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A Little Hello and a Return to the Blog

It has been a very long time since I last posted here.

Over the past few years, life has been full in ways that have left little room for blogging. I have been occupied with editing a journal, raising an amazing child, working, and simply living. There have been busy seasons, meaningful moments, unexpected challenges, and plenty of days when the to-do list seemed to grow faster than the available time.

Although I have not been writing here, music therapy research continues to be a major part of my world. I have kept reading, thinking, talking with colleagues, and following the exciting developments in the field. I have missed having a space to share those thoughts in a more informal and accessible way.

So, this is a small hello and a hopeful return. I would like to start posting again about music therapy research, clinical questions, new studies, and the ideas that make this field so interesting. My goal has always been to make research feel less distant and more connected to the work music therapists do every day.

I am not promising a perfectly regular posting schedule but I am looking forward to making space for this blog again. Thank you for being here, whether you have been reading for years or are discovering this site for the first time.

I am happy to be back. 🙂

MTRB #20 – Robert Groene

Robert Groene is an Associate Professor and the Director of Music Therapy at UMKC. He received his BS, MA, and PhD degrees from the University of Minnesota. He is a past professor at The University of Iowa and Wartburg College. Dr. Groene is an active teacher researcher, clinician and research editorial board member in local, regional, national, and international venues. He was a past nominee for President-Elect of the American Music Therapy Association, Past President of the AMTA Midwestern Region, former Co-Chair of the AMTA Standards of Clinical Practice, and a recipient of the AMTA Service Award.

He is a former Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Conservatory, a recipient of the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Conservatory Excellence in Teaching Award, and a recipient of the Kauffman Conservatory Service Award. Dr. Groene is a Leadership Fellow of the UM System and Co-Chair of the 2020 Task force Faculty/Staff/Student Climate Subcommittee. His current research interests include the efficacy of music therapy concerning neurologic music therapy, curriculum, imagery, dementia, road rage, dental fears, and aging in community.

Music for this podcast is “Missouri Joe” by Sophie Tucker from the album Edison Amberol Record: 716

joyallenJoy Allen, PhD, MT-BC is an accomplished clinician, researcher, and educator. She has extensive experience working with medical patients where she focuses on psychological health, pain management, and the family system. She is particularly passionate about working with individuals and families facing chronic illnesses, including cancer. Her current research interests include quantitative analysis of the effects of music therapy on the psychological health of medical patients, Guided Imagery & Music with medical patients, as well as medical music therapy theory development and efficacy research. She is currently chair of the music therapy department at Berklee College of Music.

Music is Jimniclucl by Kid Romance from the album Boston Hassle Comp


UntitledFive voices on one podcast! Yes, it’s true. Continuing our series of podcasts with editorial board members of the Journal of Music Therapy, we have Caitlin Krater, Dr. Sheri Robb, and Dr. Debra Burns.

Caitlin Krater, MS, MT-BC completed her masters at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis (IUPUI) where her research focused on the use of implementation science with music therapy research to highlight the importance of music therapists’ clinical judgment during the implementation of a standardized protocol during stem cell transplant. She is involved in several other ongoing research projects seeking to better understand music therapists’ clinical decision-making as well as knowledge and use of an Evidenced Based Practice Model. She is currently the music therapist on the stem cell transplant unit at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Burns Debra_01Debra Burns, PhD, MT-BC is Associate Professor of Music Therapy and Chair of the Department of Music and Arts Technology in the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI. Dr. Burns’ holds a PhD in Music Education and Music Therapy from the University of Kansas, MM in Music Therapy from Illinois State University and a BA in Music Education from Glenville State College in West Virginia. She specializes in music-based intervention research using mixed methodologies across the cancer treatment continuum from active treatment to survivorship and end of life. She is also interested in the integration of music technologies within music therapy pedagogy and clinical practice.

robb_sheri (03.14).jpgSheri L. Robb, PhD, MT-BC is an Associate Professor and Director of the Undergraduate Honors Program at the Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN. She also serves as Program Director for the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute KL2 Young Investigators Program. Sheri has received funding from the National Institutes of Health and Children’s Oncology Group, and her program of research focuses on development and testing of music therapy interventions to manage distress, improve positive health outcomes, and prevent secondary psychosocial morbidity in children and adolescents with cancer and their parents. She is internationally recognized for her work in pediatric music therapy and serves as Editor for the Journal of Music Therapy.

