Music Therapy for Kids with Big Feelings
Emma Martin, LPMT, MM, MT-BC and Cacia King Herlihy, MM, MT-BC will be discussing what big feelings are, how music therapy can support kids with big feelings, and ways to help kiddos learn to regulate their emotions.
Music Therapy and Substance Use Recovery
Music therapy can support increased self-image, mood, motivation, social connection, and healthy coping skills for people in recovery through songwriting, lyric analysis, active music making, and music-assisted relaxation.
How Do Music Therapists Plan for a Session?
Emma and Heather will be discussing how music therapists plan for sessions, what kinds of experiences might be included, and the importance of flexibility. Keep reading for the audio link and a full transcript.
Music and Art for Wellness
We believe in using music and art to achieve goals beyond just learning or being “good at” a creative skill. They are a vehicle for emotional awareness, processing experiences, exploring sense of self and identity, reducing physical pain, connect with meaningful memories and experiences, and building positive community. Today we are going to share some ideas with you about ways to explore creative expression in your own time and space, based on a workshop facilitated by Vanessa Hale, MT-BC, at the Somersworth Public Library last month.
Managing Big Feelings at Home: Coping Skills for People of All Ages
Whether you are a therapist, teacher, caregiver, or looking for ways to support your own mental health, there are a PLETHORA of resources out there. It can be hard to navigate what is worth the cost, who is giving legitimate advice, or where to start. Therapy can be expensive, hard to access, and you won’t always have a session scheduled when things get hard. Knowing how to process and express your emotions at home, find sensory outlets, and calm down anxiety responses is a great way to take care of your wellness during your day-to-day. Keep reading for ideas and resources for people varying ages and abilities.
Music and Art Based Apps
Many of us have near constant access to phones, tablets, and computers. They can be a source of excitement, connection, stress, and relaxation, depending on how you use them. Music and art have wonderful therapeutic properties outside of music and art therapy sessions, whether you engage through listening, creating, digitally, or physically. Here are some of our favorite free apps for music, wellness, creative expression, and relaxation for people of all ages!
All About Group Music and Art Therapy
Happy August! As fall comes around the corner, we are prepping to run the next session of our inclusive therapy groups here at The Sonatina Center. We currently run music and art therapy groups for children ages 2 - 14 and for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Keep reading to learn more!
Music Making for "Non-Musicians"
In this blog post, I offer three music experiences you could try on your own to deepen and evolve your relationship with musical expression. It’s important to mention that engaging with meaningful music can be a vulnerable experience that could bring up significant emotions and memories. Having resources available to support you is a good idea whether you have a therapist, counselor, or trusted friend you can talk with, or contacts to local resources you can reach out to for support if needed.
Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth
Last month, I presented at the Rye Public Library on how to raise, affirm, and support queer and transgender youth in your communities. A full link to the presentation and discussion is available on the Rye Library’s website. This blog provides a condensed version of my presentation and a host of resources to help you along the way.
What Therapist is a Good Fit for Me?
Welcome to Part 2 of our Therapy 101 Series! Last week, we went through the different types of therapy, approaches to practice, and acronyms you might come across when looking for a therapist. Today, we are going to talk about how to choose a therapist that fits your needs and personality.
How Do I Know What Kind of Therapy To Try?
Welcome to Part 1 of our Therapy 101 Series! Over the next few weeks, I will be decoding the different types of therapy, how to find a therapist, payment options, and the mystical client-therapist relationship to help you find, finance, and feel supported in your wellness goals. At Sonatina, we believe in making therapy, mental health care, and wellness accessible to our community. While it often looks like sliding scale payments, scholarships and accessible facilities, it can also look like sharing our “insider knowledge” to help people make educated decisions about what they need.
Celebrating Holi with Kids
Hello and happy Holi! We are wishing you a very happy and colorful day of celebration in honor of the Hindu Festival of Colors.
What is Music Therapy?
What is music therapy? Music therapy uses music to engage people in self-exploration, growth, and development of meaningful skills in their daily life. Music therapists support people across the life span in emotional, interpersonal, communicative, cognitive, and physical domains.
Celebrating Lunar New Year with Kids
Lunar New Year started on Tuesday February 1st to celebrate the first new moon of the year. Asian people all across the globe celebrate it every year with parades, fireworks, spending time with loved ones, paying respect to their ancestors, and decorating with bright reds. This year is the Year of the Tiger, indicating courage, and strength. Celebrations can last up to 15 days and vary from country to country.
If you are still looking for ways to teach your families about Lunar New Year through art, music, and storytelling, I would love to share activities by some my favorite Asian creators and platforms.
What Is and Isn't Music Therapy?: Music Therapy Mythbusting
As a music therapy intern, I am learning something new nearly every minute of every day. So much is being revealed to me as I explore the wide scope of music therapy practice and the various healing spaces we create and step into. Each music therapist carries nuanced perspectives and philosophies, and there is truly no “one size fits all” approach to our work.
Music for Big Emotions: Emotion Playlists
What is a Mood Regulation Playlist?
It is a therapeutic application of music to help reduce the length and intensity of emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness, fear, and overwhelm by curating your music to accompany the experience of an intense emotion.
What to Expect from Music Therapy (By: Emme Hooks)
Music therapy sessions are an engaging and motivating place for clients to explore and develop themselves in collaboration with a music therapist. Rooted in shared musical experiences, music therapy provides opportunities for connection, self-exploration, self-expression, and learning. At the Sonatina Center, we approach therapy from a culturally and contextual-centered lens, which means all of our therapists place your identities, interests, lived experiences, and personal goals at the center.
Breathing for Mindfulness (Video)
October marks the time of year when the days start getting noticeably shorter and the weather is beginning to cool, signaling us to put on our sweaters, cook a warm meal, and cozy up by the fire… right? But for many of us, October also marks the beginning of the holiday season and the ramping up of school and other commitments. Contradicting the pull to go inwards is the expectation to go shopping, socialize and engage in fall activities, all while keeping up with work, school, family, and life!
Mindfulness for Stress Reduction, Burnout Prevention, and Resiliency
Hey y’all, it’s Emme. As we hit the dog days of summer and approach back to school, back to work, and other seasonal transitions, I want to invite you to check in with yourself.
What is Creative Arts Therapy?
When people think of therapy, we often picture sitting on a couch and talking to someone, maybe with a tissue in hand. Talk psychotherapy is one effective form of support, but there are others as well. Creative arts therapies not only support social and emotional wellbeing, but they also support physical, cognitive, communicative domains…