Able Voice Podcast

In this episode we were joined by 3 incredible music therapists with varied experiences in the realm of government regulations across Canada. Kristen DiMarco, MTA, RP is a certified Music Therapist & Registered Psychotherapist experienced in providing compassionate music-centred psychotherapy in community, hospital, and long term care settings. She is currently the Government Regulation Chair...

JD Hogue (he/him) offers a rare combination of skills as he combines music therapy and statistics. He is a statistician and board-certified music therapist with over 10 years’ experience combining data analysis, research, and program evaluation. In this episode we talk about the ways statistics and program evaluation can support and compliment music therapy work. Episode Links: Website: www.jdhogu...

Synergy Music Therapy is the sister practice to the Able Voice Podcast founded by Hayley Francis Cann and Kimberly Dolan. In this episode we are joined by some of our clinical team members including Jessica Nielsen, Rebekah Armstrong, Olivia Maveal, and Nicole Cordeau. We had such a wonderful time chatting with Sarah and Kim during the first "REAL TALK" conversation that we were inspired...

In this episode, we have an open and honest conversation about our work as music therapists - the ebs, the flows, the ups, the downs, the lessons learned and what we wish we knew sooner. Kim Best is a board-certified music therapist based in Rochester, New York. Kim has clinical experience providing Music Therapy with adults with Dementia, children with Autism and various intellectual/developmenta...

What do three millennial women of varying professions have in common? A shared philosophy and passion for enhancing dementia care and supporting those they work with! In this episode of the Able Voice Podcast we are joined by Kaylee (MT-BC), Jaell (Art Therapist + Mental Health Counselor), and Erin (Positive Approach to Care® Certified Independent Trainer), of the Creative Dementia Collective. The...

Dr. Sandi Curtis, MTA, MT-BC is the founder and Distinguished Professor Emerita for the music therapy program at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. She is the author of “Music for Women Survivors of Violence” (Barcelona Publishers, 2019) and co-investigator in a $2.5 million Social Sciences and Humanities research grant, iMPACTS: Addressing Sexual Violence on Campus. Dr. Sandi Curtis is an...

Roia Rafieyan recently retired from long-term employment as a music therapist in a residential care facility in the United States. Most of the last 33 years were spent in the company of institutionalized nonspeaking Autistic people with whom she collaboratively and continuously worked to evolve into a more respectful music therapist. Roia spent most of her time as a music therapist working in a st...

Sophie’s Place is a nonprofit organization made possible by the Forever Young Foundation. Their mission is to bring music therapy clinics to pediatric hospitals throughout the nation. Sophie’s Place is named for Sophie Barton, a young singer-songwriter who loved to volunteer at Primary Children’s hospital before she passed away due to heart complications. Steve and Barb Young, founders of the Fore...

In this episode, Rachael Finnerty joins us to talk about the Music Therapy Academy and advocating through education. Rachael has been recognized as a music therapist since 2001, has served as the president of the Music Therapy Association of Ontario from 2010-2014 and was the recipient of the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, for Healthcare in 2015. Rachael graduated from Anglia Ruskin University (...

In this episode, Katie Zaccardi joins us to talk about being a financially stable musician, tips and tricks to managing finances, and reducing shame around the money conversation. Katie is a coach and educator for musicians, music teachers, and music coaches, helping them grow their business & bank accounts while ditching overwhelm, self-doubt, and burnout for good. After dedicating 10+ years...

We are excited to welcome Mary Meads and Trina Chakrabarti of Wellington Music Therapy Services to the podcast today! "Nothing about us without us" (Latin: Nihil de nobis, sine nobis) is a slogan used to communicate the idea that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the group(s) affected by that policy. Mary and Trina discuss the...

We are excited to welcome Pam Lansbergen and Alan Lee of the World Congress of Music Therapy planning committee to the podcast today! The upcoming congress is to be held in beautiful Vancouver, BC this July 2023. We’re grateful to Pam and Alan for stopping by the Able Voice Podcast to share a little bit more about what we can expect from the congress this year! Learn more or Register for WCMT: htt...

