Latest musings on my experiences in Music Therapy
Andrea is the number one advocate for her son and has devoted her life to not only learning how to best support Reid, but she has shared what she has learned with all of us in the two books that she has written. I am almost finished reading her first one, One Track Mind, and I am learning so much. Whether you have a child with special needs or not, this book is well worth the read.
Read MoreOur group talked about the diversity of our clients and how to best meet their needs. I was inspired by fellow music therapists and even a music therapy intern. It was a refreshing time, and I hope you join us in the coming month on Friday, March 12 at 5 pm PST!
Read MoreIn this blog post, I talk about the potential for music therapy with clients who have had total laryngectomees. There is not a lot of research out there with this population, but what is available is promising.
Read MoreMark and I talk about Michalowicz’s Profit First on our CT& MT podcast. We both highly recommend it for small and big business owners alike! Take a listen to the podcast and/or read what I have to say about the book.
Read MoreOur first Music Therapy Zoom Happy Hour was a success! We had the chance to talk with other music therapists and discuss challenges of practicing music therapy during the pandemic.
Read MoreI have some favorite people in my life. Mark, Madelyn, Mackenzie, and Katelyn immediately come to mind. :) Since November is National Family Caregivers Month, I am going to focus on some of my greatest heroes: caregivers.
I interviewed Dina, a caregiver to her mom, on my Coffee, Tea, and Music Therapy podcast. I also learned more about the added stressors of caregiving due to the pandemic from the article Report: How COVID-19 is Affecting Caregivers. Take a listen and then hug – WAIT – I mean elbow bump a caregiver you know and love today. :)
Read MoreWait, YMCA…the Church…how do these two things connect? Well, they don’t really, except that I managed to work the song into a music experience that I recently presented to a group of pastors and ministry leaders.
Read MoreThis is Nichoel. She’s a friend and a colleague, and she has an uncanny resemblance to Keri Russell. :) You don’t see it? Trust me, you would agree if you talked with her in person. Regardless of my own random opinion, we can all agree that she has a lot to teach us about EMDR.
Read MoreI loved this book! And I don’t mean the happy, entertaining, fun feeling I get when I read lighter fictional novels. This was different. I loved it in the sense that it had such a profound impact on me. I could not stop thinking about the book and the story for days after finishing it. It took me longer than usual to get into it, but I’m so glad that I didn’t give up and that I kept reading.
Read MoreI’m excited to officially share the news - Transformational Health Music Therapy Services (THMTS) and Ictus Strategic Marketing (ISM) are creating a music therapy podcast! This is in the works as I type this blog post, and I’m stoked! On our podcast, Mark and I (Jill) talk about the world of music therapy through stories, interviews, and our experience launching and running our music therapy practice, Transformational Health Music Therapy Services.
Read MoreIf you read the book (or saw the movie) Still Alice by Lisa Genova, I highly recommend Inside the O’Briens. Neuroscientist and author, Lisa Genova, does an incredible job of weaving together the fictional story of the O’Brien family along with facts of the reality of Huntington’s Disease (HD).
Have you ever been faced with a life-altering diagnosis? Or do you have a friend or family member who has experienced this scenario?
Read MoreWhy do we discuss childhood, adolescence, and adulthood as the main stages of life? Why is it so difficult to not only acknowledge, but to embrace the final stage of life - elderhood? I am passionate about caring for the aging with respect and dignity. My view and perspective has changed over time.
Read MoreBreathing - Speaking - Living - this is the tagline for Atos Medical, the world leader in Laryngectomy Care. Last month, I had the honor and privilege to be a guest on their live virtual event: One Voice, One World: Celebrating Survivorship.
The host and all of the guests (other than me) were cancer survivors - not just people who have survived an unimaginable situation but are thriving - because of it.
Read MoreI had the opportunity to partner with Music4Health for a virtual songwriting event on April 29. This was provided in celebration of the Month of the Military Child. We worked alongside CAARNG Child and Youth Programs, and we had a blast!
Read MoreAs you can well imagine, my hospice patient visits have been reduced considerably due to Covid-19 restrictions. I have missed my one-on-one visits with my hospice patients, but I am thankful for the willingness of facilities to allow me to make outdoor window/courtyard visits.
Read MoreThese are my friends. This is one small piece of my tribe. I miss them; I miss my tribe. This picture captures what I’m feeling and thinking during this time of physical distancing - a little fed up, stressed out, and just ready to be done with it. Does physical distancing = social isolation? Does virtual communication successfully replace the need for face-to-face communication and physical touch?
Read MoreAnxiety, depression, suicide, abuse…these are real issues facing our teens today, and I have had the opportunity to sit in a room with adolescents going through these unimaginable challenges.
Read MoreI am pleased to introduce you to Cristina at Blossom Grove Alzheimer’s Special Care Center for this month’s THMTS Client Spotlight! Cristina has been Program Director at Blossom Grove for 7 years, and her commitment to quality and excellent care is evident to everyone who interacts with her.
Cristina passionately shares her love for doing what she does:
Read MoreI was invited to speak at a Parkinson’s support group at the Murrieta Senior Center last week, and I am so grateful for the experience. There was a great turnout, and those who were there couldn’t have been a better audience. We did vocal warmups, played instruments, and discussed music therapy and its benefits specifically for people who have Parkinson’s Disease.
Read MoreMeet Teri, Activity Coordinator at Plymouth Village: The Lodge, in Redlands, CA for our October Client Spotlight! Teri spent a year volunteering at Plymouth Village, and in that time, she realized that working with seniors gave her purpose and passion. Teri shared with me, “I prayed for an opening where my skills and talents might be utilized, and the Activity Coordinator position became available!”
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