Well, this is a bittersweet post if I’ve ever written one. After 5+ wonderful years providing music therapy services and lessons in my home studio, Music Therapy Connections is moving out. And while I’ll miss the non-existent commute and overall convenience of working at home, the pros of our new location far outweigh the cons.

I opened the doors of my home studio on June 15, 2009, after several years of traveling to my students’ homes. It was a dream come true to see everyone in one place, and not have to schlep my equipment all over town. Here’s a look back at my first year in the studio.

In the spring of 2011, my home studio went under a huge renovation in order to accommodate my decision to leave my job and pursue full-time private practice. The past 3 years in the updated studio have been amazing, but over time, my needs have changed.

In 2012, I welcomed fellow music therapist Katey Kratz to the Music Therapy Connections team, and she has been traveling to clients’ homes for music therapy and lessons ever since. In addition, I started offering early childhood classes last year, but have had to do those off-site because my studio is only big enough for individual and small group sessions.

This past winter, Katey and I began discussing the possibility of moving to a larger studio space outside of my home so that we could both work with students simultaneously as well as offer on-site groups and classes. We wanted a studio we could grow into, since our vision includes hiring another music therapist. We started scouting locations, but it wasn’t until after a visit to my favorite local music store that we found what we think is the perfect opportunity.

In just a few weeks, Capital City Music will be the new home of Music Therapy Connections. There we will have 3 dedicated studios, as well as use of a large room for groups and classes. We’ve been holding our early childhood music classes there this summer, and it has worked out beautifully.

Over the years, I have established a great relationship with the management and employees at Capital City Music (formerly Samuel Music), and they are excited to welcome us to their building. I’m thrilled at the prospect of working right next door to Katey every day, and she’s looking forward to seeing all of her clients in one place (I know the feeling, having been a traveling music therapist in the past!).

Capital City Music is just 5 minutes from my house, though I will actually have to get in the car to go to work starting in September :) It has been such a blessing, working from home for so long — especially this first year after having a baby — but I know this is a step in the right direction. We just shared the news with our families last week, and they have been nothing but supportive and enthusiastic about the new location.

As always, I’ll be sharing my adventures here on the blog, so get ready for lots of “new studio” updates. Oh, and if you’re a music therapist who wants to get in on the action, please consider applying for our open position. It’s an exciting time for music therapy in central Illinois!