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 [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
