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

Music therapists often incorporate music-based interventions that reflect the current seasons. As the calendar turns to November, I often find myself struggling to integrate the concept of gratitude into sessions. On one hand, practicing gratitude has been shown to positively impact health and wellbeing by improving sleep, mood, and immunity; and has also been shown to decrease depression, anxiety and chronic pain (American Heart Association, 2023). On the other hand, clients

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...

Have you ever considered integrating nature into your music therapy practice? A recent study published in The Arts in Psychotherapy found...

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

As music therapists, we know that music engages the brain in powerful ways. Whether we are working toward emotional regulation, motor...

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...