What is Music Therapy?
“Music Therapy is a discipline in which credentialed professionals (Music Therapists Accredited - MTAs) use music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health, and well-being. Music therapists use music safely and ethically to address human needs within cognitive, communicative, emotional, musical, physical, social and spiritual domains”.
- Canadian Association of Music Therapists, June 2016
How Does Music Therapy Support Children’s Development?
Music is known to be engaging, motivating and helpful for learning. Children’s innate desire to grow, learn and interact with their environment may be made more difficult by certain conditions. However, their ability to connect with music and experience joy and success is not lessened; indeed, music may be THE avenue for a child to communicate, self-regulate, and practice musical and non-musical skills. Accredited music therapists tap into this knowledge and experience which transcends socio-cultural, developmental and health-disability differences.
Meet your Music Therapists
Birgit Giesser
Birgit Giesser is a vocalist and flautist, and plays recorder, piano, guitar and percussion. She is an Accredited Music Therapist (MTA) and carries a Bachelors degree in Education. She teaches the Musical Rainbow Early Childhood Music Education Program in community settings and preschools in the Tri-Cities and Burnaby. She has a private practice in Music Therapy serving children, youth and seniors. Birgit has presented locally and nationally on the role of music and music therapy in the lives of young children, and families at risk. She started working at Club Aviva in 2016 and is excited to continue offering Music Therapy services with us.
Joney Poon
Joney Poon is the owner of Rain or Shine Therapy & Musical Expressions. She has her BS in Clinical Psychology & is an Accredited Music Therapist. She is also a certified Clinical Hypnotherapist/Counselling and has further training in GIM (Guided Imagery in Music), NMT (neuro music therapy), neonatal music therapy, and aromatherapy. Joney is passionate with working with people and children and has experience in early childhood development in particular areas of speech, emotional intelligence, behavior, cognitive thinking, motor, attention & focus and mindfulness. Her mission is to guide individuals of all ages & abilities through science of neurology and holistic wellbeing to be the best they can be.
Locations
Empowering Steps Music Therapy is currently offered at our Coquitlam location.
To Register or Book an Assessment, please contact us
604-544-1201