Does it ever feel like your mind is being pulled in two directions at once? Or have you made decisions that now seem unwise but at the time felt fully “true to yourself?”  What if the internal tensions we experience function similarly to relationships between family members? That suspicion led Richard Schwartz to develop a therapeutic model known as Internal Family Systems. He wanted to help his clients improve their mental health though conceiving of themselves as a “core S

The first official day of winter is upon us, and if you’re reading from anywhere in the Midwest, you’ll know that it has felt like winter for a long time! For music therapists, this time of year is such a fun opportunity to tap into our repertoire of winter and holiday tunes. If you are looking for new tools for your winter music therapy toolbox, here are 4 winter and Christmas themed interventions you can try!  12 Days of Christmas - Instrument Play Remix Goals Addressed: In

How do we as music therapists and listeners value music in our lives and practices? I wrestled with this question on a recent trip to Denver. I saw an instrumental metal band performing on the sidewalk of Broadway using a gas generator to power their amps. The band was taking donations via a sign that read “gas money”. The band attracted a small crowd of enthusiastic listeners, and eventually the generator shut off mid-performance. It was a jarring and comical experience and

With Thanksgiving in our rearview mirror, now is the time we look ahead to the rest of the holiday season. December is a busy month full of opportunities to celebrate. In this post, we will dive a bit deeper into three of the major holidays that will be observed this month, along with some songs you can incorporate into music therapy sessions to honor each of them!  Hanukkah: Evening of December 14-December 22, 2025 Origins Coming up first this month is Hanukkah, a Jewish ho