Music Therapy Conversations

Episode 105 is another interview from Crystal Luk-Worrall. In this episode, Crystal talks to music therapist Hugh Anderson. Hugh is a freelance Music Therapist and currently runs his own private practice, Thame Music Therapy, in South Oxfordshire. He trained at The Guildhall from 2014-2016 and has had a wide range of experiences working in mainstream and specialist schools and nurseries, as well as in different charity and community settings. The latter included eight years at the charity Resources for Autism in north London, where he was Head of Therapies from 2020-2023. Before training as a Music Therapist, Hugh worked for the charity Kids Company for six years, was a peripatetic piano teacher and was a songwriter and performer within a number of different bands.  Two years ago, Hugh discovered a different kind of improvisation in the form of improvised theatre and comedy, aka Improv. He is exploring the overlaps between Improv and Music Therapy and is currently collaborating with Dramatherapist Tim Goldman to set up an adult community group which combines music, movement, drama and free play to support mental health and group connection.  Hugh is a mentor on the BAMT NQMT mentoring scheme, a clinical supervisor and an active member of the BAMT Freelance and BAMT Oxfordshire network groups.  Improv Blog: https://thamemusictherapy.co.uk/improv-theatre-freeze-tag-discovery-and-saying-yes/ Working with parents in MT Blog: https://thamemusictherapy.co.uk/being-a-parent-of-a-child-in-music-therapy/  

In this episode, first Luke talks to Anita, then we hear Anita's interviews with Professors Denise Grocke and Alison Short. Sandwiched between these two longer interviews there are some shorter conversations with Pip Reid, Lucy Bolger, Wendy Magee, Helen Cameron, Catherine Threlfall and Emma O'Brien. This all took place at the AMTA conference in October 2025, in Melbourne. Emeritus Professor Denise Grocke PhD, RMT, RGIMT, FAMI, L. Mus. Emeritus Professor Denise Grocke completed her music therapy qualifications at Michigan State University, USA, and holds a Masters degree in Music Therapy, and a PhD in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), both from the University of Melbourne. She has worked as a music therapist with people living with mental illness, neurological disorders and dementia. She is trained in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, and is a Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery in the U.S. She established the music therapy course at the University of Melbourne in 1978, and for 33 years was Head of Music Therapy. From 1998-2012 she was Director of the National Music Therapy Research Unit (NaMTRU), which she established to promote research in music therapy at a national level. She co-founded the International Consortium of Music Therapy Research Universities in 2002, which enabled large international multi-site trials to advance the Profession. She was President of the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT) from 1999-2002, having served three terms as Chair of the Commission of Education, Training and Registration. She co-founded the Australian Music Therapy Association in 1975 and served two terms as its President. Professor Grocke has written extensively on music therapy and Guided Imagery and Music. She is co-author of Receptive Music Therapy (2024, with Dr Katrina McFerran); editor of Guided Imagery and Music: The Bonny Method and Beyond 2nd edition (2019); Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) and Music Imagery Methods for Individual and Group Therapy (2015; co-edited with Torben Moe); co-author of Receptive Methods in Music Therapy (2007) with Tony Wigram, and co-editor of Music Medicine 3 (1999) with Rosalie Rebollo Pratt. In addition she has published 30 book chapters, 50+ refereed journals articles, Cochrane reviews, and online publications. In 2012 she was presented with an Award of Merit, by the American Music Therapy Association, in recognition of service to the field of music therapy. In 2013 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Australian Music Therapy Association and Honorary Life Membership of the World Federation of Music Therapy, the Australian Music Therapy Association, and the Music and Imagery Association of Australia. In 2016 she was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for services as a pioneering practitioner, researcher, author and teacher in music therapy, and services to professional Organisations. Assoc. Prof. Alison Short Alison Short, PhD, MA (MT), BMus (MThy), GCULT, DipTh, CertIV, RMT, MT-BC, RGIMT, FAMI, is Associate Professor of Music Therapy/Music and Health at Western Sydney University, Australia. Alison trained in the very first music therapy course in Australia at the University of Melbourne, then completed her Masters in music therapy at New York University and her PhD at the University of Technology, Sydney. With over 43 years of practice as an Australian Registered Music Therapist, and 34 years holding Board Certification, Alison's clinical experience encompasses aged and palliative care, mental health and more, in the context of both medical and community settings. In addition, Alison worked for 10 years as a health services researcher on a range of projects and health applications, mostly within the Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia). Alison is an internationally recognised music therapy academic demonstrating innovative evidence-based and music-focussed expertise with an extensive publication record and frequent international invitations. Alison's work has been recognised with Honorary Life Membership of both the Australian Music Therapy Association and the Music and Imagery Association of Australia, and she is currently appointed as Regional Representative to the Council of the World Federation of Music Therapy. References  Gracida, Maclean and Coombes 2025 Music Therapy with Displaced Persons: Trauma, Transformations and Cultural Connections. Jessica Kingsley Publishers Scrub choir video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1YtT0qLjDA

