As a music therapist, I do a lot of singing and guitar-playing in music therapy sessions. However, I almost always use one recorded pop song at some point during sessions so that the schoolchildren that I work with and I can dance! In this episode, I go over my top 9 dance songs that I used this past year, and I discuss the musical elements in each one that make them so fun and engaging! 

Spotify link to songs mentioned: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6L1YExeKP9Zme9RU3gbN8E?si=4b5dc87eae8a4bf9

When I'm on summer break, I always find myself missing my music therapy clinical work, even if the break is nice! So, I talked to some friends of mine about their favorite and least favorite parts of working in the music therapy profession, and I got some great answers! I go over the pros, the cons, and the misconceptions of this work that is still unfamiliar to a lot of people. Some answers might surprise you!

If you have any music therapy questions, reach out to me at Instagram here! https://www.instagram.com/nitty_gritty_of_ditties/

I went to a movie theater for the first time in almost two years, and it was because I needed to see "In the Heights." I love musicals, but they also always make me cry. So, I dove into some famous musical tearjerkers, as well as some songs from "In the Heights" to see what similarities they all had - musical and otherwise. Hear how your favorite sad ballad stacks up on my "sadness scale"!

Songs mentioned in the episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5DUl4jI0tTq8zhF1mtpKdi?si=5ad9b2ce2e9b45b1

I am so excited for music festivals to be back in the United States this summer that I made an entire episode about them! First, I discuss the idea of emotional contagion and the physiological benefits of live music. Then, I go over the festival rules I follow. And finally, my husband joins me on the podcast to discuss our favorite festival memories and dream lineups! 

Back by popular demand, I'll be looking into all of the limo exit music from the premiere of Katie's Bachelorette season! I break all of the music down for all of you, and give my predictions based off of it. We'll see if I'm right by the end of the season, and I probably won't be, but it's always fun to try! 

I knew I would like Olivia Rodrigo's debut album based off the singles, but I was impressed more than I thought I could be by a 18-year-old's debut album. In this episode, I dissect the music of each song and how the music might affect how the songs make us feel. Then, my friend Lori joins me to discuss how this album compares to early Taylor Swift, and where Rodrigo might go from here!

My friend Jordan joined me on the podcast again to talk about astrology! We each make the case for two songs to represent each zodiac sign and talk about our our sign is the best! It's a long episode but a fun one! 

Spotify Playlist of songs mentioned: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05lAkhOUMMTVCnejFV5x8K?si=6c8862eccf20446e

I've been feeling sentimental lately and thinking about weddings a lot. So, I figured it was time to talk about first dance songs! I asked my friends and family what their songs were, and created four categories of wedding songs based on their responses. See if you're wedding song made my list, and what category it falls into! Then I talk about my first dance song and why we chose it!

Spotify link to songs mentioned: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5livFyQTZRVYm4gZqeNdoi?si=a00905cdd7164584

When this episode is released, it'll be exactly one year from when my first episode went public! Time flies when you're inside working and podcasting. In this episode, I go over my favorite things that I've learned and insights that I've had while doing this show. I've learned a lot more than just music theory details of pop songs. But don't worry, I'm not going anywhere!