This is where all of my interests and skills are combined for one purpose: to make peoples’ lives better through music. Whether it’s through my original songs, serving my community through my business, or singing with my children, this is my favorite place to share my musical endeavors. Thank you for visiting, and I hope to get to know you better.
Performances
Events
Videos
Members of Listen & Learn Plus have access to ALL of my songs, resources, and session plans. Learn more about the perks of membership, and get a free sneak peek inside.
This is the book that will help you shape your music therapy career in order to make more money and live your ideal lifestyle.
Written by Listen & Learn Music creator Rachel Rambach, MM, MT-BC, Innovative Income for Music Therapists combines her own experiences with those of other trailblazing music therapists to illustrate the virtually endless ways in which to generate revenue using your unique training, knowledge and skills.
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My Small Business Story: Part 1
This week I was honored to be featured in the Springfield Business Journal, which was not only a great opportunity for my business but also a music therapy advocacy win. Even though I’ve been practicing here for 8+ years, I still find myself explaining my profession on a daily basis.
Reading the article and then later in the day having a conversation with a fellow music therapy business owner inspired me to dive deeper into my small business story, especially for new professionals who have aspirations of going into private practice.
I know that I personally LOVE hearing other peoples’ stories (a big reason I host a podcast where I get to do just that!), and I’ve learned a lot about business ownership thanks to colleagues who have been willing to share.
So over the next four weeks, I’ll be giving the full scoop on how I went from having a full-time day job and a small private practice on the side (headquartered in my car) to now co-owning a thriving business with a facility of our own and a team of 7.
You can read my story, along with key takeaways and action items, over on Listen & Learn Plus, where you’ll also find a vast collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music.
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 36
I thought I had a lot going on during my pregnancy…until I interviewed this week’s podcast guest. Maggie MacArthur is an impressive lady, and quite the trooper for working 3 jobs (one of which was serving tables) while pregnant.
Luckily, Maggie’s professional life looks drastically different following the birth of her son Keegan, as you’ll hear in this episode.
Maggie talks about the many plates she was spinning during her pregnancy, her realization that she wasn’t meant to be a stay-at-home mom, and how her son’s orthopedic condition has helped her better relate to her clients’ families in Episode 36 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Maggie, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
This episode is sponsored by Music Teacher’s Helper, which is software for music teachers and therapists that helps manage your private music lesson studio and/or music therapy practice. I’ve used Music Teacher’s Helper every single day since 2011, and it is one of the best tools I have to keep my private practice running smoothly.
Sign up here for a 30-day no risk trial. If you choose to sign up after the trial using my link, you’ll save 20% off your first month!
Click here to subscribe on iTunes, or search “Guitars & Granola Bars” in the podcast app on your Apple device.
Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher, or download and search the app on your mobile device.
We Love Our Parachute
Those of you who already own one of these will never believe that this is the NEWEST addition to our collection of movement props.
We have just about everything else (including most of what is available from our friends at Bear Paw Creek) but for some reason, a parachute didn’t make it into our hands until just a few months ago.
We’ve been having a blast using our parachute in the current session of our early childhood classes, and it’s a huge hit with all the kiddos. Most of them are getting used to holding the handles, but there are always a few who would rather stand underneath or right on top of the parachute. Needless to say, we are just as entertained as the children every time it comes out.
There are lots of songs that lend themselves to the parachute, like “Ring Around the Rosy” and “Pop Goes the Weasel”, and it has also given me an opportunity to write some new ones. Can’t wait to share those with you soon!
As often as we’ve been using this fun prop, we need to keep it fresh with a variety of material. What are some of your favorite parachute tunes and activities?
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 35
Interviewing this week’s podcast guest was actually the second time in the same week that the two of us had an in-depth conversation. I first connected with Catherine Hershey a few days earlier when she interviewed me for her music therapy blog, and I enjoyed talking to her so much that I immediately invited her to be on the podcast.
