cacia king herlihy, MM, MT-bc  

(She/Her)

Board-Certified Music Therapist New england Clinical services coordinator

Ages I Work With:  Infants, Young Children

I’m Passionate About Working With:

  • Young children who have experienced trauma

  • Young children with big feelings

  • Young children experiencing life changes or transitions

  • Neurodivergent children

  • Therapy is a collaborative process

  • Parents and caregivers are partners in the therapeutic process

  • In building a strong relationship with each client

  • Music can help us express things we didn’t know we were feeling

  • Musical tools can be utilized in and out of session to create lasting change

  • Music can change the brain, and impact the well-being and development of children.

  • All feelings are valid

  • Clients should be able to express themselves without fear of judgment

  • Examining each client’s world is important to fully understand them and their experiences

  • All people should be affirmed and respected for who they are

i believe…

IN MY SESSIONs I LIKE TO:

  • Use play-based interventions that follow a child’s lead 

  • Explore a variety of creative mediums to expand self-expression

  • Create a comfortable and flexible therapeutic environment to fit a variety of needs

  • Utilize preferred music

  • Engage in songwriting, music creation/recording, and improvisational music-making

  • Bring in motivating themes or topics, including movies or stories, to assist in self-exploration

Cacia, a white woman with light brown hair down to her collarbones, is smiling while gently leaning against a brick wall. She is wearing a white shirt, loose floral cardigan, and long gold necklace.

  • My name is Cacia (pronounced Kay-sha), and I am a white cisgender female who uses she/her pronouns. Since childhood, I have been an avid musician and performer. Over the years, I have witnessed the power of music for self-expression, emotional expression, and genuine human connection, which is something I bring into my therapy space everyday.

    I graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Anna Maria College in 2015. In 2018, I completed my Neurologic Music Therapy training, and began blogging about my music therapy experiences on Listen & Learn Music’s blog. In August of 2019, I graduated from Colorado State University with my Master of Music in Music Therapy, and became an adjunct professor and faculty supervisor at my alma mater, Anna Maria College. Over the course of my career, I have worked extensively with children with complex disabilities, Autism, mental health needs, and children who’ve experienced trauma.

  • MM: Master of Music in Music Therapy

    MT-BC: Board-Certified Music Therapist

  • As a music therapist, I am very passionate about understanding and practicing all of the ways that music can change the brain, impact well-being, and the development of my clients. Music is just one aspect of the play-based nature of my work, and a variety of creative mediums and approaches are used in sessions to truly meet a client where they are at, and address their unique needs. All who come into my therapy space are affirmed and respected for who they are, and where they are going on their journey. It is my honor to witness and support clients through the challenges and triumphs of life.

    I view parents and caregivers as partners in therapy, and collaboration with my clients and their support systems is essential to their growth and development. To comprehensively support my clients, I take care to examine all of the systems that may impact them, as well as approach my work from a developmental, neurologic, feminist, and person-centered standpoint. Additionally, I firmly believe that music is a tool that can be utilized outside of the therapy session, and I’m passionate about creating musical tools that can be taken home or into school to create greater generalization and lasting change in my clients.