What Is Music Therapy?

In music therapy, a music therapist and client use music to address mental, emotional, interpersonal and spiritual challenges and promote health in all areas. The type of music therapy that I practice might be different than the music therapy that you have heard about before. Since I work with people who are looking for support with issues of emotional well-being and mental health, I use a music-centred psychotherapy approach. Music-centred psychotherapy offers a way for us to connect with ourselves and each other in a holistic way that doesn’t rely solely on words. My services include:

  • Therapy for musicians

  • Therapy for musically-minded people

  • Supervision for other music therapists

  • Supervision for other health practitioners

NOTE: I am not currently accepting new clients for clinical work.

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Support for your mental health that blends clinical counselling, psychotherapy, and music therapy

I support clients to address mental, emotional, interpersonal and psychological challenges through a blend of verbal and creative techniques. Integrating music into psychotherapy and clinical counselling sessions offers a way for clients to explore materials and express themselves in ways that don’t rely solely on words. My services include:

  • Therapy for Musicians
  • Therapy for Musically-Minded people
  • Supervision for Music Therapists

  • Supervision for Registered Psychotherapists and Qualifying RPs

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Mental Health for Musicians and the Musically-Minded

Music and creativity can be the path to healing, but sometimes can also be the cause of suffering. My personal journey through music and healing showed me that it is possible to reconnect to the feelings of enjoyment, satisfaction and freedom that we had when we were first exploring music and bring them into our music-making and creative practices today. I have the honour to share this journey with others looking to reclaim the positive power of music in their lives.
Music and creativity can be the path to healing, but sometimes can also be the cause of suffering. My personal journey through music and healing showed me that it is possible to reconnect to the feelings of enjoyment, satisfaction and freedom that we had when we were first exploring music and bring them into our music-making and creative practices today. I have the honour to share this journey with others looking to reclaim the positive power of music in their lives.

Therapy for Musicians

I can help you shift the way you are relating to your music, creativity, performance, and yourself. My approach is especially effective therapy for musicians because it invites you to not only think and talk about these different ways of being, but to practice doing that and experience that different way of being in real-time while making music. This is beneficial because it can be applied directly to your musical practice.

Therapy for the Musically-Minded

I can help you address your mental health and well-being concerns while nurturing your creativity. My approach is especially effective because it invites you to not only think and talk about these different ways of being, but to practice doing that and experience that different way of being in real-time in music.  This is beneficial because you are drawing on your inner strength and creativity to address your mental health and well-being challenges.

Supervision for Music Therapists

As music therapists, music is our primary mode of communicating with clients. My goal is to help you become the therapist that you are excited to be, whatever that means to you. I work with music therapists across theoretical models and approaches. To meet your needs, I draw on my extensive supervision experience, scholarly work and foundational understanding of major music therapy models and approaches.

Supervision for Registered Psychotherapists (ON)

I offer a supportive place to process emotional, psychological, and embodied elements of your work that might not be easily described in words. All mental health professionals need support from time to time. Someone to remind us of why we entered our profession and to encourage us to bring our unique gifts to our work. To help us process challenging material that clients bring to us. To alleviate some of the isolation that we can feel when continually holding and caring for other people’s pain.

My Specialties

Clinical Specialties

My clinical specialties include addressing creativity scars/wounds, anxiety, and trauma.  I have experience working with issues specific to classical musicians, and my original research investigating music therapy improvisation with professional artists is published in The Nordic Journal of Music Therapy.

I have a strong background in mental health work, including in out-patient hospital settings, residential mental health treatment, and community mental health organizations.  I also work with people struggling with perfectionism, depression, and those seeking personal growth.

Supervision Specialties

My supervision specialties include professional growth, burnout, and music-centered clinical supervision. I have extensive experience supervising professional music therapists and music therapy students across Canada, as well as providing creative supervision to creative arts therapists and counsellors. 

Another of my specialties is music therapy improvisation (also known as clinical improvisation).  I have published four articles in scholarly journals related to music therapy improvisation and facilitated many professional development improvisation workshops for music therapists at national, provincial, and regional music therapy conferences and events.

My masters thesis and doctoral research focus on music therapy improvisation and mental health.

My clients range from professional and aspiring classical musicians, to people with no musical training who love music. People who live unconventional lives, who feel deeply, and are highly sensitive. However, such people can also feel isolated and disconnected from themselves and others. My goal is to help you find a space to not only heal but also learn how to thrive and create again.

Learn more about my experience and my core values.

Play Well

If you would like to step towards greater mental health and well-being, I invite you to contact me to book your first session.
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Seabrook MT

Seabrook Music Therapy operates on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, which includes Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi.  This land is also Treaty territory of the Williams Treaties and is now home to many First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. I am grateful for the opportunity to live, work, and play on this land.