Talk Therapy vs. Music Therapy
Recently one of my clients said to me, “You know, I can sit at home and listen to music by myself. But it’s so much better when I do that here in your office with you.” So let’s unpack that a little bit and learn what makes music therapy different from simply listening to music– […]
Exploring Guided Imagery and Music (GIM)
The second most popular question I get asked (the first being “music therapy– what is that?”) is about guided imagery and music (GIM). This is my specialty area of music therapy. So I thought I’d write a blog post about it since I’m sure many of you may have wondered the same thing. And if […]
Music Therapy for Depression Treatment
The Centers for Disease Control reports that approximately 9% of adults in the US experience the symptoms of depression each year, and that about 3% of adults suffer from major depression (the leading cause of disability for ages 15-44). Additionally, women are 70% more likely to experience depression during their lives than men. Let’s look […]
Music Therapy for Anxiety Relief
“CAN MUSIC THERAPY HELP PEOPLE DEAL WITH ANXIETY?” This is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive about music therapy. And the answer is a resounding “yes, it can help with anxiety relief!” So here are the details (and a video!)– Research studies have shown that music therapy is effective at reducing muscle tension, […]
Making a change in the new year?
“Then I go to my brotherAnd I say brother help me pleaseBut he winds up knockin’ meBack down on my knees, ohThere have been times that I thought I couldn’t last for longBut now I think I’m able to carry onIt’s been a long, a long time comingBut I know a change is gonna come, […]
Managing the Holiday Season
Sing with me now– it’s beginning to look a lot like chaos, everywhere I go…. The holiday season is fully upon us– quite possibly the most anticipated and dreaded time of year. Yes, there is much to appreciate and be thankful for at this time of year. However, it also promises considerable holiday stress and […]
Maternal Mental Health & Music Therapy
Maternal mental health issues are increasingly discussed these days, which is a positive thing! You have most likely heard of postpartum depression. And you probably even know someone who has suffered from this condition. Postpartum depression is a type of depression that occurs after childbirth. But what you may not know is that expectant and […]
Is perfection your goal??
HOW DO I GET TO CARNEGIE HALL? Practice, practice, practice! It’s a joke that’s older than my grandmother, but the point is timeless. In order to accomplish anything, learn something new, become “good” at a job– we must practice the skills required for that task. An oft-cited research study showed that it takes 10,000 hours of […]
Rough patch? Try music!
There’s a local paper rolled up in a rubber bandOne more sad story’s one more than I can standJust once how I’d like to see the headline say“Not much to print today, can’t find nothin’ bad to say”, because Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of townNobody OD’ed, nobody burned a single […]
PTSD/Trauma and Music Therapy
One of the questions I’m frequently asked is if music therapy is an effective treatment option for PTSD and trauma. Yes, it is! Several decades of research support the use of music therapy in treating PTSD and various other forms of trauma. In fact, the field of music therapy traces its’ roots back to helping […]