March 28, 2009 - Therapeutic Arts

Wade Richards is the Chair and Internship Director at the Hochstein School of Music & Dance in Rochester, New York. Hochstein is a community music school established in 1920 and the music therapy department was created in 1975 to service those with special needs in the community. Over the years the department has grown to serve up to 1,000 clients annually in both private and group therapy settings. Wade is a licenced creative arts therapist with additional training in neurologic music therapy and Performance Wellness. Wade also chaired the Orff-Schulwerk program at Hochstein for a number of years and completed his level training at Eastman School of Music, University of Kentucky, and Arizona State University.

Recently Wade is the founder and executive director of the Therapeutic Arts Program at Hochstein. This transitional day program for ages 21-30 combines the creative art therapies and vocational skill training into one comprehensive program for students with special needs. Join us Saturday as we talk about the Therapeutic Arts Program with Wade Richards.

March 21, 2009 - SWAMTA Conference

This week, call 646-652-2850 to talk with Stephanie Shehan, Vice President of the Southwestern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. We'll give a preview of the conference happening in Austin next week. For more information about the conference, click here. To listen to the show, go here.

Saturday, March 14, 2009 - Musicophilia

We're continuing our celebration of Music Therapy Month by discussing this year's Southwestern Region of the American Music Therapy Association's Book Club Selection, Musicophilia, by Dr. Oliver Sacks. Please call in to join the discussion! 646-652-2850 at 4:00 Central, 5:00 Eastern this Saturday, March 14, 2009.

Saturday, March 7, 2009 - Sing with Your Child Month

We're continuing our celebration of Music Therapy Month with our guest: Carol Ann Blank. Carol is a music therapist who works with Music Together (r), an internationally recognized early childhood music program for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and the adults who love them. First offered to the public in 1987, it pioneered the concept of a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement. Join us to learn about the benefits of singing with your child--or your inner child! Call in to participate in the discussion: 646-652-2850 on Saturday, March 7, 2009 at 5:00 Eastern, 4:00 Central, 3:00 Mountain, 2:00 Pacific.

Find out more about Music Together and Sing With Your Child Month at: http://www.musictogether.com/Home

Saturday, February 28, 2009 - March is Music Therapy Month!

Music therapy is the planned use of music to affect brain functioning for the rehabilitation of cognition, speech/language, or sensorimotor skills. The minimum requirement for a music therapist is a bachelor’s degree in music therapy at an accredited university program, a 1,040-hour internship, and satisfactory completion of the board certification exam. Board certified music therapists follow a code of ethics and a standard of practice, and complete continuing education requirements.
To celebrate Music Therapy Month, listen to your favorite music every day, play an instrument or sing a song, thank your local music therapist, or call in to my show!

Saturdays at 4 pm Central, 5 pm Eastern 646-652-2850

February 21, 2009 - Using Music to Care for Yourself

This week, I've had a lot of emails about how to use music to care for yourself. I gave out tips for using music to change your mindset, change your mood, nurture your soul & spirit, and more.

Listen here to hear me sing you a lullaby!

February 14, 2009 - How to Become a Music Therapist

This week I answered a question from my blog. Rick posted, "I am interested in learning more about music therapy and hope that you will have a show that discusses the profession and your experience with it." This show is my answer to him. Thanks, Rick!

If you have questions about music therapy that you would like answered, leave a comment on this blog or call into the show on Saturday 4:00 Central/5:00 Eastern. 646-652-2850

February 7, 2009 - Live your Dream Disabilities EXPO

This week, I was broadcasting from my car after exhibiting at the Live Your Dream Disabilities EXPO in Garland, TX. Listen here to learn about my experiences there.

New Shows Resume in February

I have not fallen off the face of the earth or given up on the show--I promise! Blog Talk Radio has changed their format some, so I'm taking January to schedule guests and topics and to get up to speed on the new BTR site. Live shows will continue on Saturdays in February. Thanks for listening and leave me a comment or send me an email about show ideas, music therapy websites, topics you're interested in, or any other feedback.

