Melissa Sommers, MM, MT-BC
- Board-certified music therapist for 15+ years
- Neurologic Music Therapist
- Extensive experience specializing in pediatric music therapy, specializing in neurologic disorders and traumatic brain injuries.
- Career spent supporting all ages and abilities through the unique connection and power of music
- Advanced training in DIR/Floortime (social-emotional focused approach)
Testimonials
Music Therapy
Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.
Our board-certified music therapist, credentialed by the Certification Board for Music Therapy (CBMT), works one-on-one with each child to assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through therapeutic musical interventions.
Based on the assessment, the therapist develops the treatment plan integrating music and imagery, improvisation, receptive music listening, expressive music making, learning through music and more to support the child’s non-musical goals established during the assessment. These goals often support communication, reciprocity, strengthening relationships, initiation of ideas, emotional expression, emotional identification, self esteem, sense of self, and more.
Specifically, music therapy can help children who:
- Struggle with anxiety, depression, attention disorders, or emotional trauma
- Suffer from physical illness, trauma, PTDS, addiction, eating disorder
- Need to improve communication or motor skills
- Need to build problem-solving skills
Music teletherapy does not require a family to provide any special materials or instruments, nor does it require previous music experience.
Occupational therapy is focused on assessing and problem-solving through the functional limitations that can affect an individual’s quality of life. These include fine and gross motor challenges, motor planning, sensory processing problems, executive functioning, and self-regulation.
We also offer specialized interventions for:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), dyspraxia, ADHD, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, sensory processing problems, and other developmental deficits
- Poor oral motor coordination skills and strength, along with limited feeding options
- Developmental skills/milestones
- Handwriting issues
- Activities of Daily Living/self-care
- School performance and success
- Visual perceptual deficits (dyslexia/dysgraphia/dyscalculia tendencies)
Functional and Academic Skills Training
We offer individually designed instruction of target skills to increase community access.
This therapy is appropriate for children who need to acquire academic, social and independence skills, including children with ADHD and learning disabilities.