music too, but I didn’t quite know how to incorporate both of these into one profession. I spent some time in prayer and one day, “music therapy” popped into my mind. I said out loud, “is that a thing?” I researched it, and yes, it was!!

I got my Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy with a focus in voice. When I went to find a job in Colorado, I had a difficult time finding one that was asking for a Music Therapist. I began with a company as a “line therapist”, under the supervision of a BCBA. I soon realized that this was the piece to my career that I was missing. Within six months, I enrolled in St. Cloud State University to get my Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.

I have worked for several companies over the years, but I knew that I never wanted that to be where I stayed. Over the last four years, I have worked hard getting everything in place that I needed to work for myself. This year everything finally clicked!! I love having my own company and I know it was the best professional decision I ever made.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Haha, no. It has definitely not been a smooth road. Getting approved with insurance companies, writing policies and procedures, getting paid in a timely manner for my services; it has all been a really tough journey.

My advice for other women just starting out is to ask questions. One of my biggest resources were other women in the field who had done this before me. I have and continue to reach out to these women since they have paved the road. They have done this before!!

My other advice would just be to not give up. There were so many times when I wanted to give up and say, “I guess I can’t do this”. Another denial, another roadblock, another required “something” that costs more money. But, I knew that this was what I had dreamed of. I wanted to own my own company and I wasn’t going to give up.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am a Board Certified Music Therapist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. I work with kids with special needs. I write behavior plans and treatment plans specifically geared towards each individual child that I work with. Because I am a small company and I don’t have any employees, I work with each child. I do all of the direct work with each child that I see. It’s important to me so that I know each child is getting the best therapy that I can provide. Maybe someday I will have employees, but right now I really love working with each individual child all week long so that I can provide the best services I know-how.

Another aspect that sets me apart as a service provider is that I am both a Music Therapist and a Behavior Analyst. From the research, I have done and the people I have met, I know that this combination doesn’t happen very often. Being able to combine the best of these two educations has greatly helped me individualize my programming when I work with kids.

Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well-positioned for?
The therapy world actually tends to be very women-focused. I think that where there needs to be more women are in positions of leadership. Owning companies, setting the standards by which all therapists conduct themselves; this is where women could and should thrive.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 7204455239
• Email: mckinney.briana@gmail.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianamckinneybcba/

Image Credit:
Bill McKinney, Briana McKinney

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