ABOUT BUXTON MUSIC THERAPY

I created the Buxton Music Therapy website after moving to Buxton to promote my music therapy work. I began practising music therapy in 2007. After several years of classroom music teaching, I became curious about why some children lost interest in learning. During my training in music therapy, I found psychotherapy fascinating, and it helped me explore some of those underlying reasons. Initially, I was teaching part-time while completing my music therapy training. Later, I decided to focus entirely on music therapy, although my passion for teaching remained. This led me to start private piano lessons. I discovered that there was some overlap between teaching and therapeutic work. After relocating to Buxton, I took a year off to attend to my young family before resuming both private piano teaching and music therapy. I came across a job advertisement for a position in a prison, which took my interest. I applied and was hired as a Core Creative Psychotherapist. This role allowed me to utilise my music therapy skills fully while working with adults with learning disabilities, many of whom had stopped learning for various reasons. Music therapy provided these individuals with an alternative means to express challenging emotions, helping them to introspect and rediscover their abilities to learn. My experiences in care homes for individuals living with dementia deepened my understanding of the meaning of life. In moments when everything seemed to be diminishing, music facilitated connections that transcended words. I was fortunate to witness many incredible and magical moments through these musical connections. I am passionate about using music to enhance people's lives and I learn so much from working with individuals of all ages and backgrounds. I look forward to music therapy opportunities that contribute to my personal growth and the growth of those I work with.

 

​Training, Qualifications and Experience

• Postgraduate Distance Training Programme in Austin Vocal Psychotherapy, awarded by the Music Psychotherapy Centre in New York City, USA, 2023​

• Postgraduate Diploma in Music Therapy, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, 2007

• Postgraduate Certificate in Education, Homerton College, University of Cambridge, 2003

• Bachelor of Music, University of Birmingham, 2001

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Past Work Experiences

• Core Creative Psychotherapist at a therapeutic community prison, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, providing group music therapy sessions to adults who are living with learning disabilities

• Music Teacher at Buxton Community School for one year, maternity leave cover

• Music Therapist with the MHA, Methodist Home Association, providing 1:1 and group music therapy sessions for people living at the late stage of dementia

• Music therapist at Nyland School, a primary school for children with Emotional, Behavioural and Social needs, Swindon

• Music therapist for a research project - 'The Potential Role of Music' to enhance the lives of children and young people with Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (Batten disease)

• Collaboration with Amber Trust, providing music therapy sessions for children who are blind

• Private piano tutor for all ages

• Volunteer for a family who has a non-verbal autistic child, using the approach from the Son-Rise programme

• Classroom Music Teacher at secondary school, Herod Parkway, Swindon

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I continually update my training in music therapy and relevant skills and knowledge, such as Safeguarding, Dementia Care, and Information Governance.

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I am a registered music therapist with the Health Care Profession Council - HCPC​ and a member of the British Association for Music Therapy - BAMT​​