Did you catch Part 1 in my series on Music Therapy + Sensory Integration? In it I showcased a video of me utilizing the therapy ball in my music therapy session with a self-contained class of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)! I am using the therapy ball to provide proprioceptive and vestibular input to the children while [...]
I can pinpoint when a major shift in my music therapy practice took place. It was when I began co-treating with some amazing occupational therapists at UCP's Early Beginnings Academy. Through these co-treatment sessions, I became fascinated by sensory integration, how it relates to my clients with autism and how it can be incorporated into my [...]
It's here! It's here! My course for Music Therapy Ed is here! Can you picture me jumping for joy? Last summer, the incredible Kat Fulton invited me to create a CMTE course for Music Therapy Ed, the site that offers on-demand continuing education opportunities. I happily accepted and spent the summer writing brand new songs, creating brand [...]
I am finally back in the swing of things after a wonderful whirlwind of wedding festivities! (By the way, my favorite discussion so far with my preschoolers went like this: One child: "Amy got married!" Another: "She graduated!" I love how their minds work.) Today, I am sharing a video that goes along with this [...]
Last week, I shared some ideas on how to improve your practice with children with ASD. You can read that post here. Here are some more tips and suggestions of things that I have learned along the way that have completely changed my sessions with children with ASD (in a good way!): 4. Bring down the [...]
Happy Wednesday! My master's thesis, Joint Attention Responses to Simple Versus Complex Music of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) JUST came out in the most recent issue of the Journal of Music Therapy! Yay! It has not yet arrived in Miami, so I am eagerly checking the mailbox to see if the little brown book is in there. [...]
I love when my clients inspire me and give me new ideas for interventions during my music therapy sessions. This happened a few weeks ago and I've been using the idea ever since. One little guy I work with individually loves book and songs. I use this type of musical experience to work on expressive language, [...]
Last Thursday I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Temple Grandin speak at my alma mater, University of Miami. Each time I hear her speak, I pull out new information. This time, I was absorbing information so I could integrate it into my work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I have always had [...]
I don't know about you, but sometimes it's refreshing to just drop all the things you were "supposed to do" from your To Do list and just spend time with family and enjoy a beautiful day. That is just what I did yesterday, which is why I didn't get the chance to write my usual Saturday morning blog post. I [...]
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 [...]
