Frequently asked questions.
About therapy/counseling
Are you accepting new therapy/counseling clients?
No. I am currently not accepting new counseling/therapy clients (not accepting music therapy clients either) in Vero Beach, Florida and via Telehealth throughout the state of Florida.
*If you’d like to become a client in the near future, please contact me here to join my waitlist and be notified when appointments become available.
I don’t know if therapy is for me. Why should I go to therapy?
That is a very common question! Working with a therapist is a very personal decision and it can feel intimidating & vulnerable seeking help from a person that you don’t know, even though we are mental health professionals. Sometimes people have had a not-so-great experience in the past and might feel hesitant to reach out to a therapist once again. Or, we might be going through ups and downs in life, but we might not necessarily consider them “that big of a deal” or that “we have too much going on” that we need to seek support from a counselor.
Working with a therapist can support you in learning yourself, your relationships, aspirations, boundaries, etc., can allow you to express and process your feelings and life events, can help you learn about coping skills and how to manage emotions, among other things.
Dealing and processing uncomfortable emotions or not, working with a therapist can be a valuable experience to maintain and take care of your mental health.
What is your training or education?
My education: I have a Master’s degree in music therapy and a Master’s degree in clinical social work, both from Florida State University. I have been board-certified by the Certification Board of Music Therapists for 5+ years and I am a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern.
Being a Registered Social Work Intern means that I have completed all the requirements of a Master’s degree in social work (coursework, internships, capstone, etc.) and in addition, I have completed the statewide requirements from the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling to currently pursue the Clinical Social Work License in the state of Florida. This process takes a minimum of 2 years post-grad and it includes receiving supervision from a LCSW supervisor. You can read more about these requirements here.
Board-certified music therapists need to complete at least a Bachelor’s degree in music therapy, complete a 1, 200 hour internship and sit for a board exam to become fully certified as a music therapist in the USA. You can read more about our training here.
Additional training: Neurologic Music Therapist, NICU Music Therapist, Orff Level 1, Trauma Focused-CBT, Grief Counselor Certification (in process).
About music therapy
What is music therapy?
Music therapy is an allied health profession in which a board-certified music therapist utilizes music (in addition to talking, listening, providing guidance & information) to prompt discussions, topics, and process feelings with the client. As both, a clinical social worker & a board-certified music therapist, I could tell you that the biggest difference between my music therapy sessions & my regular counseling sessions with clients is that during music therapy sessions, we focus on the music, we connect with our emotional, creative self or sometimes we let the music do the talking because sometimes, there are no words to describe how we are thinking, feeling, or what it is that is making us feel not like ourselves.
My aim is to help you discuss and process thoughts & feelings, get to know more of who you are & who you aim to be by learning coping skills, boundary-setting and tools to manage anxiety, depression & grief through a combination of conventional talk-therapy, music & mindfulness techniques.
Do I have to be a musician, an artist, or even know how to sing or play an instrument to benefit from music therapy?
Not at all. In fact, the majority of my clients have never played an instrument, though many feel a connection to music.
We all have that song that help us get through a break-up or loss. Maybe you have a song that gives you the strength to get up in the morning and keep moving. Perhaps there’s a song there’s a song that brings you back to a particular time in which you felt safe and well.
If you can relate to any of that, then you know of the power of music and you definitely don’t have to be a musician or an artist to appreciate and benefit from it.
Music sometimes feels safer than words or reaches thoughts and feelings that words alone cannot.
Can I do music therapy on myself if I just listen to a song on Spotify? Why do I need to work with a music therapist?
Listening to a song on Spotify or on the radio during your commute can definitely be therapeutic, but this is not music therapy. Music therapy happens through the work, connection and therapeutic relationship within a board-certified music therapist and you. A music therapist is trained in counseling, psychology, neuroscience along with music and in how to use it as a means to support people in their health & wellness journey.
Think about this: it is very helpful to talk to a friend when you are going through a hard time, though you wouldn’t call this counseling or therapy. You work with a counselor to talk, be listened to, and receive guidance, feedback and learn new skills to successfully cope with your mental health stressors.
Similarly, even though you can listen to music on your own or play music with a friend, working with me as music therapist means that you will discuss, be heard and learn new or different ways to support your mental health through creative expression.
I think I’d like to try music therapy, but i’m a little intimidated by it. What do we do in the first session? Do we sing, play an instrument?
Feeling intimidated by something new is a very valid feeling. Know that whatever happens in our music therapy sessions will be led or determined by you; I am just a guide bringing my suggestions, insights and knowledge from the training I’ve received.
Before we schedule our first session, you may contact me to discuss the support that you are looking for and how music therapy might be of benefit to you. I always offer a free, 20 minute consultation over Zoom before establishing any services.
If we feel music therapy is a good fit for your needs, then we will schedule our first session at a date and time that works with both of our schedules. You don’t have to bring anything to our Telehealth session, we don’t have to sing or play an instrument if you don’t feel comfortable. In fact, I’d like to get to know you first (including your music preferences, etc.) so that I know how to support you better.
Are you taking new music therapy clients?
I am not accepting new music therapy clients at this moment. Contact me here to get on the waitlist to be notified when music therapy appointments become available.
Where can I learn more about music therapy?
You can learn more about music therapy here.
