MAKE A MELODY
MUSIC THERAPY
Music Therapy
Northern Ireland
Our Music Therapy Approach
At Make a Melody, we believe in the transformative power of music as a therapeutic medium. Our world-class music therapy services span the entirety of Northern Ireland, bringing specialized care to those who need it most. We've built a team of exceptionally qualified music therapists who combine their musical talents with clinical expertise to create meaningful, personalised interventions for our clients.
​
Music therapy is a clinical and evidence-based practice that uses music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship. Through creating, singing, moving to, and listening to music, our therapists address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.
​
When you step into a session with one of our therapists, you enter a space where music becomes a powerful tool for expression and connection. Whether you're seeking support for yourself or a loved one, our therapeutic approach centers on building relationships through musical experiences that resonate with your unique circumstances and goals.
Our Music Therapy Services
Group Sessions
​Music has a remarkable ability to bring people together, creating connections that transcend ordinary social barriers. Our group sessions harness this natural community-building power of music, creating supportive environments where participants experience the joy and therapeutic benefits of making music with others.
In a Make a Melody group session, you'll find a carefully structured yet flexible approach that balances individual expression with collective experience. Our therapists skillfully facilitate musical interactions that promote communication, encourage social awareness, and foster a sense of belonging. Group members often discover new aspects of themselves through their musical relationships with others.
Individual Sessions
The heart of our practice often begins with one-to-one music therapy sessions. These personalised experiences create a safe, nurturing environment where clients can explore their relationship with music and, through it, aspects of themselves that may be difficult to express through words alone.
In an individual session, our therapist's full attention is devoted to understanding and responding to your unique way of engaging with music. Together, you might improvise on instruments, create original music, or work through emotions embedded in familiar songs. These individual sessions become deeply meaningful spaces where clients often experience breakthroughs in emotional processing, find renewed motivation, or develop skills that transfer into other areas of their lives.
What happens in a Music Therapy Session?
The therapeutic techniques and tools we employ at Make a Melody are as diverse as the clients we serve. Each represents a different pathway for engaging with music therapeutically, and our sessions often weave together multiple techniques to create a comprehensive approach.​
​
Improvisation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
There's something profoundly freeing about creating music spontaneously, without concern for "getting it right." In these improvisational moments, clients often express emotions they cannot verbalise, discover new aspects of themselves, and experience deep connection with their therapist through this musical dialogue.​
Receptive Listening
Our receptive listening experiences guide clients through intentional engagement with carefully selected music. Whether facilitating relaxation, stimulating memory recall, or providing a container for emotional processing, these listening experiences harness music's natural impact on our neurological and emotional systems.
Instrument Playing
​Playing instruments in our sessions offers opportunities for developing fine and gross motor control, expressing emotions through different timbres and dynamics, making choices, and experiencing a sense of agency. Our extensive collection of instruments includes options accessible to all ability levels.
Movement to Music
Our movement-based techniques synchronize physical activity with musical elements, supporting coordination, spatial awareness, and embodied emotional expression. These activities can be adapted for all mobility levels and often bring an element of joy and playfulness to the therapeutic work.
Song Writing
Working collaboratively with their therapist, clients craft original lyrics and melodies that capture their experiences, challenges, hopes, and triumphs. The songs that emerge become tangible representations of the therapeutic journey—artifacts that can be revisited, shared, and celebrated.
Lyric Analysis
Many of our clients find tremendous value in the thoughtful exploration of meaning in song lyrics. This technique bridges music and verbal processing, using the emotionally resonant quality of songs to facilitate deeper conversations about personal experiences and emotions.
Singing
The human voice is perhaps the most intimate instrument of all. Our singing-based interventions range from structured vocal exercises that support breath control and projection to the emotional experience of sharing familiar songs, helping clients find their voice both literally and metaphorically.
Our Assessment Pathway
​​
We believe that effective therapy begins with thorough understanding. Our assessment process is designed to create a comprehensive picture of your needs, strengths, and goals before developing your personalized treatment plan.
​
1. Initial Consultation
The journey begins with a thoughtful conversation where we listen to your story, your concerns, and your hopes for therapy. This is an opportunity for you to ask questions, express preferences, and begin building the trust that will underpin our therapeutic relationship.
​
2. Comprehensive Assessment
​
Following this conversation, we conduct a comprehensive assessment that observes and explores your relationship with music. Unlike traditional psychological assessments, our music therapy assessment invites active participation through musical experiences, revealing valuable insights that might not emerge through conversation alone.
​
3. Personalised Treatment Plan
​
Based on this thorough assessment, we develop a tailored treatment plan with specific, measurable objectives unique to your circumstances. This plan serves as a roadmap for our work together, identifying priority areas and establishing markers to track progress.
​
4. Regular Progress Reviews
​
Throughout our work together, we conduct regular progress reviews, documenting changes, celebrating achievements, and refining our approach as needed. This ongoing evaluation ensures that our therapy remains responsive to your evolving needs..​
​
​
Meet Our Northern Ireland Music Therapy Team
​​The heart of Make a Melody's success lies in our exceptional team of music therapists. Each brings not only the required master's level qualification and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration, but also a unique constellation of musical talents, clinical specialisations, and personal qualities that enrich their therapeutic work.
