Baselines in Music Therapy

An 'emergency' podcast recorded and released amidst the current events regarding proposed changes to music therapy funding and the NDIS in Australia. We've just learnt that one of the key critiques of the NDIA, is that music therapists are not providing sufficient "clinical evidence" for their work. While some of this is likely coming from non-RMTs, acting fraudulently, th...

This episode is a condensed version of an online PD Joe ran on using standardised assessments in measurement and reporting for music therapy. 

Elena Bellinato works as a Social Worker and Registered music therapist.  She has worked extensively in various community settings providing counselling to children, adults and families. She specialises in working with people who have or are  currently experiencing trauma, mental health concerns and bereavement. She currently works for Sing&Grow providing music therapy sessions for young child...

Julie Bill is a Danish born art therapist who is currently working and living in Australia. Julie graduated in 2021 from Western Sydney University with a master degree in art therapy and has been working with children in clinical settings since 2023. Julie has also worked a year in Denmark, where she ran two community based art therapeutic groups for children.  In this episode, Joe and Julie discu...

Behiye (Be) Suren is an Australian born singer/songwriter. Her original fusion folk music (in English and Turkish) weaves the rhythms and melodies of her two homelands Sydney and Istanbul.  Behiye’s artistic practice and her belief in the healing power of self-expression through singing and songwriting is summed up by a quote from Turkish folk musician Erkan Owur "Everybody should make music,...

My interview as a guest on  SurroundSounds.  Listen to  SurroundSounds  on... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surroundsounds/id1705938397 Or YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceToBe/videos

Today I speak with two UK-based music therapists about their journeys to Neurologic Music Therapy Services Of Arizona. Emma Bailey is a UK-based Music Therapist and music therapy Supervisor. Originally trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Emma has studied infant mental health and child development at the Tavistock Clinic and the School of Infant Mental Health in London, and she comp...

Ingrid Gruett completed her Bachelor of Music degree from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, her Music Therapy Equivalency from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, and her Master of Music Degree from Alverno College.  Ingrid is a board-certified music therapist, a Wisconsin Music Therapist-Registered and a Certified Dementia Practitioner who specializes in providing evidenced-based services and...

Joe Thompson is a Neurologic Music Therapist currently working at Spring Forward Family Centre in Penrith, NSW. He specialises in using the properties of music, especially rhythm, to support Autistic people to navigate their sensory and movement challenges. Much of his approach is informed by experiences he gained while working overseas at Neurologic Music Therapy Services Of Arizona in Phoenix, U...

Suzanne Oliver is the founder and executive director of Neurologic Music Therapy Services Of Arizona - an NMT clinic based in Phoenix, AZ that has been serving the community there for over 40 years. Over the years, she has employed up to as many as 21 therapists at one time, and currently has 6 NMTs working in their clinical setting serving a variety of children and adults with neurologic impairme...

Today’s guest on baselines is Samantha Schoeler Jones. This episode continues with our international theme, but allows for a hiatus from the people I met on my America trip, as we follow Sam’s own extraordinary journey which took her to the other side of the northern hemisphere. There are few people who can claim to have a more colourful answer to ‘how did you become a music therapist’ than Sam  ...

Cheryl Butterworth is the Operations manager at Neurologic Music Therapy Services Of Arizona. She is also the mother of a long-term client of the clinic, Colin, who has Autism. In this episode, Cheryl shares the joys and challenges, as well as some funnier moments from their journey.

Leanna is the clinical training director at the Neurologic Music Therapy Services of Arizona. Leanna attended Appalachian State University for her undergraduate degree, and completed her Master's Degree through Colorado State University. Having been exposed to a lot of GIM-style music therapy in her undergrad, she was excited to eventually learn about Neurologic music therapy and how it can b...

Jessi Teich is a PhD candidate in Music and Health Sciences at the University of Toronto. In 2007, she received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Berklee College of Music. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, Jessi taught lessons while pursuing a music career during which she won over a dozen international songwriting awards and recorded several albums, including two in Paris. In 2017, afte...

Erin Skinner is a Registered Music Therapist, with a broad range of experience working with groups and individuals across the life span. She is currently working with children and families in mental health, and in disability. She has a passion for working alongside children and families to support healthy relationships, emotional wellbeing, resilience and creative self-expression through strengths...

Tegan is a Registered Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapist, and Music Tutor currently practicing in regional NSW. She has run a private music therapy practice for four years and has recently opened a music school to better serve the local community. She acts as the regional representative for the AMTA NSW branch and is passionate about closing the gap of services available in regional and m...

Ann Lehmann-Kuit is an experienced Nordoff Robbins music therapist, lecturer, guitar teacher, performer and community event organiser. She is passionate about giving people of all ages opportunities to ignite their expressive confidence.  Ann lectures at Western Sydney University in the MCMT program and lectures in the undergraduate music degree at UOW.   Ann is senior music therapist at the Wollo...

Pete McDonald graduated with a Bachelor of Music majoring in Jazz piano performance, receiving the Student of the Year award, and spent a long time practicing, gigging, teaching, recording, composing, and other music related activities aiming to pay off a mortgage and get two kids through school.    After returning to study and completing his Masters of Music Therapy, as well as training in Neurol...

Adam van Eyk is an RMT currently working for Noro Music Therapy as the new graduate RMT manager and supervisor. Previously Adam has filled roles within Noro of Aged Care & Adult Disability Practice Lead, Assets Manager and member of the clinic operations team. Outside of music therapy, Adam is an avid performer in different tribute shows all over Sydney playing both saxophone and guitar. 

Tanya is a Registered Music Therapist based in Sydney, Australia. In 2019, Tanya was invited to speak about her PhD research at the inaugural TEDxNewtown event. More recently, Tanya was named the inaugural recipient of the 2020-2021 Australian Music Therapist of the Year award for her contribution to the field of music therapy. Over the years, Tanya has presented internationally and nationally on...

Geena Cheung is a Registered Music Therapist with a passion for aged care. Since graduating from Western Sydney University in 2018, she has had the privilege to work with a diverse range of clinical populations at Schools for Specific Purposes (SSPs), a women's refuge, multiple aged care homes, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and in private practice. She also has strong interests in research an...

Ali is a Registered Music Therapist, an Academic and a Music Tutor. She currently works part-time for Sing&Grow Australia, working to promote secure attachment with vulnerable families with young children 0-5 years old. She also works casually at Both Worlds School of Music teaching clarinet, piano and musicianship, casually as an academic for the Music Therapy Course at Western Sydney Univers...

Tom is a Hobart-based freelance composer and pianist, with a bachelors of music from the university of Tasmania and a masters of composition from the university of Melbourne. Tom has composed pieces for some of Australia’s most notable musical ensembles, including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra, Ensemble Offspring, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Tasmania Sym...

Matthew Breaden is a Registered Music Therapist and has worked with children and adults of all ages in allied health centres, private practice, school, and home settings. Matthew focuses on strengths-based approaches to intervention and has a particular interest in ecological appoaches to therapeutic work, including the involvement of families. His PhD investigated the applicability of using Figur...

Al has been a Registered Music Therapist for over 25 years, focusing on children and family-centred practice with children on the autism spectrum, children experiencing hearing loss, families from diverse cultural backgrounds and families with complex needs. She is a Neurologic Music Therapist (NMT), with advanced training in this approach and a fellow of the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy. H...