Joyful Noises LLC

02/24/2026

I'm so excited to be a part of JJasonHicks' team for the Tucson Festival of Books again this year! I hope YOU will join us March 14th-15th on the beautiful University of Arizona campus!

02/24/2026

Thank you, American Music Therapy Association, Inc.!

AMTA Free Webinar: Crisis, Disaster and Emergency: Resources for Music Therapists

Communities across the country have and are experiencing natural and human-made disasters. As music therapists, you both live in and serve in your communities and are likely personally affected as well as supporting your clients and community. In response, AMTA is offering a free Webinar Crisis, Disaster and Emergency: Resources for Music Therapists which will share basic information for understanding the impact of disaster on the community, as well as a brief introduction to the Psychological First Aid Skills for Psychological Recovery frameworks.

When: Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm Eastern

Webinar is free, registration required. A recording will be made available.

Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UadehMIcTQWfH0IEO_EZKQ #/registration

For questions please reach out to crisis@musictherapy.org

02/17/2026

One of my favorite parts of working with authors is getting to support local independent bookstores like Studio Moonfall!

Wisconsin fantasy fans - Stop by Studio Moonfall, 5031 7th Avenue in Kenosha, for signed copies of Ruinwaster's Bane and The Earthmight War - while supplies last - plus more books by indie authors!

If you're not in Wisconsin, you can still support Studio Moonfall or your favorite local bookstore via Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/9574/9781960481078

Shop Local, Read Indie at Studio Moonfall!

Here’s Ruinwaster's Bane by JJasonHicks

With the very course of creation hanging in the balance, Aenguz Sidor, a wounded Akkeidii Warrior, holds the key to saving the people of Earth-if he can deliver the message in time. An unthinkable message from Lord Morgrom the Divider. A message he cannot share, and that no one may believe.

Following the unexpected death of his father, Aenguz is faced with a challenge to the death for the right to rule. Burdened with the message, he must decide what his legacy will be among his people. Will he die and be a savior or live and be a pariah?

His sudden capture leaves him lost far from home in the harrowing Lands of the Earth. He must find a way to deliver the message in time through old battle lines to the only people with the power to help save the Earth and shed the stigma of being the Last Emissary.

Pick up your copy at https://bookshop.org/a/9574/9781960481078

Stop by Studio Moonfall, 5031 7th Avenue in Kenosha, for more books by local authors and my friends from the indie publishing world!

02/17/2026

Up early this morning to guest lecture for Lindsay and the Augsburg University Music Therapy students on composition. In addition to sharing some musical experiences together, we will also talk about the clinification of music and how important nurturing our own personal relationship with music is for us as music therapists…

“Gift of Music”

Somewhere between the lyrics and the silence that follows, music becomes a place we return to - holding who we were, who we loved, and the moments that still linger.
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02/04/2026

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations!

02/04/2026

Congratulations to JJasonHicks on the cover reveal for his first nonfiction book, The War of Leadership, with illustrations by the very talented Victor Juhasz!

01/31/2026

Thank you to Hilary Coleman and Alliance Music Therapy for this - and for all that they (and so many of you) continue to do to show up for the clients with whom you work and the communities where you live and work. I'm continuing to update the resources for ways to show support and advocate for change on my linktree: https://linktr.ee/joyfulnoisesllc

“Don’t come to our session today! They’re here and it’s not safe for you to come here!” - Client’s parent
“Do you have your passport, legal docs with you?!” - Me to a teammate
“We’re going to telehealth b/c it’s not safe to meet in person” - Therapist
“Yesterday, I had to explain to my young client why they weren’t going back to school in person. I’m still processing all this and it just made me so angry these kids have to experience and see this.” - Therapist

These are just a few snippets of some convos (with consent to share) we’ve been having here in MN with our team. We’re proudly marching, protesting in our own fury and soft ways, and also continuing to show up for our client/families and each other through ALL the feels, emotions, breakdowns, etc. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SHOW UP FOR US AND OUR AMAZING MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
*Feel free to share, reuse this visual especially if you’re an MT-BC/private practice! LETS STAY LOUD TODAY and for the days to come!!!
**Resources and new mutual aid drives will continue to be posted! Thanks for all your contributions to our city!

01/24/2026

Please share this important resource from MnNEAT.

MnNEAT stands with our community and against ICE. This rapid‑response effort for community care provides downloadable disability access resources to support individuals during the current emergency in our state and across the country.

01/22/2026

Here is a for January. Please comment or message me if you would like this list of resources for caring for ourselves and others AND engaging to create meaningful change.

01/22/2026

I highly recommend this webinar. Thank you for sharing, Music Therapy Association of MN!

The Music Therapy Association of Minnesota is offering free access to their Understanding Immigration webinar that took place in October 2025. In light of the current actions and escalations of ICE in Minnesota, MTAM recognizes the importance of sharing, not gatekeeping, this important and pertinent information. Please email president@musictherapymn.com to gain access to this webinar. In lieu of a registration fee, please donate to the Advocates for Human Rights, who graciously hosted this webinar, here: theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/donate. Resources shared in the training can be found here: musictherapymn.com/understanding-immigration-webinar.

01/17/2026

More resources...

Our team at The Zones of Regulation is largely based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The focused immigration enforcement over the past couple of weeks has been intense. Many in our community are apprehensive, uncertain of what might unfold next. Yellow and Red Zones are near constant.

Our community moves through daily life with trepidation, hyper-vigilance, and knowledge that we might find ourselves as an observer or caught up in an unwanted interaction. It has never been more important for everyone to use tools to regulate our Zones in order to feel a sense of control and take stock of what grounds us. Regulation is vital to the safety and well-being for ourselves, and our community.

And this isn’t easy. It is taking every tool we’ve got to manage our Zones, knowing there are children who do not feel safe even at school. Knowing there are teachers who cannot protect their students, no matter how much they try. Knowing there are families facing rent and food scarcity, too afraid to leave the house. We are so heartened by how our community has come together and hopeful that peace will prevail.

We have put together a blog - Big Events, Big Feelings: Supporting Kids through Community Crises and a downloadable Zones Family Conversation Guide linked below.

Blog: https://zonesofregulation.com/blog/big-events-big-feelings-supporting-kids-through-community-crises/
Downloadable:https://zonesofregulation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Big-Events-and-Big-Feelings-A-Family-Conversation-Guide.pdf

Additional resources:
- 16 Picture Book Lessons to Aid Discussions on Immigration and Family Separation - AmazeWorks https://amazeworks.org/16-picture-book-lessons-to-aid-discussions-on-immigration-and-family-separation/?mc_cid=672c4e991d&mc_eid=aee8a172c3
-Talking to Kids about Immigration Enforcement in Their Communities https://www.chla.org/blog/advice-experts/talking-kids-about-immigration-enforcement-their-communities

Ways to Help the Minneapolis - Minnesota Community:
- Twin Cities Food Justice: https://www.tcfoodjustice.org/partner-with-us
- Neighbors Helping Neighbors: https://givebutter.com/nhn2026

01/15/2026

That moment when I got to ask James Patterson a question...right after the group tiara photo! Because that is also a thing at Author Nation...

I wear many hats. Maybe my tiara should be my official marketing and copyediting hat?

(Also, I am actually 52 - this just happened to be the tiara I had handy.)