In my work with Keynote Music Therapy, the majority of my clients around the Twin Cities are older adults with mental health/memory care needs. Residents in my groups also tend to range in age from 50 to 80+. Recently, I have been interested in incorporating more art into my music therapy sessions but have struggled with the logistics of bringing art supplies into a facility (and cleaning up in a timely manner) and creating an intervention that can meet the needs of various a

There are many things about loss that are beyond our control. Death has a way of reminding us of our human limits. While medical support provides assistance, a part of us knows that we cannot control when and how a loved one dies. After a loved one dies, we may wrestle with other things that we cannot control. Unfortunately, we cannot change past events. And when grieving, we cannot completely control the overpowering feelings that we experience as we face being separated fro

Feelings of guilt are a common experience. We may experience guilt on the job when we make a mistake, fail to meet expectations, or make a decision that has unintended outcomes. In our personal lives, we can feel guilty about our behavior in relationships and our daily choices. People often recognize the presence of guilt in “could of, would of, should of, and if only” type thoughts. If you, a co-worker, or a loved one is experiencing guilt, here are five ideas that may be us

A practice that has been useful to me, both professionally and personally, is that of receiving and acting upon the helpful “messages” of my feelings. I have encountered elements of the “feelings as purposeful messengers” metaphor in the work of psychotherapists Richard Schwartz, James Hillman, and Stephen Gilligan. Most recently, I read a passage courtesy of Jungian Analyst, James Hollis (Creating a Life - Finding Your Individual Path, p. 36), which reads: ...schools of ther