Melodica Music Therapy

17/12/2025

Hello!

I know all you EC teachers are more than ready for a break, but I have recently put together a few options for professional learning programs that I am really proud of.
Not only do they upskill educators in how to embed foundational music skills into practice, they are both evidence based, trauma informed, culturally safe and based on strategies and activities I KNOW kids love from my 12+ years as a Registered Music Therapist and Teacher.

The two programs on offer are CARRM and Preparing for Prep:

CARRM- is designed to to develop self-regulation and relational ability in young children with abuse and neglect histories.
Preparing for Prep- supports skills for school readiness through music, rhythm and music.

You can do one as a half day training, or both as a full day. On-line or in Person, anywhere in Qld!

For more info on programs, packages and pricing, please see below for more details 🎶🎶🥁💃🏻💞 #

19/11/2025

A few months ago, I was honoured to be asked as a guest on the amazing Jay Hoad's podcast 'Thriving with Autism'.

Jay is the founder and director of Autism Music Australia- a music school changing the game in how we teach and respond to the brilliant and differently wired brains of those on the Autistic Spectrum.

Our chat touched on so many things from..
-What IS Music Therapy?
-strategies to tapping a person's authentic voice ( even if they are classified as non-verbal)
-the power of rhythm and drumming and
-the spiritual, emotional and intuitive vortex that music can create within us when we are in flow ( based on our own lived experiences of this!).

It's a wild ride! And I loved it. Thank you Jay 💃🎼🪘🥰🎵

If you are curious to listen, a link to the podcast ep is listed below
🎧🎧🎧⏬⏬⏬

In this inspiring episode of Thriving with Autism, Jay from Autism Music Australia sits down with trauma-informed community music therapist Sarah Dunston from Melodica Music Therapy. Together, they explore how music can be a life-changing tool for emotional regulation, communication, and confidence....

05/06/2025

I had the most mindblowing chat with my supervisor yesterday. It was about an indigenous perspective and the power of storytelling- of yarning- to heal. So I've decided- my work is going to incorporate this. It is My journey through trauma, as much as it is the children and people I work with.

So I will start with the now- with my practice this morning.

I received this candle from my dog sitter, who looked after our puppies when we got married. In the last week or so, I've been burning this candle a lot. I've been worried about how abundance will flow if I have to give myself over to this period of research, study and reflection.

But you know what?

Since I've started meditating using this candle and imagining how the abundance will come? It well and truly has. I've had at least 3 life altering chats with serious visionaries, movers and shakers- who want to work with me! And its all happened just through showing up and yarning authentically.

About loss, about grief, about trauma- about this crazy thing called Life and the devine contained within it.

And yes, I believe material abundance will flow from this too...

I just have to trust, to have faith- that everything is in alignment- and it all flows from here...✨️

05/06/2025

Was such a joy to share my CARRM program with the Play Anything music therapy team last week. Providing learning and evidence based strategies to my colleagues utilising a trauma informed framework is what I love to do! However you do not need a musical background for the basic training- available to all therapists and educators who work in this space. DM me if you'd like to learn more :)

Last week, our team completed training with Sarah Dunston on the CARRM program by Melodica Music Therapy

CARRM—Connection And Regulation through Rhythmic play and Music—is a trauma-informed music therapy protocol designed to support young children in developing self-regulation and relational skills through rhythmic and musical activities.

At Play Anything, we’re committed to continuous professional development to ensure our services are evidence-based, inclusive, and grounded in best practice.

Big thanks to Sarah for sharing her expertise and guiding us through such a valuable learning experience!

09/05/2025

Hello!
Sarah here. The founder of Melodica Music Therapy. If you have ever wondered what trauma informed practice means for us, this vid breaks it down for you 🥰

22/03/2025

I had a lovely morning playing music in the sunshine with these gorgeous cherubs for World Downs Syndrome Day. Thanks for having me. It was so much fun! 🎶🎶🎶🪘🪘🪘😍😍😍

18/12/2024

Could not have said it better myself...👏👏👏

05/12/2024

I love this 🥰

01/12/2024

This is a reel I made explaining the 'why' behind a music therapy session focusing on expressive speech for a client technically classified as non-verbal. Music therapy is not teaching. Music therapy is not recreation. Music therapy belongs in the NDIS. Please like and share if you agree.