Reflections on Ten Years of Maine Music & Health
In a year when celebrating has felt difficult in so many ways (yet, still important), on May 1 Maine Music & Health celebrates our 10-year anniversary. You may have noticed I’ve been reflecting on some of the highlights of my Maine music therapy journey and I wanted to collect them all here.
I am truly humbled by the support I have had from so many different people and organizations who believe that music therapy has a place in Maine’s healthcare system. And to all the clients I have worked with over the years – you each have taught me so much and it has been an honor to be part of your journey.
Here’s some of my top 10 moments over the last ten years
In 2011, I launched Maine Music & Health, kicking off with a benefit concert at the Big Easy that helped me buy the first set of instruments to use as a music therapist. I’m so grateful to these friends and fellow musicians, including Sly-Chi, The Open Hand Orchestra, Tricky Britches, and Ed and Ken at the Big Easy, for coming together with support for this endeavor.
In 2013, we connected with Drum Strong:: Drumming to Beat Cancer, and Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, who had us host a drum circle at Port City Music Hall before his set.
In 2014, I founded the Maine Music Therapy Task Force and attended my first “Hill Day” at the Capital in Augusta to advocate for music therapy services.
From 2013-2015, coordinated Creative Health: A Conference for Healthcare Professionals and Caregivers, hosted by the University of Southern Maine. Arts therapists from all modalities offered training sessions for healthcare professionals to learn how to incorporate the arts into their own work. This almost happened again in 2020 at Bates College. Stay tuned for a post-pandemic comeback!
Maine Music & Health sponsored a Dance Party for Everyone at One Longfellow Square with the Sea Dog’s mascot band.
We coordinated Let Love Rule, a spontaneous sing-along at Grace. We picked a song, handed out lyrics, and welcomed anyone who wanted to sing, dance, or sign along. Stay tuned for a post-pandemic comeback on this event too!
In 2017, Maine Music & Health received the Small Business Association’s Micro-enterprise of the Year for both the growth in my business and giving back to the community, which I was honored to receive from U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree.
In 2019, Maine Music & Health won the $10K first runner-up prize in the UPS Small Biz Challenge, where I got to compete in a Shark Tank-like competition.
In 2020, even amid the pandemic, although I had to sadly stop treatment with many of my clients, I still initiated and ran Singing Our Stories through UMaine’s Jack Pine Project – a month-long self-exploration song-writing class geared towards helping people process their emotions around the pandemic.
In 2021 I taught ukulele lessons to children with cancer and their siblings partnering with Lucy’s Love Bus. I also began seeing some of my patients I hadn’t seen since the beginning of the pandemic and I moved my office to Brunswick.
And I’m coming out with a solo album May 3!
A special thank you to my many partners over the years: the Dempsey Center, the Cancer Community Center, Affinity, Oceanview at Falmouth, Lucy’s Love Bus, the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the University of Maine, the University of Southern Maine, Maine Medical Center, York Hospital, the Maine Down Syndrome Network, the Robbie Foundation, and my fellow music therapists with the Maine Music Task Force.
And here’s to the next 10 years!
Please help me celebrate by joining my Sunday brunch Livestream on Facebook on May 2nd from 11-12 – I’ll be playing some relaxing vibraphone music and would love to connect.