In episode 103, Crystal Luk-Worrall interviews Carine Ries. Crystal is a new addition to the Music Therapy Conversations team of interviewers - more interviews from her coming soon! (You can also listen to Davina's interview with Crystal, if you haven't already, as this is episode 91.) Carine completed her undergraduate degree in Music & Psychology at the University of Leeds before moving to London to complete her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2010. Carine has since also qualified as a Music and Imagery therapist and GIM fellow. Carine completed her 200hrs yoga teacher training in 2017 and has presented internationally on the benefits of using a combined approach in therapy. She has experience working with children and adults in a variety of settings and with a range of needs, including mental health, emotional and behavioural difficulties, sensory processing difficulties, and profound and multiple learning disabilities. In her private practice Carine works with children and adults offering music therapy, GIM, yoga, and animal assisted therapy.  They discuss numerous topics, including: developing a diverse practice, supporting a team of music therapists, combining modalities, the importance of supervision, making music therapy accessible in the community, and leading from the heart.

In this episode, Martin Lawes talks with Tim Honig, PhD, MT-BC This podcast conversation about Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) includes discussion about how the cultural context may affect practice, about the music's role as co-therapist, and about the use of different types of music. The ongoing development of GIM worldwide is also considered where Music and Imagery (MI) methods are becoming increasingly important in Europe.   Tim Honig, PhD, MT-BC is a board-certified music therapist and a Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery. He is Assistant Professor and Director of Music Therapy at Westfield State University in Massachusetts, USA. A practitioner of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), he provides depth-oriented music therapy in private practice and provides supervision for therapists in GIM training with the Appalachian GIM Institute. Tim's music therapy research and clinical practice have focused on music therapy in mental healthcare in acute settings and private practice.  Reference Yoshihara, N., Acebes de Pablo, A., & Honig, T. J. (2024). Relationships between cultural factors and engaging in Guided Imagery and Music: An exploratory qualitative study. Journal of Music Therapy, 61(1).  https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thad022

Episode 101 is Luke's interview with Tina Warnock. This took place online in April 2025. Their conversation had a strong focus on vocal psychotherapy, including Tina's personal process of discovering this powerful therapeutic practice, and her current roles in developing training and research in this area. Tina Warnock is originally from Hertfordshire in England and has been based in Brighton, East Sussex since her undergraduate studies in Social Psychology in the late 1980s. She grew up playing the piano and in her late teens began singing and songwriting. The personal growth she experienced through singing with others and later vocal training led to a life-long interest in the connection between the voice and the self. Since qualifying as a music therapist in 2000, Tina gained extensive experience in a wide range of clinical settings including child and adolescent mental health, child development, special education, elderly mental health and learning disabilities. Her current practice includes vocal psychotherapy with people in cancer care, women with a history of trauma and abuse, and private practice with adults. In 2009 Tina established Belltree Music Therapy in Brighton (www.belltree.org.uk) which is now a thriving music therapy service. Between 2009 and 2013 she served on the BAMT board of trustees and was joint PR officer. Since 2016 she has focussed on developing the Austin Vocal Psychotherapy (AVPT) Distance Training Programme with Dr Diane Austin. In 2016 Tina invited Diane Austin to the UK to give some introductory workshops in vocal psychotherapy. The interest shown, combined with Tina's passion for the work led to her working intensively with Dr Austin over three 2-year programmes and in 2026 she will take on the role of lead trainer for this programme. Tina has been affiliated with Roehampton as a visiting lecturer and lecturer on the MA Music Therapy course. She regularly presents at music therapy conferences and has published several articles and book chapters on the voice and the self in music therapy. She is currently undertaking doctoral research at the Cambridge Institute of Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin University, UK, investigating the impact of Austin Vocal Psychotherapy training on a music therapist's voice, sense of self and therapeutic practice. (3) Tina Warnock | LinkedIn https://www.aru.ac.uk/people/tina-warnock www.belltree.org.uk www.austinvocalpsychotherapy.com    

