I used to come into the classrooms at UCP's Early Beginnings Academy and I talk a LOT. "Okay everyone let's sit down in the circle." "Oh you have new shoes - awesome!" "Ok everyone sit down. Stop pulling her hair. Don't pick your nose. Come on let's all sit down!" This year, I am making [...]
In addition to my music therapy sessions I have the absolute privilege of teaching adapted piano and guitar lessons to children and teens with special needs and different learning styles. People often ask - what does "adapted" lessons mean? Great question. It means I provide adaptations and alternate ways for my clients or students to learn [...]
Today it's a rainy morning in Miami. I can't help but think that if we were up north, that precipitation would be snow! Luckily my fiancé and I will be spending the holidays visiting family in MD, VA, and WV, so I'm crossing my fingers for a little of the white stuff! Despite the mild [...]
Picture schedules are a fantastic way to organize your session. Here are five ways picture schedules are working for me in my music therapy sessions with children with special needs: 1. Picture schedules let children know what the session will look like and what is coming up next. Picture schedules provide organization and structure to [...]
Happy Saturday Song Share! Next week at this time I will be in sessions at the National Music Therapy Conference, diligently taking notes, and I could not be more excited. So today I wanted to share an extra special video with you. Last week we took a group of children to sing at the annual fundraising [...]
I have to admit it does not feel much like Fall here in Miami! Yesterday we had a high of....what was it, 90? With weather like that you need a lot of pumpkin candles and cinnamon brooms to get in the mood for Fall! But Halloween is STILL my favorite Fall holiday. Last year, I [...]
I'm going to be honest. I spend a good amount of time perusing social media sites. I LOVE to check out what’s new on my two favorite FB groups – Music Therapists Unite and Music Therapy Business Owners. Through these interactions and through emails with my newsletter subscribers I’ve heard overwhelmingly that music therapists are sometimes just [...]
Happy Saturday Song Share to you! Five Fine Foxes is a song I wrote my very first year working at United Cerebral Palsy (UCP). The lyrics are taken from the B.E.L.L. Literacy Program, which stands for Building Early Language and Literacy. The program uses rhymes and chants to engage the children in practicing letter sounds and working [...]
I feel like it has been a while since I wrote a real blog post! Between forming my LLC, launching my new ebook, and some other projects that will soon be revealed ;) , it feels like I haven't had a moment to sit back and reflect on it all. Sometimes when you own a [...]
Launch Day is here and my new ebook Sensational Songs & Activities has arrived!!!! I am thrilled to announce that his resource is available, since it has been months in the making! In case you missed my announcements all over Twitter and Facebook, Sensational Songs & Activities: Sensory-Based Ideas for Music Therapy is an ebook jam-packed with intervention [...]
