In this episode, Sue and Mike are joined by Hilary MacAulay, the owner of MasterworX Music Therapy and an Accredited Music Therapist (MTA). She has a Bachelor of Music Therapy from Acadia University, and completed her clinical internship in Calgary, working with a wide variety of ages and abilities. 

Hilary talks about the benefits of music therapy in the brain from a biological perspective. Research has demonstrated how music helps increase dopamine and serotonin, decreases cortisol so is a therapeutic modality for mental health and addiction. Music also activates cognitive, motor, and speech centers in the brain so is beneficial with autism, dementia, brain injuries to name a few.

Hilary shares her approach to music which is a humanistic or client centred approach and she meets people where they are at. With this approach, it provides a safe space to explore feelings, memories, traumas that people might not be able to access through talk therapy or other modalities. Hilary focuses on playing for fun to strip away the focus on performance based music which can activate judgement and shame. Hilary shares her passion and experience of music and music therapy with individuals and groups with people of all ages. At HUM, in her group sessions she guides people create their own “campfire songs.”