In the past 5 years alone, I've spoken to over 30 Maine students who are going on to study music therapy. Help me help one of them this spring with the new Sarah Jane Music Therapy Scholarship Fund!! This is named after my grandmother, who was a pianist, piano teacher, and member of the Annie Louise Cary Club.
Read Morecircuits in the brain called mirror neurons provide us with the empathy to connect our own meaning to that of the music- even if we don’t know what the composer actually meant. Experiencing empathy leads to feeling compassion, and this feels good. Listening to music, therefore, is good for all of humanity.
Read MoreSharing artmaking experiences can help promote physical health, maintain family cohesion, and make social and economic connections. Teaching an art or craft, especially, allows for self-assertion as teachers and allies to new neighbors. It can also enable elders to communicate cultural traditions to younger generations (who may not remember or may not have even seen) and incorporate these traditions into their new land. Art invokes playfulness through unique expression and can be expanded upon to overlap into present circumstances of families.
Read MoreOne person has a bunch of excitement and distraction, the other person is at home just… doing stuff. The longer it goes, the more challenging it gets.” This is something that has to be navigated, but it’s not unique to artists. If you love someone, you figure it out.
Read Moreif you follow your gut and have a sense of flexibility, you’ll land on the right path
Read MoreWorking together, we used music as a distraction, as a reward, and as the motivation. Responding to Mia’s actions and moods through musical improvisation meant that she felt understood and was more motivated to participate in the therapy session. The music pushed her to lift higher, stretch longer, and laugh in the middle of crying.
Read MoreSo here's to trying something new in the new year. Taking more, smaller trips. Carrying less. Taking time to breathe.
Read MoreAlas, even when one is doing the ‘right thing’, one still has to consider finances and make strides to grow. So I run, and I think, and I feel stress, and I keep running.
Read MoreNavigating a confusing system of healthcare options while just trying to get through a day without pain or discomfort can be exhausting, and many patients feel alone in the process. Music therapy, particularly group music therapy, is an option that can address cognitive, physical, and psychosocial issues all at once.
Read Moreany music therapist should have clinical practice backed by firm research and implemented with creativity and flexibility
Read Morerealizing a new perspective doesn’t mean you can stop brushing your teeth or paying your rent. Self-care doesn’t mean you can abandon all responsibility and go to the beach for three weeks.
Read MoreThere is more to empathy than just taking on another person's feelings. It's about being open to how someone might feel, without judgment or assumption. It's about actively listening, and then really thinking about what you say and whether it really needs to be said. Sometimes, the best way to listen is silently.
Read MoreThis tension is representative of the aforementioned difficult emotions- suspense, uncertainty, sadness- and the resolution can help listeners move through these issues to a resolution of positivity. Unresolved tensions in music, as well as key changes or rhythmic surprises, can help listeners learn to deal with unexpected changes and accept them.
Read MoreHe called me excitedly when he started working on a new piece that called for hitting the piano strings with a timpani stick. He showed genuine interest in the musical projects I was a part of, even rock music that I guarantee he’d have no interest in musically.
Read MoreTo recap, if you’re looking for a therapist, look for the following:
I. Intensive academic study in their field.
II. Supervised clinical experience.
III. Certification, Registration, or Licensure.
Read MoreSometimes I want to squish up my passion into paper ball, stick it in a storage container underneath my bed, and take a job counting blades of grass 8 hours a day for awhile.
Read More"Rhythm drives the change". The NMT techniques are based in rhythm, which makes me (a percussionist) very happy.
Read MoreIn the afternoon I headed to York for a music therapy group in which we are working on breath support through singing and recorder playing.
Read MoreI just hope this will open up an important conversation within the music community about self-care and resources for help.
Read MoreNick, however, is honest about his reality and willing to talk about both the good and bad parts. This kind of attitude seems to be the key to moving forward in life.
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