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

In our work as music therapists, we interact with individuals of all ages and abilities. It is important to consider the different ways...

Be honest. How many of you hear the word ‘ice-breaker’ and immediately feel panicked? You’re not alone. Ice-breakers can be anxiety...

When people hear that I am a music therapist, they often jump to the conclusion that my job entails playing sedative, atmospheric music...

These thoughts are inspired by Kayla Shafer’s post from July, in which she argued that what determines the success of a music therapy session is less about the therapist’s choices than one might expect–that in fact, an important element is the client’s belief  in music as a therapeutic medium. This idea had not occurred to me, but immediately felt true, and I’ve been thinking ever since about the nature of that belief: what does it mean to believe in the music, and what can t

Strum It or Stream It? Using Live vs Recorded Music in Music Therapy  Every day, music therapists carefully decide how to use music with...

Something that pertains to everyone in the world is something that is not often talked about.  It is something that can or may affect us...

This past June, I had the privilege of completing my NICU Music Therapy training through the National Institute for Infant and Child...

(for Musical and Music Therapy adjacent purposes) Hello to you, blog reader! Thank you for being here and taking some time to read. I...

What is Music Therapy? According to the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) Music Therapy is defined as “the clinical &...

In our work as music therapists, at times it can feel like we are constantly draining our mental and emotional reserves.  This can...

Every Monday evening during the fall semester, you will find me teaching Psychology of Music at the University of Minnesota to music...

With the abundance of music streaming apps like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc. it’s no wonder that creating highly specific,...

As the 4th of July approaches, the anticipation of fireworks fills the air and what better way to bring that excitement into your music...

As humans, we all have sensory needs that must be met in order to function, feel safe, and to maintain emotional and physical well-being....

Currently, 13 states across the United States require music therapists to maintain a professional license to practice, and Minnesota has...

Pride Month is here, and everyone at Keynote Music Therapy is excited to celebrate diverse voices this June! To get us into the mindset...

“Mom, where are my flip flops?” “When is my last concert?” “Be sure to leave work early!” “Don’t forget the school picnic,” “I have 5...

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and National Play your Ukulele Day was on May 2nd, but music...

Many music therapists spend much of their day singing as they go from one session to another and are singing easily as many as 4-6 hours...