MTRB #15 – Claire Ghetti

ghetti_bw Claire Ghetti is part of the Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre (GAMUT) and Associate Professor of Music Therapy at The Grieg Academy, University of Bergen, Norway. As a music therapist and child life specialist, she has extensive clinical experience with children and adults in intensive and long-term care medical settings. Claire has particular interest in exploring the ways in which music therapy may promote emotional-approach coping and buffer against traumatization in intensive medical contexts. She has conducted research and theoretical work in the area of music therapy as emotional-approach coping and as procedural support for invasive medical procedures. Current research includes evaluating the use of music therapy to improve quality of relation in preterm infant/parent interactions in order to promote optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes and improve parental psychological health. Along with colleagues at GAMUT, Claire is also researching the implementation of music therapy in substance use treatment settings in Norway, and she has published on the topic of music therapy and harm reduction. Claire has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Music Therapy, Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, and Music Therapy Perspectives, and has authored journal articles and book chapters on various research methodologies and clinical approaches. She holds a Ph.D. in music education/music therapy with a minor in health psychology from the University of Kansas.

MTRB #14 – Felicity Baker

Felicity3Dr Felicity Baker is a former Australia Research Council Future Fellow (2011-2015) in the area of music therapy and working  on a study that aims to build a therapeutic model of songwriting across the lifespan. She is Founding Director of the International Research Network of Therapeutic Songwriting which has 32 members from 12 countries, and a professor of music therapy at the University of Melbourne.

Her clinical and research expertise are predominantly in neurorehabilitation with a special interest in communication rehabilitation and facilitating emotional adjustment to a changed identity via various music therapy methods.

Felicity is National President of The Australian Music Therapy Association, the national peak body for the discipline, and former editor of The Australian Journal of Music Therapy. She holds editorial board membership on The Journal of Music Therapy and the Nordic Journal of Music Therapy and has taught on international music therapy programs in Taiwan, USA, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Felicity was awarded a University of Queensland Foundation Excellence in Research Award (2008), an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation Award (2009), and an ADC Australian Leadership Award (2011).

Felicity has published widely with over 70 publications and is best known for her authored and edited texts: Music Therapy in Neurorehabilitation: A Clinician’s Manual. Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2006 with Jeanette Tamplin), Song Writing Methods, Techniques and Clinical Applications for Music Therapy Clinicians, Educators and Student (2005, with Tony Wigram), and Voicework in Music Therapy: Research and Practice (2011, with Sylka Uhlig).

Songwriting article by Baker, Silverman, & MacDonald.

Oscar Key Sung – New Weird Australia

Purple jacketDr. Amy Clements-Cortes is Assistant Professor, Music and Health Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto; Senior Music Therapist/Practice Advisor, Baycrest; Instructor and Supervisor, Wilfrid Laurier University & Registered Psychotherapist. Amy has extensive clinical experience working with clients across the lifespan with a specialty in work with older adults and end-of-life care. She has given over 90 conference and/or invited academic presentations, is published in peer reviewed journals and books, and has supervised over 36 music therapy internships, 30 undergraduate research studies, and 3 Masters students Major Research papers. She is the President of the WFMT, Managing Editor of the Music and Medicine journal, a former President of the Canadian Association for Music Therapy,  and serves on the editorial review board of the Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, and Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Music for this podcast is “Out Here On My Own” a cover of the tune from “Fame” by Lesley and Michael Gore, performed by Amy Clements-Cortes.