The 100th episode is here! Luke and Davina look back on the podcast - how it started out, where it has come to, what they have learned so far. They also go on conversational detours, considering their own perspectives on this profession, including current discussions about diversity, inclusion and race, along with the nature of music in music therapy, and how individual, as well as multi-faceted, this work is. What were the original intentions for the podcast? Who helped get it started? What's Luke's favourite episode? All will be revealed! Thanks are also given to all those people who have helped with the podcast, including all the interviewees to date.  More podcasts to come, but this was a moment to look back and reflect.  For those people who have been asking Luke, 'When will you be interviewed?', this is (sort of) an answer to that question.  For anyone interested in getting involved as an interviewer, please contact Luke via email: luke.annesley@uwe.ac.uk  References and links Annesley, L. (2014). The music therapist in school as outsider. British Journal of Music Therapy, 28(2), 36-43. Vencatasamy, D. (2023). The importance of being diverse: Exploring the journey from Brexit to Belonging. British Journal of Music Therapy, 37(1), 28-35. Ethan Hein's podcast episode about 'Stormy Monday', referred to in the conversation: https://ethanhein.substack.com/p/they-call-it-stormy-monday 

Davina talks to Michele Forinash DA, MT-BC, LMHC about her experiences working with AIDS patients in hospice in the 1980s, topics around white supremacy and colonialism in music therapy, Michele's experiences as a queer music therapist, and the decolonisation of research and practice. This is a rich and inspiring interview with a music therapist with deep insights from a long and varied career to date.  Michele is Professor & Director of the PhD program in the Expressive Therapies Department at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA. Michele, a white, cis, Queer woman, has been involved in music therapy since 1981. Michele's research and publications have focused on supervision, doctoral education, LGBTQIA+ topics, arts-based research, and music therapy history. Michele is a former President of the American Music Therapy Association and former Chair of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapy.  

Tessa Watson is a music therapist and trainer. She is Associate Professor and Programme Leader for the MA Music Therapy at University of Roehampton and works in that setting with colleagues across the Arts and Play Therapies and other HCPC registered professions. She has extensive clinical experience in mental health and learning disability work and her current music therapy work is with the children and families who use Alexander Devine Hospice. Tessa has an interest in co-production and is one of the founders of HENCoP (The Health Education Network for Co-Production). Tessa has published and spoken widely about her music therapy work to support adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities, the experience of women in secure psychiatric settings, multi-disciplinary work and learning and teaching music therapy. She has contributed to the development of the profession in the UK (BAMT) and internationally (EMTC) and in 2020 led the BAMT online conference which attracted over 570 delegates. Tessa is an HCPC partner, working on CPD and FTP schemes. She plays cello and sings in local amateur musical groups. Tessa's most recent book, written with Cathy Warner is Contemporary Issues in Music Therapy Training, A Resource for Trainees, Trainers and Practitioners (Routledge 2024). Some other notable publications are 'Music Therapy with Adults with Learning Disabilities - a view from the United Kingdom' in The Handbook of Music Therapy (2024), 'Supporting the Unplanned Journey' in Collaboration and Assistance in Music Therapy Practice (2017), 'The World is Alive! Music Therapy with Adults with Learning Disabilities' in the Oxford Handbook of Music Therapy, OUP (2016), Integrated Team Working: Music Therapy as Part of Transdisciplinary and Collaborative Approaches, London; Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2008) with Karen Twyford, and Music Therapy with Adults with Learning Disabilities, London; Routledge (2007). Links: https://www.routledge.com/Contemporary-Issues-in-Music-Therapy-Training-A-Resource-for-Trainees-Trainers-and-Practitioners/Watson-Warner/p/book/9781032853963?srsltid=AfmBOoqv92gfeHbBxe_zmiemr1pyCC769xqTMPqxlu1E7Hfqo-imlCXw https://alexanderdevine.org/ https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught-courses/music-therapy/  

