https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTEhscnLlDY Despite the disruption to everyday life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Life On Music team is adapting to the ever-changing landscape and keeping the music going! The Virtual Session To prepare for your virtual music therapy session, gather any toys and musical instruments your child would like to use to a convenient space. Our team has found that virtual music therapy sessions work best when a parent or caregiver can be close by, so plan to spend about 30-minutes playing with your child. When you're ready to start the session, simply place you ..read more

My absolute favorite-est part of being a music therapist is when a kid "gets it" for the first time in a music therapy session. Once I was working with a toddler with Down syndrome and one of our goals was to use music to encourage and motivate this kiddo to say out loud, "hello." After a few weeks of practice and repetition, I started the session like all the others. I sang the first line of our hello song, "Hello Evelyn, hello. Glad that you're here today. Hello, Evelyn, ______..." And for the first time in this kid's life, out came the most beautiful and tentative approximation of "hello ..read more

Making-music is the only activity that's been shown to engage almost every area of the brain at once. (Band-nerds like me, rejoice!) Music therapists are trained to take advantage of music's "multi-modal" approach and use it to teach social skills, communication skills, and emotional regulation for people who need extra help, including some kids and adults with autism. (Watch the awesome video to learn more how music affects the brain). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0JKCYZ8hng For people with autism, music therapy can provide a space for non-verbal expression. Music has a way of conveying c ..read more

Ah, the question music therapists have been trying to answer for over 40 years. Music therapy is a lot of things. To oversimplify it, music therapy is the use of music interventions to achieve non-musical outcomes. Music therapists use activities like singing, drumming, instrument playing, songwriting, and music listening to help all types of people. Music therapists work in hospitals to help people cope with new diagnoses, anxiety, and painful procedures. (Imagine getting your flu shot, but with a real live person singing your favorite song on the guitar, telling you when to join in with the ..read more

1. Identify Emotions Game Sing in front of a mirror to practice what feelings look like on our faces. For example, sing “If you’re happy and you know it, show a smile,” or “If you’re silly and you know it, stick out your tongue.” Show an exaggerated expression on your face and have your child guess what the feeling is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teCYgOzRCyE2. Regulate Feelings Use drumming and rhythm to learn what big emo0ons feel like in our bodies. Chant, “This is how I drum when I feel [happy],” or, [Surprised].” Practice drumming loud and fast to represent anger. Practice drumming slo ..read more

1. Encourage Expression Sometimes when babies are born they need lots of help to process all the new feelings and sensations. After your baby’s needs are met, use music and rhythm to soothe and help them learn that no feeling is too big for you to handle. Sing or hum a simple melody, bounce or rock them gently to the beat, or provide a soothing “shushing” sound. Babies are comforted by their parents' voices above all others! Your favorite ballad or lullaby, even if it’s not a “kid song,” is perfect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEHWIjkEXLM2. Build Confidence Tummy time is important for babi ..read more

Life On Music is thrilled to introduce our expanded team of music therapists! Katie Schripsema, MT-BC Katie is a board-certified music therapist and occupational therapist, and is passionate about exploring how music and movement support self-regulation and promote development. She has experience in working with children in a variety of settings including early intervention, private practice, preschools, public schools, outpatient clinics, summer camps, and foster care. Prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest, Katie worked to expand music therapy services in her hometown of Albuquerque, New ..read more

If you're like me, you're probably enjoying all the new summer pop hits (I mean, Connection by One Republic? Loving it!) But don't forget the littles in your life need some new music too! Below are some music activities you can do at home to help avoid the summer slump and get some fun family-friendly quality time together. Feel free to print it off, put it on the fridge, and share it with your friends. Happy summer! Click here to download the PDF version! If you're in the Seattle area and think music therapy would benefit you or someone you know, click here to set up a free consultation. If ..read more

If you're like me, you probably use music therapeutically throughout your normal day. I love listening to accoustic music as I walk to my bus stop and I usually end the day with music that will help me calm down, check out from work, and make the transition to back to home-life. The music we listen to can have an effect on our mood, motivate us for a workout, or sometimes even define our personality, so it's no surprise that babies love listening to music too. Music engages a lot of senses at the same time which means there are LOTS of ways to use music therapeutically with your baby to reinfo ..read more