Little did I know just how fascinating Catherine’s music therapy and motherhood journey has been so far. Wait until you hear about her whirlwind experience from the start of internship through the birth of her son.
Catherine talks about completing her internship in NYC while pregnant, how starting her blog was a turning point in her postpartum year, and the unique opportunity she has to design her ideal music therapy career in Episode 35 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Catherine, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
This episode is sponsored by Music Teacher’s Helper, which is software for music teachers and therapists that helps manage your private music lesson studio and/or music therapy practice. I’ve used Music Teacher’s Helper every single day since 2011, and it is one of the best tools I have to keep my private practice running smoothly.
Sign up here for a 30-day no risk trial. If you choose to sign up after the trial using my link, you’ll save 20% off your first month!
Click here to subscribe on iTunes, or search “Guitars & Granola Bars” in the podcast app on your Apple device.
Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher, or download and search the app on your mobile device.
The Gang’s All Here
It’s hard to believe, but Music Therapy Connections, LLC has grown from a duo to a team of 7 in the span of just one year. On Monday we had a full house in our studio with 5 music therapy sessions, lessons, and groups happening at the VERY SAME TIME. It was awesome.
We had so much fun getting everyone together for a photo shoot a few weeks ago. Here are some names to go with those smiling faces, from left to right:
- Matt Mifflin teaches guitar and piano.
- Matt Nall teaches piano and ukulele.
- Kristi Lecocq teaches voice and introductory piano.
- Janel Metzger provides music therapy, groups, classes, adapted lessons and introductory piano.
- Katey Kamerad provides music therapy, groups, classes, adapted and typical lessons (piano/voice/guitar).
- Alisabeth Hopper, our music therapy intern, assists in providing all of the above.
- Rachel Rambach (that’s me) provides all of the above.
Learn more about all of our team members, including their background and training, on the Music Therapy Connections website.
What I love about our team is the diverse skills each person brings to the studio. There is some overlap in the instruments we teach and services in which we specialize, but everyone has his or her own approach and philosophy — all of which are a great fit with our company.
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 34
I’m so appreciative of the fact that every guest I’ve interviewed for the podcast has been willing to open up and share her (and his!) very personal stories. This week’s guest is no exception; Lesleigh Zundt and I had a conversation about the not-so-fun side of motherhood: baby blues and postpartum discussion.
But we also celebrated her triumphs, including keeping up a regular pumping schedule for an entire year, even when it meant doing so in her car on a regular basis. Working moms who pump are kind of my hero (and motivate me to keep it up!).
Lesleigh talks about pursuing her music therapy degree while raising a young daughter, overcoming baby blues after the birth of her son, and her adventures in pumping as a working mom in Episode 34 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Lesleigh, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
This episode is sponsored by Music Teacher’s Helper, which is software for music teachers and therapists that helps manage your private music lesson studio and/or music therapy practice. I’ve used Music Teacher’s Helper every single day since 2011, and it is one of the best tools I have to keep my private practice running smoothly.
Sign up here for a 30-day no risk trial. If you choose to sign up after the trial using my link, you’ll save 20% off your first month!
Click here to subscribe on iTunes, or search “Guitars & Granola Bars” in the podcast app on your Apple device.Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher, or download and search the app on your mobile device.
Tales from the “Potty Train”
Truth: I dreaded potty training long before I even had kids. I am a total germaphobe, so the thought of taking my tiny child into a public restroom completely grossed me out.
Fast forward a few years to this week, where I found myself sitting Parker on a toilet in the women’s restroom at Busch Stadium. Was it gross? Yes. Did I cry a little inside when he insisted on flushing himself? Undoubtedly. But did I survive? Here I am writing this blog post.
The real truth is, potty training has been surprisingly easy. Parker was excited to wear his Olaf underwear, and pretty much understood the concept of staying dry and using the “potty train” (he is going through a total choo-choo phase right now, so his misunderstanding of the phrase has worked to our advantage) from day one.