In episode 97, Davina Vencatasamy talks to her friend and distinguished colleague Jasmine Edwards. Jasmine Edwards, MA, LCAT, MT-BC (she/her) is a doctoral candidate and fellow within Steinhardt Music Education with a focus in music therapy at New York University. Jasmine holds a BM and MA in music therapy from Florida State University and NYU, respectively. Her clinical experiences include private practice, outpatient, school-based, community, and medical pediatric settings, and she is trained in NICU-MT, First Sounds: RBL, and Austin Vocal Psychotherapy. Jasmine has a vested interest in elevating dialogues about cultural humility within music therapy education and clinical practice within both her teaching and academic writing. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in the music therapy departments at Howard University, New York University, Montclair State University, Nazareth College, Duquesne University, and Molly University.

Tamsin is a multi-instrumentalist and composer with roots in the traditional dance tunes of the British Isles. Her debut solo album FREY (2022) established her as a rising star on the folk scene, with The Guardian praising her "beautiful, filmic compositions for accordion, harp, whistle and voice". In this work Tamsin explores themes of limbo, pain, healing and acceptance, reflecting on the microcosm of her personal experience of chronic illness alongside wider themes of societal disconnection and environmental grief. Her forthcoming record The Meeting Tree celebrates connection, nature and the joy of sharing tunes with friends. Tamsin's critically-acclaimed collaboration with Egyptian oud player Tarek Elazhary explores the parallels and celebrates the idiosyncrasies of Egyptian Maqam music and English folk traditions. Their friendship and resulting duo album So Far We Have Come is a testament to the unifying power of music, and won them a place in The Guardian's Top Ten Folk Albums of 2023, as well as a nomination for Best Group at the Songlines Music Awards. A versatile composer-performer, Tamsin also contributes to chamber-folk quintet Hedera and festival-favourite Mediterranean fusion band Solana. As a Musician in Residence at UHBW NHS Trust, she channels her musical passion into healing and connection, writing new music on lever harp and playing for patients on wards including the ICU. This episode was recorded in Tamsin's studio in Bristol and it includes performances recorded especially for the podcast. Luke and Tamsin also discuss her work as a musician in residence and her cross-cultural musical collaborations. Tamsin's website, which includes details of recodings and forthcoming live dates, is here.

In this episode, Davina Vencatasamy talks to Dr Chamari Wedamulla. Chamari is an independent researcher specialising in music education, with expertise in integrating music therapy approaches to enhance student mental health and well-being. Previously affiliated with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Birmingham City University,  Chamari contributed to the Fair & Inclusive Music Midlands (FIMM) project commissioned by Arts Council England, exploring the perceptions of the Midlands music education landscape and current learning barriers faced by young people, while coordinating with a range of key stakeholders and organisations within the field. Chamari's  PhD in Music Education and Music Therapy (Kingston University, London) focused on employing music therapy techniques in education to support adolescents' mental health. She was a steering group member of EDI MS, which is a cross-organisational network which aims to promote, support and share good practice in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Music Higher Education in the UK. Chamari has co-authored reports for Arts Council England and contributed to publications such as The Routledge Companion to Women and Musical Leadership (2024).

Luke speaks to Jonathan 'Jaytee' Tang about his PhD research, which makes links between music therapy, music psychology and cultural psychology. They discuss the concepts of independent vs interdependent self-construal, and the relevance of this to musical interactions. This has some fascinating implications for music therapy practice. Jonathan (Jaytee) Tang has over nine years of international clinical experience as a music therapist, having worked in medical, special education, and mental health settings. His work with individuals and families from diverse cultural backgrounds fueled his passion for exploring the interconnections between culture, music, and well-being. Currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Sheffield, Jonathan's research focuses on how culture shapes emotional responses to music. His doctoral project specifically investigates the influence of cultural models of selfhood on affective experiences with music.  Reference Taylor, S. E., Welch, W. T., Kim, H. S., & Sherman, D. K. (2007). Cultural differences in the impact of social support on psychological and biological stress responses. Psychological Science, 18(9), 831–837. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01987.x

