Harmony In Dementia

11/24/2025

Community music therapy is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about creating meaningful programming for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Isolation can affect both caregivers and those they care for — and having a space to simply show up as themselves, be a little silly, share feelings, laugh, and sing together can make such a difference.

In our most recent group, people were arriving with hugs, excited to see one another. And at the end? They were singing together on their way out the door.

That’s the ripple effect of community. The impact reaches far beyond the session itself — it carries into the rest of their day and week.

11/19/2025

Normalizing Caregiver Grief

Caregiver grief doesn’t mean you’ve given up.

It means your heart is stretching to hold change, love, and loss all at once.

Caregivers hold the tension of joy and sorrow every day.

Let’s normalize that.
Let’s talk about it.

11/18/2025

11/17/2025

When people ask what it’s been like moving my private practice to Wilmington, the first thing I share is the incredible community support and partnerships.

Collaborating with local organizations—including the Caregiver Academy—has truly been a joyful experience.

I’m grateful for the relationships I’ve been able to build here over the last year, and I’m excited to keep expanding the ways I can support our community.

11/14/2025

Register and join us next week—November 20th—for an uplifting community conference created especially for caregivers.

Come just as you are. This event is a space to find comfort, encouragement, and connection with others who truly understand the caregiving journey.

You’ll hear from inspiring speakers and local experts, learn practical tools for day-to-day challenges, and explore new ways to support your loved one and yourself.

I’m grateful to be presenting as part of this event—just in time for National Family Caregivers Month. 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

Register Here ⬇️
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/caregiverconferences/event/wilmingtonconf/

11/13/2025

There’s nothing better than walking out of a client’s room and still hearing them singing down the hall after the session 🎶

Moments like this are a beautiful reminder of the power of music and connection 💜

11/12/2025

Anticipatory grief: Grieving what’s coming — the changes you can see on the horizon.

Ambiguous grief: Grieving someone who is still here — when the person you love is changing due to illness or dementia.

Both are real. Both are valid. And both can exist alongside love, laughter, and hope.

11/11/2025

Another special community music therapy program in the books! 🎶

I love collaborating with community partners, and this month ’s Connections program was open to trying something new 🖼️

We hosted a community group music therapy session centered around gratitude and thankfulness — creating space for reflection, connection, and shared musical expression.

The audio in this post features the group learning “The Thanksgiving Song” by Mary Chapin Carpenter — a beautiful representation of our theme of gratitude.

I’m so grateful for CAM’s support and openness to exploring new ways of connecting through music—for both caregivers and people living with dementia.

Programs like this are such a gift to Wilmington, and I’m truly thankful to be part of them. 💜

11/09/2025

FB Marketplace Finds: Music Therapist Edition 🎶

Scoring a deal as a solo business owner = a win for my budget and my clients!

I love a good deal and this one was too good to pass up 🥰 Can’t wait to bring even more music and joy to sessions! 🎵💜

💡 Have a favorite second-hand instrument find? Drop it in the comments! 👇

11/07/2025

✨ Experience the harmony that happens when we’re together. ✨

I’m excited to be offering another interactive community music group for people living with dementia and their carers at the Leland Library in the new year!

🎶 What to expect: Each session is filled with singing, movement, playing instruments, and listening activities that bring out joy, connection, and self-expression.

Caregivers join alongside the person they support—because sharing the music together makes it even more meaningful.

🗓️ 2026 Dates (Wednesdays, 2-3PM):
January 28
February 25
March 25

💜 Cost: Free for all participants
📍Location: Leland Library
👥 Space is limited to 30 participants (15 caregiver–partner pairs)

✍️ Pre-registration is required
📧 To register: contact@harmonyindementia.com

11/05/2025

Grief is a natural response to loss, not only when someone dies, but also when life changes in ways we didn’t choose.

Grief can show up physically: fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, appetite changes, sleep disruption, brain fog.

It can also appear emotionally and cognitively: sadness, irritability, guilt, relief, anxiety, forgetfulness.

For caregivers, grief can begin long before death, as anticipatory or ambiguous grief, while you’re still showing up every day in love and care.

You don’t have to minimize your grief just because you’re still in the caregiving role. It’s valid. It’s human.

11/05/2025

As a music therapist with 18 years in the field, this episode of really resonated with me. 🎶

If you’re a fellow music therapist, this is an absolute must-listen.

Tune in on Spotify ⬇️⬇️⬇️

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6t4X73RhDRIytI5e7IAGyy?si=652afbdb57884ca8