Music As Medicine

I like to look at myself as being a person who brings something special to each individual person that I meet. The most important thing to me, as a person, are my values, my being, my listening, and my caring. I truly have my entire heart, mind, and soul in music therapy. My compassion, strength and sensitivity is carried out through my therapeutic process.

My musical journey began when I was three and started playing the violin.  By the age of four I was playing for a local nursing home, in Provincetown. Throughout the years I have learned many instruments which are all self taught. The instruments that I play are the violin, piano, clarinet, saxophone, flute, guitar, drums, and a little trumpet and cello.  Life to me is a learning experience. I will always learn and never think I have learned it all.

In 1995 I graduated from Provincetown High School, after graduation I went to the Hartt School of Music, at the University of Hartford. This is where I studied the violin, and graduated with a violin performance degree. But, there was something missing, I wanted to use music therapeutically, knowing music had healing powers, I decided to pursue my education dream and study Music Therapy. I chose to go to Berklee College of Music and study Music Therapy.

When I worked in a nursing home where people ask for a song, or just need someone to listen to them, is what I bring. From my experience the most painful feeling that one goes through living in a nursing home is loneliness. If I am able to provide them with the feeling of a therapeutic relationship, togetherness, an ear to listen and someone to trust, then my “payment” is received, through a smile.

I would like to extend my therapeutic modality to those in need of a support system during a difficult time in life,  in what ever way possible.  Music is a modality that provides a person with a safe, and familiar surrounding. What I bring to each individual is different, and I can see what each individual treatment will require. Everything that I have mentioned provides a foundation for a music therapy program, or a therapeutic program.

My goal as a music therapist is to provide quality care to the individuals that I treat with many different instruments, vocals, music writing, and music listening for relaxation. The most important asset that I provide is genuine empathy, along with a trusting therapeutic relationship. As a therapist I am able to transcribe the feelings that one has in the moment into music, making the process positive and significant.

As a person I can say, “I love what I do”. As a therapist I can say, “I love what I can provide people with; Music”. Many times people have told me, when observing the passion I have for music therapy, it is different from anything else that they have seen before. They say it is my calling and my gift. If I can share this gift with one-person everyday of my life the benefits for me are more then satisfying. It is rewarding to know that I have changed someone’s life in some way. 

Working in the school system was a wonderful experience. In the school system I worked with children from 3-10 years old, in the classroom for 30 minutes each, as a group session. The children that I did music therapy with had some learning disabilities, but they were integrated with the regular classroom. Then I did a 30 minute special education class of music therapy one time a week. The primary diagnosis of the children with special education needs were typical autistic cases.

CCNH is a 100 bed facility. At this facility I am in charge of the first floor, which consists of 18 residents. When they enter the facility I must provide a full assessment, and care plan into the chart. Each resident on the floor receives at least one hour of music therapy everyday in the day room, along with other activities throughout the rest of the day. If there is a resident in bed secondary to their diagnosis, I will provide them with one to one music therapy. At this facility I am in charge of the care plans and assessments quarterly and/or significant change. For the past two years the first floor has come in first place with the State. The diagnosis of the residents on the first floor are those suffering from Dementia. At least 10 people on the floor are on Hospice. During the time of passing I have sung them there last song, played them music, and just held their hand to help with the passing over process.

The Mayflower is a school based setting where there is a variety of disabilities and diseases. Some children suffer from brain injuries where other suffer from diseases such as Seizures, Autism, and many other diseases. My duties as a music therapist were to join the team of doctors, teachers, therapist, and psychologist in helping the needs of the children in school and with there therapeutic needs I.e. fine and gross motor skills, listening skills, anger management, and many other skills. During this job I was part of the team in meetings, progress notes, care plans and IEPS. The music used was facilitate using the iso-principle for each individual. I did 1:1 music therapy and also group settings. The benefits of music therapy were outstanding for this population. Lullaby time was one of the most important times for these children secondary to the fact that they did not get very much contact and one to one touch therapy. I would hold them and sing lullabies to them. Being in an institution (some since birth) they really enjoyed the one to one time.

Kings Harbor Multi-Care Center is a 740 bed facility made up of three buildings. The three buildings include, short-term care / rehab, long-term care and dialysis. I worked in all three buildings but my main placement was in the long-term care facility working with those diagnosed with Psychiatric Illnesses and Dementia. All of these residents ranged from age 50-110 years old. I ran groups and one to one music therapy. I would cover for other therapeutic recreation specialists if need be and, sometimes would run art groups along with special events. I have provided a copy of my groups if you would like to review them. 

In this job I was an internship student but was required to work a 40 hr. week, and to take on the same tasks and duties as the employees. Beth Abraham is a two building facility which includes both short and long-term care, along with rehab, and day care. In this facility I did many group along with one to one music therapy. The diagnosis of the patients ranged from Multiple Sclerosis to Dementia to young adults who were involved with gang fights and left quadriplegic. The age group at this facility ranged from 18-100. At the facility I worked very closely with the renowned Dr. Oliver Sacks the Neurologist and Dr. Connie Tomano.

Other Experience:

Equivalency Degree to a Bachelors from Berklee College of Music in Music Therapy 2001

Bachelors Degree from The University of Hartford, in Violin Performance 2000

Graduated from Provincetown High School 1995

Writing Poetry and composing music

Art, Painting, Drawing,

Going to the Beach

Enjoying Nature

Awards Received

ALFA 2012 nominee for compassionate caregiver and Employee of the Month

Most Dedicated student to the field of Music Therapy, presented by the American Music Therapy Association

Certificate for Presentation at the New England Region of Music Therapy

Employee of the Quarter, Cape Cod Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center

Team Leader for "The Healing Voice", Miles of Memories Walk, Cape Cod Canal 2009