A little over 4 years ago, Music Therapy Connections (my private practice and music studio) found a new home at 1234 Centre West Drive. My co-owner Katey and I were convinced it was meant to be when we first took a tour of the building; the layout was absolutely perfect for our needs.
Not only was the layout perfect, but so was the location. Our families commented on how convenient it was, and it also happens to be the exact midpoint between Katey’s house and mine. It’s also right down the street from our bank, Walgreens, and Starbucks (you know, the essentials!).
For the first two years, we shared the building with an eye doctor clinic until they moved out, leaving the other half of the building vacant ever since. It’s been nice having the common restrooms and parking lot all to ourselves, but our current landlord listed the building for sale, so we worried a day would come when a new owner would want our space for his or her own use.
I love incorporating seasonal themes into my music therapy sessions and music classes, and autumn is a special time of year where there are so many choices for themes to bring into my work! A few of my favorites are back to school, foliage, apples, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and of course, pumpkins!
With the incredible number of songs about pumpkins in the Listen & Learn Music catalog, it’s about time I wrote about all the ways we can bring the theme of pumpkins into music therapy sessions and music classes. Below, I’m highlighting my favorite pumpkin-themed songs!
As I shared with you at the beginning of September, I’ve been prioritizing self-care this month (with no plans to stop doing so anytime soon). To be completely honest, this has been easier said than done; I have a LOT on my plate right now, and at times it is temping to let my self-care practices slide in favor of completing other to-dos on my list.
I’m thankful that I was able to take part in Ami Kunimura’s 5-Day Self-Care Challenge this week, which provided me with support and accountability as I focused on practicing self-care. The daily videos and exercises helped me dive deeper into why self-care is so essential in my life right now, and I loved getting to hear from the other challenge participants as they shared their insights each day.
Many of you expressed the need to prioritize self-care in your own lives right now, which is why I am so excited to share that enrollment for Ami’s 31-credit CMTE experience, RESILIENCE OVER BURNOUT: A SELF-CARE PROGRAM, is open now.
Being a new professional isn’t easy. I remember those days vaguely…mostly because I wasn’t sleeping very much and working super hard for my new clients and students.
Right now, many music therapists and music teachers are getting into the swing of their first school year, so I felt inspired to pass on some of the wisdom I learned while in their shoes, braving the world as a new professional.
This is my 4-year-old daughter, Mia Belle. I couldn’t help but take her photo before she headed to soccer practice earlier this week, mostly to capture the unique outfit she had carefully curated just for the occasion.
If you know me in real life, then most likely you’ve heard the dramatic tales of our daily battles to get dressed and ready for school each morning. To put it lightly, Mia Belle is…selective when it comes to her clothes.
She wakes up with a strong opinion about what to wear that day, completely disregarding whether or not it is appropriate for the weather or situation (e.g. the sparkly bracelet, long plastic beaded earrings, and Superman headband she’s wearing in the pre-soccer photo).
I used to let her stubbornness get to me, and our morning struggle put me in a funk nearly every day. But recently I decided to loosen my grip, because I finally saw what was really happening here. She wasn’t purposely trying to antagonize me; she simply wanted to express herself.
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two.
My Book + Course
This is the book + course that will help you shape your music therapy career in order to make more money and live your ideal lifestyle. Details here.
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