December 20, 2008 - The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery & Music

My guest this week is Dr. Cohen. Nicki S. Cohen is Professor of Music Therapy and Voice at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX and a faculty member of the Anna Maria College Institute for Music and Imagery. She received a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Kansas; an M.A. in Vocal Performance from the University of Denver; and a B.S. in Music Education from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. She has been a clinical music therapist since 1978, and earned her status as a practitioner of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music in 2001. She is a Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery (FAMI).

Dr. Cohen served on the Board of Directors of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) as Chairperson of the Advisory Board for Education and Clinical Training and as Council Coordinator for the Council on Education and Clinical Training, and she served on the editorial board of the Journal of Music Therapy. She also recently completed her term as the President of the Association for Music and Imagery. Presently, Dr. Cohen is a member of the AMTA Advisory Board for Education and Clinical Training and on the editorial board for the Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery. Dr. Cohen is working towards her primary trainer status for the Association for Music and Imagery.

Nicki Cohen has worked with different clientele, including individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, schizophrenia, behavioral disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, and neurological impairments. Her research has focused primarily on the application of singing to improve speech production in patients with neurogenic speech disorders, music therapy education, and Guided Imagery and Music. Dr. Cohen has served as an external reviewer for the theses and dissertations of international students in Australia, Canada, and Denmark. She is an active lecturer, and has been a featured speaker at both national and international conferences. A great deal of her music therapy and Bonny Method practice has included adaptive arts techniques for patients who require a more structured yet creative therapeutic environment.

Learn more at her website: www.musictherapyandimagery.com

Also check out the Association for Music and Imagery to find more information or to locate a practitioner.

This is the last week to win A Kids N Tunes Christmas CD, donated by Ed Gallagher at the Beck Center in Ohio. Be the first person to leave a comment on this post to win a CD!

Listen to this show here.

December 13, 2008 - Palliative Care & Hospice

This week my guest is Lisa Gallagher, MA, MT-BC, a clinical and research music therapist at The Cleveland Music School Settlement and The Cleveland Clinic and the Music Therapy Coordinator for the Cleveland Clinic. She has presented on local, regional, national, and international levels and has published articles in several journals. She currently is the Treasurer of the Great Lakes Region of the American Music Therapy Association, the Chair of the Certification Board of Music Therapists Board of Directors, and a recipient of the 2008 Blair L. Sadler International Healing Arts Award.

For more information: www.thecmss.org and www.ccf.org/palliative and http://myclevelandclinic.org/services/music_therapy

To listen to the show: Click here.

December 6, 2008 - The Joyful Singers

The Joyful Singers are a group of adults with developmental disAbilities that plan performances. They perform in various locations throughout their community in Garland, Texas and learn music & singing skills, while also developing social, communication, and executive function skills.

Listen to this show here.

November 29, 2008 - Thanksgiving Special

Today's show is a short one expressing my gratitude for the people who support this show. I’d like to thank Blog Talk Radio for hosting the show, thanks to Susie Moten, Bill Matney, Krystal Demaine, Mary Lawrence, Michelle Kennemer, Michelle Melander, Dale Taylor, Robert Krout, Barbara Else, Debbie Dacus, Kathleen Coleman, Terri Hart, Ann Petty, Ellary Draper, Cathy Knoll, Kim McVean, Veronica Butler, Stephanie Shehan, Louise Montello, Wade Richards, and Ed Kahler for being guests on my show. Thanks also to Blogspot.com for hosting our blog. Thank you Ed Gallagher for being my guest today. Thank you Kevin Lindstrom, for helping me get this show started, for guest hosting, and for writing and performing the music for the show. And thanks to all of you who listen to the show each week. I really appreciate it and would love to hear from you.

I also have a surprise for my listeners. Check out the show to find out what it is!

November 15, 2008 - AMTA Conference Report

Broadcasting live from Expanding the Gateway to Music Therapy: The 10th Anniversary Conference of the American Music Therapy Association at the Millennium Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. Listen live here.

November 15, 2008 - AMTA Conference Preview

Barbara Else, MPA, LCAT, MT-BC, AMTA Consultant, provided a preview of Expanding the Gateway to Music Therapy: The 10th Anniversary Conference of the American Music Therapy Association in St. Louis, MO. Listen here.