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

As Halloween rolls around this week, I thought I would give a little rundown of my favorite songwriting intervention to use in group settings with older adults near holidays! Display an image on a projector screen/TV with seasonal relevance , preferably involving an action and a relational component (a family, a couple, a group of friends, etc.); all of these elements will make it easier for clients to create a story with their song and to recall their own memories. For exa

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

Looking for inspiration for your Halloween costume this year or a fun new intervention? Use this silly song by Matthew Gray Gubler -...