Thanks so much for watching my video and heading over to Listen & Learn Music! I’m excited to share “The Toolbox Song” with you because it truly is one of the most effective tools in my musical toolbox (pun totally intended).
My students and clients request this song time and time again, and I am always happy to oblige, because it allows me to work on so many goals at the same time.
To receive the mp3, instrumental track, lyrics/chords and facilitation guide, simply enter your first name and email address below. Then I’ll deliver the download link to your inbox.
Spring Flowers (& Skills!) Are Blossoming
With the change of the season, I’ve been exploring the Spring Song Pack to inspire my music therapy sessions and music classes. This week, I’ll be highlighting two of the spring songs that are flower-themed, but target completely different goals!
read more…My Favorite Bean Bags
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, MANY of my songs revolve around the use of props. They can be such a wonderful tool for addressing motor skills, coordination, group participation, turn-taking, and much more.
This month in my groups and sessions, we’re getting a lot of use out of one such prop: bean bags! A quick Google or Amazon search will show that there are many bean collections from which to choose, but my absolute favorites come from Bear Paw Creek.
read more…Wave Goodbye to Winter and March Into Spring
Spring is officially single digits away! SINGLE DIGITS! I am so ready to put winter behind me and welcome the spring weather, and that has been my inspiration for my music therapy sessions and classes this week!
read more…Shamrockin’ and Rollin’ Toward Goals
I don’t know if it’s all the green or the Irish music, but St. Patrick’s Day is such a fun holiday to celebrate!
In the spring, when holidays are a little more spread out, I take any opportunity I can to add some variety to my repertoire as I continue to target my students’ and clients’ goals in an appropriate way.
read more…Music Therapy Connections is Hiring!
My wonderful team of 4 board-certified music therapists and 8 instructors is growing! We couldn’t be more excited about hiring another music therapist, which will enable Music Therapy Connections to serve even more people in the central Illinois area.
read more…March is Here!
Now that February has drawn to a close and March is officially here, that means spring is right around the corner! March brings St. Patrick’s Day, blooming leaves, flowers, and sunny days to come, which adds an extra pep in the step of those like me who revel in the warmer weather!
Below are two songs all about March that will surely remind us all why it is a month worth celebrating.
read more…World Music Therapy Day
I’m proud to be a music therapist every day of the year, but especially on this one. March 1st is World Music Therapy Day, so today I’m celebrating my colleagues around the globe, the amazing work they do, and all of those who have and continue to benefit from music therapy services.
read more…A Musical Trip to the Beach
Over the weekend, I took a short trip to sunny Florida, and I couldn’t help but get excited about the warmer weather coming our way. Although higher temperatures aren’t here yet, the few days I spent in my sandals and sunglasses inspired this week’s beach-themed post!
read more…Adding a Little Color to the Music
These dreary wintry days have me longing for spring and all of its colors, so I’ve taken that inspiration into my music therapy sessions and music classes with a few colorfully themed songs.
Identifying colors is an important developmental skill for young children, so it’s only natural to practice that skill in a musical context. In this post, I’ve featured two songs that creatively address color identification while targeting some additional goals as well!
read more…“Fly Away (Free Bird)”
The following is a guest post by Yaniza, a bilingual singer-songwriter based in New York City. Yaniza’s tunes bring joy and sunshine to its listeners through catchy lyrics meshed with acoustic guitar, ukulele, or piano base. Much like her home city, Yaniza’s music is a melting pot of calm, upbeat, and everything in between.
“Fly Away (Free Bird)” is a melodic little reminder for everyone to embrace their inner free spirit. When I wrote the song, I was feeling very stuck in a routine. The only way to get myself out of that rut was to write my feelings into a song!
read more…