Colin Lee talks to Martin Lawes about his musicology-oriented approach as a Nordoff-Robbins trained music therapist, and about the newly published Oxford Handbook of Queer and Trans Music Therapy which he edited. The podcast begins and ends with music. To start with, a composition by a music therapist commissioned to begin the handbook. To conclude, an improvisation from a music therapy session where Colin explains his musical decision-making as a therapist. Colin Andrew Lee studied piano at the Nordwestdeutsche Musikakademie and subsequently earned his postgraduate diploma in music therapy from the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre, London, UK. Colin was awarded the Music Therapy Charity research fellowship completing his doctoral thesis on the analysis of improvisations with people living with HIV/AIDS at London Lighthouse, a center for people facing the challenge of AIDS. He continued his clinical work at Sir Michael Sobell House Hospice, Oxford, UK. After immigrating to North America, Colin taught at Berklee College of Music, Boston, USA, and later at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada. Following the publication of Music at the Edge: The music therapy experiences of a musician with AIDS (1996, 2016), he subsequently created the theory of aesthetic music therapy that was the subject of Colin's monograph, The Architecture of Aesthetic Music Therapy (2003). Colin recently edited The Oxford Handbook of Queer and Trans Music Therapy (2024), and is currently editing The Oxford Handbook of Improvisation in Music Therapy. His research interests also include the analysis of postminimalist composers and their influence on the study of applied health musicology. References Lee, C. A. (2024) The Oxford Handbook of Queer and Trans Music Therapy. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780192898364.001.0001 Lee, C. A. & Dromey, C. (2023). Towards an applied health musicology: Aesthetic music therapy and beyond. In C. Dromey (Ed.), The Routledge Companion to Applied Musicology (pp. 184-191). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042983

Tilly Mütter has repeated her roving reporter trick from EMTC 2022. This time she talks to various conference attendees at the BAMT conference in Leicester in May 2024, providing a variety of interesting perspectives on the weekend. the theme of the conference was 'About All of Us, For All of Us, By All of Us', with the primary aims of highlighting and promoting the development of Music Therapy. There are some familiar voices here (to Music Therapy Conversations listeners) along with some new ones. In order of appearance, Tilly spoke to: Naviella Dowds, Anthony Voelcker, Kelly Fraser, Duncan Campbell, Marianne Rizkallah, Helen Odell-Miller, Hakeem Leonard, Kirsty Jane, Kendra Bodden and Karen Diamond. A big thanks to all of these contributors! Before that, Tilly and Luke also share their own (somewhat hazy) recollections in the introduction. You can find another view from Marianne Rizkallah on her blog here, and no doubt there are more conference reports incoming. There were some fresh faces at this conference, new formats, and many inspiring moments, in a different sort of venue - plenty to reflect on and learn from!

In episode 91, Davina speaks to Crystal Luk-Worrall about EMDR and music therapy. Crystal Luk-Worrall is a music therapist and EMDR therapist working with the adoption community in London through her private practice Clap and Toot, as well as working with bereaved families through her work at Shooting Star Children's Hospices. She enjoys exploring multi-modality practice and systemic practice. Crystal also supports fellow freelance therapists and newly qualified therapists through her role as BAMT's freelance network coordinator.  Clap and Toot | Music Therapy

