1. Describe yourself in one sentence.

I am a curious, sensitive, and creative fellow who feels grateful for opportunities to make music, participate in positive transformations, and to be baffled and inspired by the people around me. 

2. What led you to work in this field?

My favourite two things to do are to connect with people and to participate in music. Being a music therapist in a psychiatric setting offers me the opportunity to connect with people through music in a particularly intimate way. I feel particularly inspired by music-making when the sonic possibilities are vast and when the connection between the musicians feels genuine. Working as a music therapist allows me to make such a wide range of music in a day, and all of this music is connected to my patients’ quests to improve their lives.

3. What motivates you most in your work?

I derive a lot of meaning from participating in positive transformations in people’s lives. It helps me feel like an important part of my community/society when I am able to support someone in improving their lives. I believe strongly that music is almost always an essential part of a life well-lived. Being in a position to help someone improve their lives, on their own terms, while offering them opportunities to discover and grow their relationship with music is a meaningful way for me to spend my time. Doing this work contributes to my own feeling that my life is worth living.

4. What is one thing you wish everyone knew about music therapy?

That it is a diverse profession with many valid approaches, but that all music therapists are trained as music therapists, have gone to school, and are accredited to do this work. Also, the therapy is the music. There are other elements of music therapy, and verbal processing can certainly be one of them, but the way the music therapist engages in music with the people they work for is the most important thing. I was once told by a psychiatrist that “You don’t need a music therapist to supervise a music therapy student. It’s the therapy that needs supervising. Not the music.” I would like this misunderstanding to be cleared up. : )

5. What is your favourite way to engage with music.

By improvising.

6. Favourite band:

That’s such a hard question. Right now I’m going to say it’s a toss up between the Woodshed Orchestra and the Linda Lindas. A patient of mine recently introduced me to the Linda Lindas and they’re super inspiring.