Canadian Music Therapy

We have three guests we are featuring on this episode: Tyler Reidy, Teresa Ianni and Laura Hastings. Tyler shares his journey as a NICU music therapist and the ways his work impacts babies and families each day. Teresa tells us more about an amazing quality improvement project in the neonatal intensive unit of a hospital and what her vision is for the future of music therapy. Finally, Laura tells us more about her drive to create the nation-wide network of music therapists working in the NICU.

Here is a little more about Tyler, Theresa and Laura:

Tyler:

A Certified Music Therapist (MTA) and Registered Psychotherapist (RP) living in Guelph, and working in Kitchener-Waterloo. He earned his Master of Music Therapy degree at Wilfrid Laurier University. He is one of the full-time medical music therapists at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener Ontario in the Children's program providing services to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Inpatient Pediatrics Unit, and the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) Satellite Clinic.

Tyler also works as a Child and Family Therapist at Bloom: Child & Family Therapy in Kitchener . Tyler has further training in the First Sounds: Rhythm Breath and Lullaby NICU music therapy training and in Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT).

Theresa:

A Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and a Certified Music Therapist (MTA). She has a Master’s degree in Music Therapy (MMT) and specialized training in Neurological Music Therapy (NMT) and NICU music therapy (Rhythm Breath Lullaby). Theresa has been working as a music therapist for over 13 years where she has had the opportunity to work with children and adults with developmental delays, neurological impairments and mental health disorders. Theresa currently works full-time at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Toronto) in Geriatric Care; Alzheimer’s’ Dementia and End of Life, and has recently completed a Quality Improvement project in the Sunnybrook NICU “Implementing a Music Therapy Program”. Theresa is also the owner and director of a music therapy private practice which supports children and young adults on the Autism Spectrum.

Laura:

Laura graduated from Capilano University in 2013 after completing her internship at BC Children's Hospital. After practicing for 4 years in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, she went on to complete a Master's in music therapy at Concordia University in Montreal. There, she joined forces with Capilano graduate Alison Usher-Jones in her private practice working with individuals with autism. After 4 years in Montreal, she returned to the West Coast to work in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and in long-term care. Laura is excited to be in the new Board position of President Elect and to support BC music therapists.

On this episode, we are speaking with Mary Jane Landaker from Kansas, the first US certified music therapist featured on our program. Mary Jane speaks with us about her journey into the music therapy profession (31 years ago) and about working with music therapy interns. She also shares more about her thoughts on the future of music therapy.

Here is a little more about Mary Jane:

Mary Jane Landaker is a Board Certified Music Therapist who works with children and adolescents in a special purpose school in rural Kansas. She is an internship director, the continuing education director and treasurer of the Online Conference for Music Therapy, Inc, and a 30-year veteran of the music therapy profession. She is the owner of www.musictherapyworks.com where she focuses on providing music therapists with products to enhance their clinical practice.

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book

In this episode, we are speaking with Jill Hedican about her work in the area of obsessive compulsive disorder and the transition from a long career in end of life care. Jill also shares with us specific ways that music therapy is used with OCD clients and where she feels the field is heading in the future.

Here is a little more about Jill:

Jill is a Certified Music Therapist and Registered Psychotherapist who has been practicing music therapy in the Toronto area for over 20 years. Her contribution to the field included advocacy for the inclusion of music therapy throughout the formation of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. With past experience in supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jill has spent the bulk of her career at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre providing music therapy for Veterans at end of life, as well as community patients and their families in a palliative care setting. This past December, she had the opportunity to expand her clinical practice at Sunnybrook and is now developing a music therapy program within the Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre, home to Canada's only Intensive OCD Treatment Program for clients with severe OCD.

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! www.singitgirls.ca

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: https://cathythompson.biz/book

In this episode, we speak with Karie Rippin Bilger about her journey to becoming a music therapist and her return to school to study social work. Karie also shares more about her unique education and career path and how that benefits the people that she serves.

Here is a little more about Karie:

Karie is a Registered Psychotherapist and Certified Music Therapist, originally from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, living in Guelph, Ontario. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Music Therapy in 2001, and Master of Social Work in 2011, both from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Karie started the Music Therapy program at St. Joseph's Health Centre Guelph (SJHCG) in 2004 and worked as a music therapy clinician and pre-professional supervisor in Long Term Care, Complex Continuing Care, Palliative Care, and Adult Day Program settings. In 2015, her role expanded to include Clinical Leadership of Recreation and Music Therapies.

In 2021, Karie shifted away from music therapy clinical practice, and now works as a Community Responsive Behaviour Team Clinician with the Behavioural Supports Ontario program.

Karie has continuously been deeply involved in music therapy professional issues, contributing to a variety of projects, presenting at conferences, serving as Vice President of the Music Therapy Association of Ontario, and as Ethics Chair of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists. She continues to be an active member of CAMT's Ethics Committee and is the Vice President of the Board of Guelph Youth Singers.

When not working or volunteering, Karie loves to travel, spend time with friends and family, and to support her very creative daughter's various artistic pursuits.

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book⁠

In this episode, we are speaking with Sue Bains about equity, inclusion, representation, and social justice in music therapy. She helps us to further understand what anti-oppressive music therapy is and how do we do it in terms of education, practice, and research.