In this podcast, Martin Lawes talks to Helen Wallace-Bell about SMI and RMI which are part of the contemporary spectrum of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) and Music and Imagery (MI) methods Helen explains what these approaches are and how the recorded music used is chosen collaboratively to help the client develop their inner resources or work on issues. Helen is involved in MI training which also gets discussed. In addition, Helen talks about her work with clients who have PTSD and about online groupwork with carers. She discusses various music used in this work including Breezin' (George Benson, https://open.spotify.com/track/1m3BAsNsQAaSNMD2M6vlKY?si=af7875cabc884295), Angels Nest (Peter Kater, https://open.spotify.com/track/3ijj6aeXCKMZWsD0EdzneJ?si=ce6f4f6551184195), and Darkest Hour (Sevdaliza, https://open.spotify.com/track/0ZbHjO6HyoGMLq5dCQIYWm?si=f41ece3b7bf64b45). The podcast begins with Martin explaining how GIM in contemporary practice is a spectrum of different methods and approaches including MI. He outlines what the Bonny Method of GIM is, as the original GIM method, and how MI has been developed in part to meet the needs of clients where GIM is contra-indicated or is in other ways unsuitable. For music therapists wishing to use GIM with their existing clients, the MI methods are especially important.   Helen Wallace-Bell, MA, BA (Hons), FAMI, MIT(Dip.), IMBP(Dip.) trained as a Music Therapist at the University of Roehampton, qualifying in 2007. She then worked for many years with adults with a learning disability. During this time, Helen began training in GIM, an experience she found transformative and enlightening both professionally and personally. She is now a GIM Fellow and MI Therapist (MIT) working in mental health, trauma, personal development, and group work (https://www.routesforchange.uk/). She is also an Independent Music Breathing Practitioner, Assistant Trainer and Supervisor at The Integrative GIM Training Programme (www.integrativegim.org), and a BAMT registered supervisor. Helen's GIM training cohort were the first to be trained in SMI and RMI in the UK and she is passionate about the efficacy and value of MI as a therapy process. She has presented case studies at a number of conferences, including sharing the results of an SMI groupwork pilot project undertaken with music therapy organisation Whole Step CIC during Covid-19 lockdowns, and her own experience as a trainee using MI to process transference/counter-transference. In her spare time, Helen enjoys living by the sea, and is a singer, songwriter, and percussionist in a folk trio. References Wallace, H. (2010) 'An Inquiry into an Integrated Approach to Music Therapy for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder & Sensory Integration Dysfunction'. MA research project, Roehampton University (unpublished). Margetts, L., Wallace, H. & Young, E. (2013) 'A Potential Space: Approaching "Outsider Research" with Classroom Practitioners working with Children with Complex Needs in Belarus', British Journal of Music Therapy, Vol.27, 2 p.6-23 (Co-Author) Wallace, H. (2018) 'A Whirlwind of Being', Music & Imagery Therapy Case Study outlining MI to process transference/counter-transference), presented at the 13th European GIM Conference, European Association of Music and Imagery (EAMI) Wallace, H (2021) 'Containment Through Collaboration: Online Therapy During Lockdown - A Pilot Project', Music & Imagery Therapy Groupwork Case Study, presented as part of a roundtable (Supportive Music & Imagery: Integrating Artwork & Imagery into Music Therapy practice), at The British Association for Music Therapy's annual conference (theme: 'Open Ground: Music Therapy in Collaboration & Exchange) Wallace, H (2022) 'The Way We Were: A multi-method approach to Music Therapy to support an adult with Learning Disability through bereavement', Music Therapy & Music & Imagery Therapy Case Study, presented at the 12th European Music Therapy Conference (theme: 'Music Therapy in Progress - Please Disturb') Wallace, H (2022) 'Online Group Music & Imagery Therapy During Lockdown', presented as part of a roundtable (The Use of Music & Imagery Methods as stand-alone interventions and as part of the continuum model), at the 12th European Music Therapy Conference  Wallace, H. & Jakubauskas, R. (2022) 'A Sense of Belonging: Piloting an online Supportive Music & Imagery Therapy Group for Adult Carers during Covid-19', poster presentation at the 12th European Music Therapy Conference  Wallace, H (2022) 'Reclaiming Jocelyn: One Woman's Journey Back to her Self through Music & Imagery Therapy', poster presentation at the 12th European Music Therapy Conference Wallace, H, & Jakubauskas, R (2023) 'Piloting Online Group Music & Imagery Therapy for Adult Carers during Covid-19', poster presentation at the World Federation of Music Therapy World Congress of Music Therapy

Emi talks with Davina about their recent debut at the BAMT Conference in May 2024 where they spoke about their experiences of being a deaf music therapist. Here are Emi's words of introduction: My name's Emi and my pronouns are they/them. I'm a deaf music therapist who currently works in older people's mental health in the NHS. I graduated from the University of Derby in 2022 with my master's in music therapy, where I became passionate about making music therapy more accessible to deaf people. Ever since, I've been working on publishing my independent scholarship on how my experience of music impacts my work, and I hope to use my career and research to platform the different ways disabled folks access music and music therapy.

