Music Therapy in Portland, Oregon
As a board-certified music therapist, I am here to support you in reaching your goals through active music-making or guided music listening. This can be a helpful outlet if you struggle to put your experiences into words!
Music can be another avenue for expression and empowerment. Music therapy can help you access the deeper things, especially when traditional talk therapy has not helped. Whether that is listening to a song together, songwriting, or even improvising, music therapy provides a space for processing and understanding when words are not sufficient.
Here is what music therapy can look like:
Music listening & receptive interventions: Have you noticed how certain songs make you feel something? Maybe it helps you cry, inspires you to sing along at the top of your lungs, motivates you to hop on the treadmill, or just makes you feel at peace. In session, I encourage you to bring in music that is supportive to you so we can intentionally listen and discuss what the song means to you. Sometimes we will even create playlists in session!
Improvisation: This intervention requires some risk, but it also provides a space for total creative abandon. This can look like both of us sitting with an instrument of our choice and "jamming", seeing where the music takes us. Sometimes, there will be a theme we can play out, and other times, we will just play to see what comes up. This is a true example of process over product.
Song re-creation: Think of this as covering one of your favorite songs. We all have that song (or probably a few) that we love. The thought of singing or performing it ourselves may feel daunting, but it can feel incredibly rewarding to learn it and make the song our own.
Songwriting: Who says that only musicians can write songs?! Whether it's writing a few lyrics or humming a melody we just came up with, songwriting can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and expression. Maybe you want to write an anthem or the "theme song" of your life. Maybe you want to capture a particular memory or feeling with song. Maybe you want to write a song about a loved one who has passed. And if you are really feeling ambitious, maybe we could even record the song you write!