Here is a little more about Sue:

Sue Baines, PhD, MTA, FAMI, is respectfully grateful to be a live and learn on the unceded territories of the Lil’wat, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Shíshálh (Sechelt), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations on Turtle Island. She is a feminist and an activator. Her research focus is anti-oppressive music therapy. Sue has taught in the Bachelor of Music Therapy program at Capilano University in North Vancouver, BC, Canada since 1997 and continues to practice music therapy in long-term care.

Article referenced in podcast from Voices:

“It’s Not What’s Done, But Why It’s Done”: Music Therapists’ Understanding of Normalisation, Maximisation and the Neurodiversity Movement

https://voices.no/index.php/voices/article/view/3110/3067

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book⁠

In this episode, we are speaking with Jennifer Lin about their unique journey in becoming a music therapist and what a typical day looks like for them. Jennifer also shares their vision for the next 10 years and a little more about their research at the master’s level.

Here is a little more about Jennifer:

Jennifer (they/she) is a certified music therapist (MTA) in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area. They completed their Honours Bachelor of Music with a specialization in Music Cognition from McMaster University followed by their Graduate Diploma in Music Therapy and Masters in Creative Arts Therapies (Music Therapy) from Concordia University. Jennifer received their accreditation in 2021 and currently is in their second year of practice. Jennifer has experience working with clients of all ages, their main interests include working with children, (Q)BIPOC, and disabled communities. They are a strong advocate for the use of music therapy in marginalized communities and amplifying minority voices. Jennifer received the George Stroumboulopoulos Music Therapy Scholarship from the CMTF in 2021 and recently received the Dr. Sandi Curtis Music Therapy Social Justice Award at their graduation from Concordia University in April!

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book⁠

In this episode, we are speaking with Hayley Francis-Cann about her new role as the Canadian Association of Music Therapist’s incoming President and her journey to become a music therapist. Hayley also tells us more about bringing music therapy to Bermuda, her organization called Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services along with details about her other important projects and work.

Here is a little more about Hayley:

Hayley Francis Cann, BMT, NMT, MScAH, MTA is a Bermudian-Canadian certified music therapist and neurologic music therapist fellow with clinical experience in a variety of settings. Hayley completed a Masters of Science in Aging and Health at Queen’s University, has released two Children’s books, is a co-host for the Able Voice Podcast, is a serving board member for the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT) since 2020 and recently elected as President in May 2023. She is the co-founder of the practice Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services and creator of MTA Hayley - a platform for public speaking, resource building, and advocacy for anti-oppressive practices. In everything she does, Hayley aims to provide an authentic experience that is respectful toward all people no matter their age, diagnosis, background or additional social locators.

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book⁠

In this episode, we are speaking with Dr. Cheryl Jones who tells us about her unique journey to become a music therapist specifically in the area of neurologic music therapy. Dr. Jones also shares with us about her work in the field of music-based rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury and being featured in two documentaries done by the CBC.

Here is a little more about Cheryl:

Dr. Cheryl Jones is a certified music therapist and registered psychotherapist in Ontario. She earned her MMT at Wilfrid Laurier and her PhD in Music and Health Sciences at the University of Toronto. She is a Neurologic Music Therapist-Fellow. She has taught in the music therapy departments at Wilfrid Laurier University, Concordia University, and most recently at the University of Miami. She currently serves on the international advisory council for the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy. Dr. Jones has over 17 years of clinical experience and is specialized in music-based rehabilitation following brain trauma. She is a regular guest lecturer at universities and conferences and her clinical work has been featured in 2 national CBC documentaries as well as the book “Allison’s Brain” by Robert McMechan.

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book⁠

In this episode, we are speaking with Melissa Tan who talks with us about her journey to becoming a music therapist, her role as a Neurologic Music Therapist and what her typical workday looks like. We also learn more about what Melissa is currently researching for her PhD along with her vision for the future of music therapy.

Here is a little more about Melissa:

Melissa Tan is a Certified Music Therapist (MTA) and Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario. She is the in-house Neurologic Music Therapist (NMT-F) at Abaton Integrative Medicine in Oakville, Ontario working with clients with autism, early development, neurorehabilitation, and dementia. Melissa is also Part-Time Faculty in the Creative Arts Therapies Department at Concordia University, Montréal. Melissa has a B Music in Piano from McGill, an MA in Music Therapy from the University of Roehampton in London, UK and is currently a PhD candidate in the Music and Health Sciences Research Collaboratory at the University of Toronto.

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book⁠

In this episode,we speak with Erin Gross about the work of music therapists at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and how it has evolved over the years. She also shares more about some interprofessional collaborations with music therapists at Sunnybrook.

Here is a little more about Erin Gross, MA, RP, MTA:

Erin has been a music therapist for 18 years. She completed her undergraduate training at Wilfrid Laurier University, and her Masters of Creative Arts Therapies, Music Therapy Option at Concordia University. She has worked with a wide variety of client populations in many different settings over the years. She was an employee of JB Music Therapy in Calgary, was a staff member and clinical manager at the Music Therapy Centre in Toronto, currently works at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Until recently, she was a clinician in the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, and she is the Professional Practice and Education Leader of Creative Arts Therapies for the organization.

How can Beyond the Studio help you as a music therapist?

You can now purchase the popular Sing it Girls!® Program for your community! ⁠www.singitgirls.ca⁠

We offer virtual supervision services with our co-founder, Adrienne Pringle MMT, RP, MTA

If you need help with your business, Cathy Thompson, co-founder of Beyond the Studio can help!

Her new book is The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up

She also provides 1:1, customized business coaching with 30 years of experience.

Learn More Here: ⁠https://cathythompson.biz/book⁠