As Willie Nelson sings, “The life I love is making music with my friends.”
Whether it be singing in the car with my husband on our road trips, making up songs for our dogs (Mila and Tater), facilitating music therapy sessions or virtual retreats, leading group singalongs, or performing with the Sally Rides, music is my jam (side note: I’m also a fan of song quotes and puns). My greatest passion is helping people connect and heal with compassion through our dearest mutual friend: Music. Music can help us feel seen and heard, feel connected with strangers who like the same band, connect us through time to our history, connect us to our faith, and physically bring us together in listening to a performance or making music in a group. A few years after graduating with a degree in music performance from Converse College in 2003, I experienced a back injury. I found myself tapping out rhythms, humming, and singing to distract myself and find hope again. I soon met one of the first students in the newly established Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy program at Converse, and decided to return and complete the program. Since earning my board certification (MT-BC) in 2010, I’ve continued to perform around upstate South Carolina while working as a music therapist in long term care, mental health, and community settings. I’ve collaborated on two published research studies on music and wellness for community mental health and long term care. In 2018 I founded Carolina Music Therapy, my music therapy private practice based in Spartanburg, SC. In addition to offering clinical music therapy services and adaptive music lessons, I also share resources on music in self-care for mental health at Compose Your Self Care and offer creative self care workshops.
