Empowering Wellness Initiative Enrolling Now! More info
Learn More and Register for our Gather and Grow Series! More info
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Living Spirit Therapy Services HomepageLiving Spirit Therapy Services

Login

  • Home
  • About Music Therapy
    • Questions About Music Therapy
    • Why Should I Try Music Therapy?
    • Client Benefits and Goals
    • Session Structure
    • Music Therapy Interventions
    • Role of the Music Therapist
  • Programs & Services
    • Empowering Wellness Initiative
      • Empowering Wellness Initiative – Resources for Adults
      • Empowering Wellness Initiative – Resources for Kids and Individuals with Special Needs
    • Gather and Grow Series
    • More Information on Music Therapy with Specific Populations
      • Referral Candidates
      • Parkinson’s Disease
      • Stroke Rehabilitation
      • Seniors
      • Hospice and Palliative Care
      • Autism
      • Developmental Disabilities
      • Children with Special Needs
      • Mental Health
      • Music and Wellness
    • Music Groups and Lessons
      • United Through Music Camps Through Valley Friendship Club for Individuals with Special Needs
      • Learning Through Music: Pre-K to Kindergarten
      • Adaptive Music Lessons
      • Musical Playdates
    • Presentations & Trainings
  • About Us
    • Melissa Spiess, M.M., MT-BC Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow
    • Megan Lakemacher, MT-BC, Neurologic Music Therapist, Lead Music Therapist
    • Katlyn Hasbrouck, MT-BC Neurologic Music Therapist
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Start Music Therapy / Contact Us
  • Capital Campaign for Older Adults

Music Therapy and Stroke Rehabilitation

Due to COVID-19 All of our services are being provided virtually at this time

For More Information on How Virtual Sessions Work Click Here

What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is an evidence-based allied health service similar to physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology that uses music as the therapeutic tool to address physical, cognitive, social, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and/or behavioral needs.

Why Should I Try Music Therapy?

Nueromuscular Rehabilitation/ Relearning to Move Paralyzed Arm
  • Music therapy can help stroke survivors regain, improve, and maintain physical and cognitive abilities, helping them to be as independent as possible in activities of daily living and able to live life as normally as possible.
  • Due to the way the brain and body respond to music and motivational factors provided by music, music therapists can sometimes gain positive responses when others cannot.
  • Music therapists can complement and enhance the work of other therapists such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists by collaboratively working on and reinforcing goals and exercises given by other disciplines.
  • While many people are able to use music to entertain, music therapists provide an enjoyable way to enhance the overall quality of life of those they serve by providing a natural, non-threatening, fun, and reinforcing way to address needs in all domains (physical, cognitive, social, emotional, spiritual, and behavioral).

Benefits of Music Therapy for Stroke Survivors

Speech

  • Stimulate speech
  • Improve initiation and fluency of speech
  • Improve intelligibility/clarity of speech
  • Improve articulation
  • Improve breath support and voice volume
  • Improve vocal range
  • Improve vocal timbre and resonance (tone quality)
  • Improve rate of speech

General Cognitive

  • Improve attention
  • Improve executive functioning
  • Improve comprehension
  • Decrease visual neglect
  • Improve short- and long-term memory

Gait/Walking

  • Practice pre-gait exercises
  • Improve symmetry of gait (similarity between movements of left and right legs)
  • Improve stride length (length of steps)
  • Improve cadence of gait (speed)

General Physical

  • Increase ability to use impaired limbs
  • Decrease pain, tension, and contractures
  • Increase range of motion and flexibility
  • Increase strength and endurance while decreasing fatigue and recovery time
  • Improve circulation
  • Improve posture and balance
  • Increase coordination

Emotional, Spiritual, and Psychosocial

  • Provide emotional and spiritual support
  • Provide resources for coping
  • Provide opportunities for successful experiences
  • Improve mood and affect
  • Provide an outlet for safe self-expression
  • Help validate challenges
  • Provide opportunities for personal choice
  • Improve sense of belonging
  • Decrease fear, stress, and anxiety
  • Increase interest and esteem
  • Improve satisfaction with life
  • Structure positive social interaction and decrease isolation

How Do I Know if Someone is Qualified to Provide Music Therapy Services?

  • Qualified music therapists carry the credential MT-BC indicating that they have passed the national, independent certification board exam and have maintained awareness of current practice through continuing education or retesting. DO NOT work with anyone claiming to be a music therapist without the MT-BC designation.
  • To confirm MT-BC status go to: http://www.cbmt.org/certificant_search
  • Music therapists may carry the designation of Neurologic Music Therapist, which means that they have undergone additional training in this specific model of music therapy. Neurologic Music Therapist Fellow indicates that they have successfully passed advanced training and peer review of Neurologic Music Therapy techniques.
  • It is highly recommended that stroke survivors work primarily with Neurologic Music Therapy Fellows, or if they are not available in your area, Neurologic Music Therapists.

Primary Sidebar

Follow us!

View our Facebook page Visit our Instagram page

Music Therapy Resources

Board Certification

  • American Music Therapy Association
  • Certification Board for Music Therapy
  • Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy

Downloads

  • Music Therapy-Referral-Form
  • Music-Therapy-Referral-Candidates
  • MT for Parkinson’s Disease
  • MT for Stroke Rehabilitation
  • MT for Seniors
  • MT in Hospice & Palliative Care Trifold Brochure
  • MT for Autism
  • MT for Developmental Disabilities
  • MT for Children with Special Needs
  • MT & Mental Health
  • MT for Wellness
  • Legacy Gifts and Digital Services
  • Candidates for Music Therapy

Start Music Therapy

Whimsical music notes on a staff

How Do I Begin Music Therapy Services?

If you would like to find out more about how music therapy may help your loved one or to begin music therapy services, please contact:

Melissa Spiess, M.M., MT-BC
Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow
melissa@livingspirittherapy.com
651-363-3936

If you know you would like to initiate music therapy services please download, print, and complete the referral form.

Download Form

Footer

All Living Spirit Therapy Services, LLC employees are credentialed through the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

Pay Invoice

Recent Posts

  • Join Our Team!
  • Capital Campaign for Older Adults: Five Ways to Help!
  • Usborne Book Bash Fundraiser for Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative
  • Simple Self-Care Strategies During Social-Distancing: Pets, Plants, Coloring, Breathing, Exercise
  • #COVDChallenges: Action Steps to beat the blues and turn this into a positive opportunity.

Contact Us

Melissa Spiess, M.M., MT-BC

Neurologic Music Therapist
melissa@livingspirittherapy.com
651-363-3936

Start Music Therapy

Copyright © 2023 Living Spirit Therapy Services

Website by Uncorked Design LLC