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…
Music Therapy for Motor Skill Development
Music Therapists have the skill and training to address a really wide variety of therapeutic goals. These could include areas such as communication, social-emotional health, or sensory development. Today, I’m sharing how music therapists address fine and gross motor skills and how that might benefit you or your child.
Music for Emotion Regulation
Have you ever had the experience of being somewhere, or driving in your car, and that one song comes on and suddenly you are bawling, connecting to every word and every note in that song? Music is powerful, and we relate to it in so many ways. There are pieces that make us feel alive and energized, music that helps us work out, music that connects us spiritually, music that makes us feel all the feels, music that helps us meditate or be more fully present.
Is My Therapist Antiracist?: How To Find A Therapist That Fits You
As therapy and mental health services become more accessible and less stigmatized (we still have a long way to go!), more people are searching for therapists who will help them navigate the challenges and changes of their lives. But the process of finding a therapist can be daunting, intimidating, and frustrating as databases are incomplete, profiles speak in professional jargon, and intakes can be impossible to schedule. It can feel powerless, asking for someone in an ivory tower to help.
We need to flip this script. You finding a therapist is about You. Instead of, ‘will this person have availability and accept me as a new client,’ let’s change it to ‘does this therapist fit MY needs, will this therapist have a perspective that understands and validates me?’
Our Reopening Plans (By: Marissa Scott)
First of all, thank you so very much for taking the time to share your thoughts, concerns and ideas with us regarding reopening. We have been thinking long and hard about when to reopen and how to do it effectively. Your responses genuinely helped us come to a decision.
Black Lives Matter.
We are outraged and heartbroken over the murder of George Floyd and the hundreds of other innocent black men and women killed by police. We are appalled by the ongoing and unchecked racism and systematic oppression that is visible everywhere in our nation.
Meditations and Affirmations for Self-Love
What does your body feel right now? Are you sitting, standing, moving? What texture surrounds you? What does the air feel like, what does your breath feel like, what does your heartbeat feel like?
Singable Books for Kids
If you’ve tuned into any of our live videos in the past several weeks, you’ll notice that at The Sonatina Center, we LOVE singable story books. We love them for many reasons, for the concepts they teach, the imagery, and the beautiful songs that accompany them to name a few!
Accepting the new "Normal" (By: Marissa Scott)
I mean, how could I know that the next thing on my presentation timeline was going to be a giant black hole called COVID-19 that would suck all of those plans and ideas in and leave us scratching our heads on where to go and what to do next.
Behind the Scenes: Virtual Music Classes
COVID-19 has changed the way we all do things, and at The Sonatina Center, that means we’re doing virtually everything virtually! We’re doing music enrichment via Google Hangouts Meet, Facebook Live, and the entire team is doing remote teletherapy from our homes. That means our homes are now partially music therapy studios, which can take some finagling!
Silver Linings (By: Jordan Elias)
As we are responding to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, I’m reminded of our unique ability as humans to adapt to change. While it feels as though we’ve lost a lot right now, what we’ve gained is a renewed sense of collective action, a reminder that we are all in this together, and an appreciation for the bonds that keep us connected.
Makin’ Lemonade: Music and Art Teletherapy (By: Cacia King)
For those of you who know Team Sonatina, you know that we’re creative and aren’t ones to sit still! When we saw how things were progressing in our community with COVID-19, we immediately sprung into action.
Anxiety in the Age of Outbreak: Music-Based Meditation (By: Rebecca Gildea)
When the world around us feels like it’s burning, when there is uncertainty about our basic needs, we can start to feel the severe intensity of our most basic fears arise.
Art Therapy Isn't Just for Artists
In my work as an art therapist I am granted the joy of both witnessing and creating art alongside my clients. This can be a powerful and transformative experience, but also, initially a bit scary for some individuals. Where does this fear of engaging in the creative process come from?
How Do I Become a Music Therapist?
Music therapy is still considered a "new" profession in the state of New Hampshire and I am frequently asked about my music therapy credentials by friends, parents, and other allied health professionals. You may or may not have heard about NH House Bill 1286 relative to the licensure of music therapists. As chair of the task for for music therapy advocacy in NH, I’ve been very involved with the process of the bill and one of the initial concerns when the process began was the question of our training and education. Today I'm sharing my personal journey to becoming a music therapist and some general facts about the training and qualifications of a board certified music therapist.
A Therapeutic Space (By: Jordan Elias)
Before any music is made, the space we share can contribute a lot to the growth of both the group and the individuals in it. A welcoming space doesn’t exclude anyone; it offers opportunities for everyone to participate in whatever way works best for them. Stepping into that therapeutic space, we can signal that there’s no right way to participate and no one way to succeed.
The First Stage of Therapy: Getting to Know Your Therapist
When any new relationship starts, there is always that “getting to know you” stage, which can be fun, maybe awkward, but vital to any relationship! In therapy, this “getting to know you” stage is very important to the therapeutic relationship and helps therapists build rapport with the client.
FAQ FRIDAY: How to Reschedule Groove & Grow Classes
I registered for an enrichment class but I am unable to attend. Now what?
With the holiday punch card sale and the addition of 6 new Groove & Grow class sections in our recent past - We are getting a million questions about classes from our new families. This week I’m talking about how flexible we’ve made these classes so that YOU the parent can relax and enjoy them too.
Creative Arts Therapy for Adults
It recently came to my attention that when you look around our website, it is pretty clear that we offer services for children, but it is not as obvious that we offer services for adults. I think one of the reasons for this is that on our Instagram, Facebook, and other social media pages, we share a lot of visual content that depicts children and activities for families. I also share my songs and videos that I use in early childhood enrichment programs frequently, because I know there are a lot of parent readers out there who are paying attention to what I have to say!
Today I want to highlight some of the ways in which we serve adults and I invite you to share these services with the adults in your life who could benefit!
FAQ FRIDAY: Who Goes to Music and Art Therapy?
Who participates in music and art therapy group sessions?
At the Sonatina Center, we believe in creating inclusive environments in all of the work that we do. Individuals of all strengths and abilities are welcome in our groups, and often we have unique and diverse group participants which enhance the experience of all participants.