We didn’t use any special method or books; what worked for Parker was spending a full 3 days at home with the potty in the living room as a constant reminder to use it.
There have been some accidents on occasion, but after a few weeks of training, I’m thrilled to say that I only have one child in diapers now. Funny, my spending at Target hasn’t decreased as significantly as I thought it would…
Having a potty-trained child is still a lot of work, between the nonstop reminders, incessant trips to the bathroom, and tush-wiping duty. And the thought of all the public restroom adventures in my future kind of makes my skin crawl, but I’ll get over it. Maybe.
Lollipop Start & Stop
For some reason, telling kids to “freeze” while playing an instrument is a whole lot more effective than just asking them to stop. The part where they have to wait is deliciously excruciating for everyone involved — okay, delicious for me, and mostly just excruciating for them ;)
That’s the basic concept of Lollipop Start & Stop, but not only do they have to listen for the words “freeze” and “go”, but they also have to watch for hands raised and thumbs up. I’m all about getting as many senses involved as possible, as you know by now.
Lollipop drums are always SUCH a hit (pun intended) because they are colorful and fun to play, and I like them because they aren’t too loud compared to bigger drums. Just this morning I had 15 or so toddlers playing them in my early childhood class, and they were surprising amazing at stopping and starting at the appropriate times.
This song is super adaptable in that you can change the words and signals used to let kiddos know when to play and stop. I think I’m going to have a good time keeping them on their toes each time we sing this one!
P.S. Did you know that you can gain instant access to a vast collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music?
{Guitars & Granola Bars} Episode 33
I love, love, love talking to creative entrepreneurs. Being one myself, it is so interesting to hear how others take their ideas and turn them into something tangible. And when those creative entrepreneurs are moms, I love picking their brains about how they make it all work.
Kathy Schumacher shared with me an absolutely brilliant metaphor for thinking about the so-called “work-life balance”. You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out what it is (but trust me, it’s GOOD).
Kathy talks about her early success in the private practice setting, how she has structured her career around her family since having her children, and her adventures in creative entrepreneurship in Episode 33 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Kathy, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
This episode is sponsored by Music Teacher’s Helper, which is software for music teachers and therapists that helps manage your private music lesson studio and/or music therapy practice. I’ve used Music Teacher’s Helper every single day since 2011, and it is one of the best tools I have to keep my private practice running smoothly.
Sign up here for a 30-day no risk trial. If you choose to sign up after the trial using my link, you’ll save 20% off your first month!
Click here to subscribe on iTunes, or search “Guitars & Granola Bars” in the podcast app on your Apple device.Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher, or download and search the app on your mobile device.
This is My Self-Care
Every week, I ask my podcast guests about their self-care practices. That is, what they do to nurture their spirits and recharge their batteries.
Some do yoga, others grow gardens…the list goes on. And then there are some who admit that this is an area where they fall short. I get it; I’m not good at self-care either.
All my current hobbies (songwriting, recording, website geekiness) are related to my work because I gave up the ones that weren’t (biking, working out regularly, scrapbooking) when I had kids and no time to pursue them.
So yesterday during our intern’s weekly supervision meeting, I felt a little like a hypocrite talking how important self-care is and assigning her to partake in self-care activities each week.
And then I woke up this morning and felt like a kid on Christmas when I remembered that I don’t work on Fridays anymore. Not that I don’t absolutely LOVE my work, but there is nothing better than ending the week with a day devoted to my babies — nowhere to go, nothing around which to plan our day, the whole weekend spread out in front of us. THIS is my self-care.
My first non-work Friday has been awesome. My friend Angie came over so that Parker and Janie could have a play date while we got to hang out with the baby girls.
And while Parker is napping, I’m typing this blog post with Mia asleep on my lap, not running around trying to accomplish a million things like I do on work days.
I may never work on Fridays again, and instead of feeling guilty about that, I’m just going to call it self-care.