Guitars & Granola Bars

In this episode, I'm chatting with Ahjay Stelino.

Ahjay talks about nurturing his young son's love of music, what it's like to be a music therapist in New Zealand, and how he avoids professional burnout.

Ahjay is a registered music therapist based in Auckland, New Zealand. He works as a music therapist in the fields of special education and mental health. He has a Masters in Music Therapy from the New Zealand School of Music. He is registered with the New Zealand Music Therapy Registration Board (under his real name of Ajay Castelino). He also teaches guitar and runs a music studio. His latest project is sharing his music therapy songs and tips on using music with kids with special needs at www.ahjaystelino.com.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Tim Ringgold.

Tim talks about the winding road that led him to music therapy, his unconventional roles as a parent, and how he is empowering other music therapists to earn what they are worth.

Tim is a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about healing the world using his three best tools: faith, gratitude, and music. As a music therapist, he directs Sonic Divinity Music Therapy Services in Orange, CA, but this is just one division of his company, Sonic Divinity LLC. He also is a sought after speaker, having given the first TEDx talk on music therapy. In addition to this, he teaches other creative entrepreneurs how to help more people, earn what they're worth, and achieve balance through his coaching division, Empower U Academy. As if that wasn't enough, he is the President of WRAMTA, and a Tribal Elder of TEDxYBC, the largest TEDxYouth organization in the world. His highest paying job however (if joy was the only currency) is that of mad passionate dad and husband.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Stephanie Bolton.

Stephanie talks about her career path working with a vast array of client populations, the challenges of having a home office, and how entering into private practice has allowed her to enjoy valuable time with her family.

Stephanie has been a music therapist since 1997, a wife since 2002, a proud mom since 2005, and a private practice owner since 2009. Along the way, she’s moved across the country 3 times, held 6 different music therapy jobs in 4 different settings/populations, finished her master's, and completed training in GIM. Now her family is happily settled in Huntsville, AL, where Stephanie runs her private practice part-time so she can be home with her daughter after school.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Allison Hingley.

Allison talks about raising a toddler and newborn while completing a master’s program, her family’s various moves around the country, and her decision to start a private practice after staying home with her young daughters.

Allison is the owner of Atlantic Music Therapy, LLC in Clayton, North Carolina, and mother to two amazing daughters, Susan and Samantha. While pregnant and working at the Arizona State Veteran Home, she served as a music therapist and, for a short time, the interim therapeutic programs manager. After the birth of Suzie, her family returned to North Carolina, Allison started graduate school online through Colorado State University, gave birth to Samantha, and started my private practice. Having moved cross-country, cross-state, attended graduate school, and mothered two children, Allison is starting to get the hang of extreme(ly fun) multitasking!

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Kristen O'Grady.

Kristen talks about the evolution of her career while working in the same facility for 11 years, how her family structures their unique weekly schedule, and the importance of staying connected with your partner.

Kristen is the Clinical Director of Creative Arts Therapies and Child Life at the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center in Yonkers, NY. She has been a music therapist for 11 years, specializing in pediatric palliative care. She is also a long time member of the executive board of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Music Therapy Association, completing her final term as Immediate Past President. Kristen enjoys writing as a part of the “blog team” on the blog “Music Therapy and End of Life Care”. Kristen and her husband Mark live in Hazlet, NJ with their two girls, Molly (age 3.5 years) and Brynn (almost 1!). Together they enjoy being outdoors, pajama dance parties and trips for ice cream.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Julie Palmieri.

Julie talks about her experiences having two children, leaving the clinical realm to work with music therapists online, and how she is able to raise her girls while working from home.

Julie is a board-certified music therapist who works and lives in Michigan. She is the owner of Serenade Designs, which helps music therapists create, enhance, and rock their online presence. Julie is married to her amazing husband, Matthew, and they have two gorgeous, funny, energetic, and musical daughters (Amelia & Alice -- she calls them her 'A Team'). They spend their days playing, exploring, visiting new places, and laughing. The Palmieris also have a sweet kitty cat named Clementine. In her spare time, Julie loves browsing Pinterest, cheering on Detroit Red Wings hockey, reading books, eating chocolate, building snowmen, and playing piano.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Jennifer Sokira.

Jen discusses forming a partnership with another music therapist, educates us about torticollis (a condition both of her sons had), and talks about her work with Mental Health First Aid USA.

Jen is a board certified music therapist who works with children who have experienced trauma. Her private practice, Connecticut Music Therapy Services, employs several music therapists and serves hundreds of people with mental health and developmental health needs throughout the state. Jennifer is passionate about quality continuing education of music therapists and has created the Music Therapy Book Club, whose standardized courses offer an in-depth learning experience based upon essential music therapy or related texts. She is also the mother of two wonderful boys, Ryan and Zachary and she enjoys spending time with her family.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Brittany Scheer.

Brittany discusses her decision to leave her job as a hospice music therapist to open a private practice, the pros of doing so in a small town, and shares why she is the happiest she's ever been in her life.

Brittany is a music therapist and mother of 2 little ones, ages 2 and 8 months. She lives and works in a small community in West-Central Ohio, surrounded by rural farms and other very small communities. Brittany became certified as a music therapist in 2008 and has since obtained her Master's degree and started a private practice called Living Music, LLC, right before she found out she was pregnant with her second child. Brittany’s practice focuses on medical and mental health settings, and she is very excited about the possibilities of music therapy in her small town.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Kate Taylor.

Kate talks in-depth about her unique music therapy work as a doula and birth-centered practitioner, which she was inspired to pursue after the birth of her first daughter.

Kate is a birth doula and the owner of Creative Childbirth ConceptsⓇ, a full spectrum pre and perinatal music therapy agency serving Chicago area families for fertility, pregnancy and support during labor and delivery. Kate has presented her research on pre and perinatal music therapy at regional and national American Music Therapy Association conferences, international conferences like the Online Music Therapy Conference and for worldwide parenting organizations like La Leche League International and the Holistic Moms Network. A board certified music therapist since 1999, it was not until the birth of her daughter in 2007 that Kate launched her birth centered music therapy practice where she now attends an average of 24 births per year and continues to raise two wonderfully energetic girls who both love music (and babies!). When not attending births, Kate can be found networking with like-minded parents at yoga and babywearing adventures, helping young MTBCs grow their birth based businesses or hiking at a nearby creek with her family and Rhodesian Ridgeback.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi.

Aksana shares her experience completing her masters degree online while raising her young daughter, the challenges of being the only music therapist in her country, and why networking via the internet is essential.

Aksana is the only Music Therapist in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and one of the few in the Arabian Gulf region. She holds a Master of Music in Music Therapy degree from Colorado State University, Honours Bachelor of Music Therapy from the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada, and previously completed Bachelors of Arts and Music Education from her home country Belarus in Eastern Europe. Aksana is a Neurologic Music Therapist and Accredited Music Therapist in Canada. She is an active music therapy advocate and holds such positions as a Co-Chair of the Online Conference for Music Therapy, and the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Liaison for the World Federation of Music Therapy. Aksana has a private practice in Bahrain, working with children with various special needs.

For show notes from this episode, visit www.guitarsandgranolabars.com.