Welcome to Season 4 of the Able Voice Podcast! If you are new here... we're glad to have you join us for this journey of creating an archive of music therapy and creative professional stories. Through conversations with music therapists & allied professionals in Canada and around the world, we listen to unique stories and learn more about interesting projects and various passions for music the...

Miya Adout is a graduate of Concordia University where she received a Master of Arts in Creative Arts Therapies after having completed a BA in Cultural Studies. Miya works with individuals of all ages and abilities and specializes in dementia care. Miya opened her private practice, Miya Music Therapy, in 2015 with the purpose of empowering and enriching lives through music. Their team of certified...

Esther Thane has specialized since 1996 in the field of Autism and special needs. After over a decade on faculty at Capilano University, teaching in the Bachelor of Music Therapy Program, Esther continues to enjoy presenting at conferences, writing book reviews for published journals, & holding workshops for universities, local agencies and internationally. In 2014, Esther completed Dr. Diane...

Maya Chriqui (MTA) is a seasoned music therapist and the owner of Music at Heart providing music therapy services to the St. Catherines, Ontario area. She has a great deal of experience working in various settings with allied health professionals and travelling for work across Canada and to Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. Maya shares with us a snippet of her expansive journey and we know tha...

Maya Chriqui (MTA) is a seasoned music therapist and the owner of Music at Heart providing music therapy services to the St. Catherines, Ontario area. She has a great deal of experience working in various settings with allied health professionals and travelling for work across Canada and to Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.  Maya shares with us a snippet of her expansive journey and we kn...

Elaine Cheung (she/her) is a Certified Music Therapist currently living in Calgary, Canada. Elaine’s practice, Elements Music Therapy, is humanistic and aims to provide opportunities to maximize a person's potential for change and growth. Elaine earned a Master of Music Therapy degree at Wilfrid Laurier University and received a Bachelor in Music prior to that. Elaine also represents music therapi...

Elaine Cheung (she/her) is a Certified Music Therapist currently living in Calgary, Canada. Elaine’s practice, Elements Music Therapy, is humanistic and aims to provide opportunities to maximize a person's potential for change and growth. Elaine earned a Master of Music Therapy degree at Wilfrid Laurier University and received a Bachelor in Music prior to that. Elaine also represents music therapi...

Celebrate good times, come on!! A couple of weeks ago Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services celebrated our first birthday, and we are in full celebration mode in this episode of the Able Voice debrief. In this episode we chat about the pits and peaks of the past year and collectively reflect on our journey leading up to Synergy MT's launch and the first 365 days. We are SO grateful for all...

Join us for a little road trip to the 2022 CAMT Conference in Niagara. To set the scene, it was about 5am EST and both Hayley and Kim had very little sleep the night before. They started driving and decided the conversation was too good not to capture. So, they turned on the microphone and here we are... PODCAST IN A CAR!  In this episode, Hayley and Kim talk about the roles of a music therap...

Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi is a certified music therapist (MTA), Registered Psychotherapist, Neurologic Music Therapist Fellow and Certified Trauma Integration Clinician. She had her private practice in the Kingdom of Bahrain for 11 years before coming back to Canada in 2020. Aksana is a full time psychotherapist at the Family Counselling Centre of Niagara, and has a small music therapy and psychothe...

Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi is a certified music therapist (MTA), Registered Psychotherapist, Neurologic Music Therapist Fellow and Certified Trauma Integration Clinician. She had her private practice in the Kingdom of Bahrain for 11 years before coming back to Canada in 2020. Aksana is a full time psychotherapist at the Family Counselling Centre of Niagara, and has a small music therapy and psychothe...

Rebekah Martin is a board -certified music therapist and NICU Music Therapist who has worked in the pediatric medical setting for four years. She currently lives in beautiful Bermuda, where she is beginning to provide contract music therapy services with Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services. She considers herself a life-long learner and has completed additional trainings in end-of-life ca...

Rebekah Martin is a board -certified music therapist and NICU Music Therapist who has worked in the pediatric medical setting for four years. She currently lives in beautiful Bermuda, where she is beginning to provide contract music therapy services with Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services. She considers herself a life-long learner and has completed additional trainings in end-of-life ca...