Bravery - This is a theme that's reappeared quite frequently in the last year or two....in Disney movies and in songs. I think this theme is very relevant to teens and so I decided to incorporate it into my music therapy sessions last week. These are sessions for teens with autism and other special needs and [...]
Sensory-based interventions are some of my favorite to incorporate into my music therapy sessions. Many of the children I work with who have special needs are also sensory-based learners. This means they learn about their world through their senses - sight, touch, hearing, even taste! Here is an original song I wrote to use in my sensory sessions [...]
Those of you who have purchased Tuneful Teens: Creative Ideas for Engaging Adolescents in Music Therapy know that there is something cool I added to the package a few months ago. A FREE update! As I continued to work with teens with autism and other special needs I began seeing that the songs I used [...]
Two weeks ago I wrote a blog post that generated a LOT of comments! I love when this happens because it helps me feel like I'm not alone with some of the things I'm going through in my sessions. This particular blog post was about breaking free my obsession with session planning. And realizing that [...]
I'm a planner and an organizer. I'm early for everything and I always like to be prepared. So when I began working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other special needs it was a HUGE shift for me to learn that coming in with a pre-planned "agenda" and session plan might not be the best [...]
I have to say that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! Although it's usually still pretty hot and sticky here in Miami, I always enjoy singing songs about pumpkins, ghosts, and goblins. Last year I shared two videos of special Halloween singable stories: "Big Pumpkin" and "Nightsong" (these were a little different than my usual [...]
I'm really getting into the swing of things here at my job as Interim Professor of Music Therapy at University of Miami (UM). I love being about to share what I've learned in my eight years of working with children with special needs in the clinical setting and also what I learned during my master's [...]
Friday was my last day with the children at UCP!! I can't believe it! I'll be leaving United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) to start my new position as Interim Professor of Music Therapy at University of Miami. There are many things that I'll miss about UCP, but most of all will be the children. Don't worry ~ [...]
I don't know about you, but I am ready for a little fun in the sun! Even though I live in Miami, I always get excited to go to the beach. I love the smell of the suntan lotion and the sound of the waves. The summer is also a great time to bring some of the [...]
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 [...]