This is the recording of the live discussion from the BAMT conference at the Curve Theatre Leicester on 18 May 2024. The conference panel was Luke Annesley, Rachel Darnley-Smith, Tilly Mutter and Davina Vencatasamy. Surprise special guests were Wendy Magee and Joy Gravestock, who happened to be in the audience, and excerpts were included from previous episodes from Wendy and Joy, along with Denise Wong and Mercedes Pavlicevic. The episode includes discussion about the genesis of the podcast, the processes of interviewing and being interviewed, and closer examination of excerpts from episodes selected by the panellists. Thanks to everyone who attended in person, and to BAMT for a wonderful and enriching conference.

Karen D. Goodman, PhD., Professor Emerita of Music, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey, USA., has been the primary figure in designing and developing both the former undergraduate and graduate music therapy programs at Montclair over forty years. Professor Goodman's research-based clinical work, at ten clinical settings, includes music therapy practice in child and adult psychiatry and developmental disabilities at New York Hospital- Cornell Medical Center, Creative Arts Rehabilitation Center-NYC and educational programs in the Greater New York area. Currently an Associate Editor for Psychology of Music, Professor Goodman has served as Editor of Music Therapy: The Journal of the American Association for Music Therapy and other journals in education. Her publications include two widely acclaimed books:  Music Therapy Groupwork with Special Needs Children: The Evolving Process (2007) and Music Therapy Education and Training: From Theory to Practice (2011) as well as two edited books International Perspectives in Music Therapy Education and Training: Adapting to a Changing World (2015) and Developing Issues in Music Therapy Education and Training: A Plurality of Views (2023).  A frequent presenter at international music therapy conferences over many years, she lectures and consults internationally on topics related to her clinical work and higher education and the relationships between these, most recently her lifespan developmental stage model for music therapy supervision (Goodman, 2023). Her outreach services for clinical supervision, program design, editing, teaching and both book and grant review are described here: karendgoodmanconsulting.com References Arieti, S., (1955) Interpretation of schizophrenia. Goodman, K.D. (2023) The Music Therapy Supervisor: Developmental Perspectives. Aalborg, Denmark: Aalborg University Goodman, K.D. (Ed.) (2023) Developing Issues in World Music Therapy Education and Training.  Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas Publisher. Goodman, K.D. (Ed.) (2015) International Perspectives in Music Therapy Education and Training: Adapting to a Changing World. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas Publisher. Goodman, K.D. (2011) Music Therapy Education and Training: Theory to Practice. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas Publisher. Goodman, K.D (2007) Music Therapy Groupwork with Special Needs Children: The Evolving Process. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas Publisher. Goodman, K.D. (2015) Book Publication in Music Therapy (In) K.D. Goodman (Ed.) International Perspectives on Music Therapy Education and Training: Adapting to a Changing World. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas. Kaufman, D. L. & Goodman, K.D. Cracking Up and Back Again: Transformation through Music and Poetry. In Z. Li & T.L. Long, (Eds.) (2010) The Meaning Management Challenge: Making Sense of Health, Illness and Disease, Oxford, UK: Inter-Disciplinary Press, pp. 117-129. Goodman, K.D. (1981) Music Therapy, Chapter 29. In S. Arieti (Ed.) The American Handbook of Psychiatry. New York: Basic Books Goodman, K.D. (2008) Cracking Up and Back Again: Book Review. Arts in Psychotherapy. 35(2) Goodman, K.D. (1989) Music Therapy Evaluation of Emotionally Disturbed. Children. Arts in Psychotherapy. 16(2), 179-192. Goodman, K.D. (1986) Book reviews. Journal of Music Therapy, 23 (1).

Holly Shirra is a qualified music therapist who holds her focus on helping people connect in community and express themselves creatively and authentically. With classical piano training from a young age, Holly discovered a passion for free improvisation while studying music therapy, which she completed in 2020. To help her understand further how people spontaneously create in groups, Holly founded 'Cambridge Music Improv' - a community project that gathers people from diverse backgrounds in public spaces to improvise music together. This supportive environment allows participants to tap into their creative side and find catharsis and self-expression while building connections with others. Alongside her community work, Holly has extensive experience in musical education, teaching piano to children since the age of 15. She continues to share her love of music through teaching as a regular part of her work. In her spare time these days, Holly likes to find balance through cooking, rock climbing, meditation, and spending time in nature.  Here is a link to Holly's documentary about the group: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38w-ygwKaIY&t=43s