One of the countless ways that music therapists can help clients is by offering music for relaxation. In music therapy, live music has several advantages over recordings in that the tempo, rhythm, and character of the music can be tailored to clients’ needs moment to moment. However, sometimes live music is not available. Maybe the music therapist went home, or maybe you are the music therapist! What then? Generally speaking, deeply relaxing music should be steady, lengthy, a

April is Autism Awareness Month, so it feels like a fitting time to address the topic of different communication styles in music therapy. Many people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or individuals with a variety of other diagnoses, do not use spoken language as their primary form of communication. This can be challenging at first, especially since for many of us, we rely heavily on speaking to one another as a means of connection and understanding. However, if you have o

Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart (Official Music Video), Full HD (Digitally Remastered & Upscaled) Circa 1990’s, this song was my dancing jam.  Not only was it a song frequently played at ‘Shenanigans,’ on Water Street of University Wisconsin Eau Claire, but the song title was a growing theme in my young music therapy student’s heart and mind! Today I will share an acronym that I learned as a student that describes the process that a board-certified music therapist uses whe

I have been using “lyric writing” as a way to process life experiences for about 20-25 years or so. I used quotation marks there because they so rarely end up turning into songs. It was a few years ago when I realized what I have been doing is perhaps more poetry than lyric writing, though I suppose there’s really not much difference. I find that inspiration can strike any time, and am one of those people who typically keeps a notebook nearby in case some words arrive in my h

In Minnesota, we are fortunate to have access to many opportunities to experience  traditional Irish music. When my children were younger, they participated in Irish dance lessons.  During performances, it was hard to miss the rhythmic entrainment of not only the dancers, but  everyone in the audience. From a young age, dancers are taught to recognize and differentiate rhythmic meter, or beat patterns for specific dances. For example, dancers learn that repeating  the word “p

You may be wondering “what does a music therapist do in their spare time?” It is probably not surprising that one of the things on that list is music! There are a few tried and true music habits I have in my weekly routine that allow me to experience the many benefits I know music has to offer. Check out my personal list and I encourage you to try one for yourself!  Creating monthly playlists Each month, I create a playlist of songs I’m enjoying or resonating with at the time

Springtime already has a natural therapeutic theme built in, growth, light, movement, and change. After the heaviness of winter, especially here in the Midwest, many of us have spring fever. We are looking for ways to thaw, physically, emotionally and mentally. Here are adaptable spring music therapy interventions you can use across a variety of music therapy settings. 1. The “Musical Garden” Songwriting Experience Spring is the planting season, the growth of new things, wh

During my senior year as a music therapy undergraduate student, I had the opportunity to live and volunteer at a Hospice home for those who had a prognosis of 3 months or less to live and did not have a stable living situation. While I was not yet a practicing music therapist, the experiences I had there shaped my understanding of the particular power of music and prevalence of spiritual care in this population.         Hospice/End-of-life care is palliative in a physical sen

Bad Bunny’s historic halftime show celebrated many aspects of Puerto Rican culture. As music therapists, it is important to understand cultural values and their impact on our clinical approaches to best support the therapeutic alliance with both the client and the client’s family.             In Melisa de León’s article “Mexican American Values and Therapeutic Alliance in Music Therapy: Composite Vignettes from the Rio Grande Valley”, she accounts her personal experience as

The increased ICE presence in Minneapolis has left many people feeling scared, overwhelmed, and stressed. If you find yourself feeling this way, know that you are not alone, and there are many resources available to you. The following is a list of resources that provide legal support, mental health care, and community support. These resources offer services that you can access and/or ways that you can get involved in the community. Many websites on this list also have more re

Books are a common tool music therapists use in sessions to bring a story to song, or a song to life in a different way. For music therapists working with children or vulnerable people facing the stress and fear of separation, deportation, or detention, check out this book list compiled in collaboration by the MN Department of Health and UMN Extension. The document also has helpful tips for using these books sensitively. Below are a few considerations for music therapists. A

Passing the Music Therapist–Board Certified (MT-BC) exam is a milestone many of us dream about from the very first music therapy class. It represents years of coursework, clinical hours, supervision, self-reflection, and growth. Not just as a student, but as a therapist. If you’re preparing to sit for the CBMT Board Certification Exam, take a deep breath. You are closer than you think. Understanding the Exam Itself To earn the MT-BC credential, candidates must pass the CBMT b

Music has the capacity to enrich our lives in so many ways.  It entertains us, helps us to relax, and helps pass the time.  Music helps us celebrate and provides support during difficult times. Perhaps most important of all, music provides an outlet to express our deepest emotions and beliefs in ways that words alone cannot express. We can also see in history how music has the power to bring about global change. A tremendous example of this was during the civil rights movemen

The iso principle is a commonly used and well known technique among music therapists.  The iso principle is “a technique by which music is matched with the mood of a client, then gradually altered to affect the desired mood state.  This technique can also be used to affect physiological responses such as heart rate and blood pressure.” (Davis, Gfeller, & Thaut, 2008).  Utilizing the iso principle can be an extremely effective tool to alter emotional symptoms (mood) and physic

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

You have heard the phrase, “The eyes are the window of the soul.”  I am sure this is a phrase that we can all relate to.  You may also have been told, “you are the apple of my eye!” At this time of holidays, it is helpful to focus on what may seem small, but what in reality makes our world go around in communion with each other.  The answer and need of all people is to be acknowledged, validated, seen, and heard.  We all do this, perhaps without much thought.  A gift at this

Here are some tunes that have been useful to me in sessions, maybe you know them already but if not, these are good’uns! “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon” written in 1978 by Jeff Moss and performed on Sesame Street by Ernie (Jim Henson). This song was re-introduced to me by Erin Frees, MT-BC when I was interning at Children’s Minnesota. She utilized it as a lullaby to help encourage rest. I say re-introduced because I remember playing it once or twice at random gigs with lo