Music Therapy Maven — The Business and Science of Music Therapy. The Life of a Music Therapist, Academic, and Career-Minded Mommy.

[Guest Post] The Importance of Testing Treatments for Mental Illness Before we Sell Them

March 13, 2014

I read an interesting exchange on a Facebook feed recently between this author, clinical psychologist and researcher Dr. Michael Anestis, and some of my music therapy friends and colleagues about the perceived state of music therapy research. The exchange, though unresolved, was enticing enough that I reached out to Michael and invited him to share […]

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Comments on “Using” vs “Working In” Music

March 6, 2014

I’ve been percolating on the ideas presented by Dr. John Carpente in a blog post he wrote this week in which he explores the concept of music being “used” in therapy as opposed to music being “worked in” in therapy. It’s not a new conversation—I usually read about the music AS versus music IN therapy […]

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[PsychToday] Music Therapy for our Soldiers

February 27, 2014

My first non-familial encounter with veterans was as a soon-to-be sophomore in college, two days shy of moving to Iowa City as a transfer student and new music therapy major. I had just learned about music therapy and had spent the past month turning my life upside-down to transfer to the University of Iowa to […]

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[Guest Post] Emerging Research: Music Therapy and Disorders of Consciousness

February 17, 2014

I first met Julian O’Kelly at the Society for Music Perception and Cognition conference in Toronto last August. Julian is a man of many talents—music therapist, clinician, researcher, PhD student, speaker, and professional pianist. It was through circustance that we ended up co-presenting with our respective PhD mentors at the SMPC conference, but it turned […]

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Mommy Mondays: The Kids Are Okay

February 10, 2014

I think the kids are doing okay. After six months apart from Daddy, a major move in the middle of the school year, and transitions to new schools, new teachers, and new friends in a new (and big) city where the majority of people speak a new (to them) language…the kids seem to be handling […]

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[PsychToday] America the Not-So-Beautiful?

February 4, 2014

Another year, another Super Bowl, another music-related controversy… The 2014 Coca Cola commercial that aired during last night’s Super Bowl stood out to me for its beauty and simplicity. The images, the angelic tones of the voices—it was one of the few commercials that caused me to pause, listen, and enjoy. A contemplative moment. Apparently […]

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[PsychToday] The Legacy of Pete Seeger: A Music Therapist’s Perspective

January 31, 2014

The world lost an amazing human being this week. Pete Seeger has been called many things: a singer, a banjo player, a songwriter, an activist, a troubadour, a folk singer, “un-American,” a teacher, a champion. His legacy and mark on the world will undoubtably continue for many years…Read more.

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[#MTAdvocacy Press Release] Setting the Record Straight: What Music Therapy Is and Is Not

January 30, 2014

Last fall, I received an email Jennifer Peters, a Communications Intern for the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Jennifer was working on a press release about music therapy and asked if I’d be willing to help distribute the release. She sent it to me this week and well…it fits quite nicely with this month’s Social […]

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