Our therapists come from diverse musical backgrounds—classical training, traditional Irish music, jazz improvisation, contemporary songwriting, and more—creating a team with extraordinary musical versatility. This diversity allows us to match clients with therapists whose musical approach resonates with their preferences and needs.
Beyond their musical foundations, our therapists have pursued specialised training in areas such as neurologic music therapy, trauma-informed practice, dementia care, early childhood development, and mental health. Many have additional qualifications in related fields that bring interdisciplinary perspective to their music therapy practice.
Each therapist serves specific counties and regions, developing deep connections with the communities where they work. This regional specialization allows them to build strong local relationships while minimizing travel time to maximize availability for clients.
Stuart Watson
Music Therapist
​
Stuart fulfils a dual role, serving as a registered music therapist and the role of lead clinician for the team. With experience in a range of settings such as schools, care homes, hospitals, hospice care, and living support, he provides a broad spectrum of sessions. Currently, his primary focus is on working with children, young people, and adults in the learning disability and autism sectors.
Bethany Coulter
Music Therapist
​
Bethany is a music therapist with a passion for helping individuals connect with their emotions and rediscover their voice through music. She specialises in working with teenagers and adults dealing with anxiety, depression and trauma, using creative, person-centred approaches to support emotional exploration, healing and confidence-building.
Cecilia Keaveney
Music Therapist
​
Cecilia has experience working with adults within neurological rehabilitation; as well aschild and adolescent mental health which includes developmental trauma and special education remits. Cecilia particularly values working within multi-disciplinary teams, where the collective input, adds so much to the outcomes for clients.
Lisa Metsamaa
Music Therapist
​
Lisa's experience as a music therapist was further enriched during her two-year journey in Portugal, where she passionately provided music therapy services to diverse communities. We are thrilled to welcome her back to Northern Ireland, where her expertise will once again contribute to the well-being and healing of individuals through the transformative medium of music.
Pui Sze Cheung
Music Therapist
​
Pui Sze is a registered music therapist and an arts and health researcher specialising in perinatal mental health. She's also worked extensively with older adults in both community and residential settings, children and adolescents experiencing mental health challenges, as well as those with ASD and various special needs.
Conor Blaney
Music Therapist
​
Conor is an experienced music therapist who has been practising for over seven years He specialises in working with children and young people who live with additional support needs and often works in special educational settings. He has always taken a holistic approach with clients and value making connections with people.
Tom Birbeck
Music Therapist
​
Tom, a registered music therapist, completed his training at the University of Limerick, Ireland. He delivers impactful music therapy services to various settings, this includes working with schools to enhance the well-being of students, extending his support to young individuals within the Foster Care system, and conducting personalised home visits to cater to all unique needs.
Catherine Gordon
Music Therapist
​
Catherine is a HCPC registered Music Therapist who qualified in 2011. From then she has been working with clients in Pallative Care, Learning Disability and adolescents with emotional and mental health problems. She is based in the Greater Belfast area, where she works in EOTAs with teenagers who present with behavioural and emotional problems.
Cherith Johnston
Music Therapist
​
In her multifaceted role, Cherith navigates dual responsibilities, actively contributing her skills to local politics while simultaneously providing valuable music therapy services. It's a testament to her commitment and versatility that she has made herself available to work closely with clients, embodying a dedication to both civic engagement and therapy.
Who Can Benefit From Music Therapy?
The beauty of music therapy lies in its remarkable versatility and accessibility. At Make a Melody, we witness daily how musical interventions can support individuals facing a wide spectrum of challenges across the entire lifespan.
Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Mental Health Concerns
The emotional expressivity inherent in music makes it particularly valuable for addressing anxiety, depression, PTSD and trauma, stress management, and emotional regulation. The non-verbal nature of music can be especially healing, offering a way to approach difficult emotions with appropriate distance and safety.
Neurological Conditions
For individuals navigating stroke recovery, Parkinson's disease, dementia and Alzheimer's, or traumatic brain injury, music therapy taps into the brain's remarkable neuroplasticity. Familiar songs can access preserved musical memory, while rhythmic elements can support movement and speech recovery.
Special Educational Needs
In educational settings, music therapy addresses communication difficulties, behavioral challenges, social skill development, and sensory processing issues with engaging, strengths-based interventions. The natural structure and emotional outlet that music provides can be particularly beneficial.
Physical Rehabilitation
Motor skill development, pain management, recovery from injury, and coordination and mobility improvements are all supported through the integration of music with movement. Musical engagement promotes neurological reorganization and provides motivation for repetitive therapeutic movements.
​
These categories merely outline the scope of music therapy's application. The reality we see every day is that each client brings a unique constellation of needs, strengths, and circumstances. Our approach always begins by seeing the whole person, not just a diagnosis or condition.
​
Specialised Porgrammes
​The beauty of music therapy lies in its adaptability across the lifespan. At Make a Melody, we've developed specialized approaches for different age groups, each addressing the unique developmental needs and challenges of that life stage:
​
Early Intervention (0-5 years)
For our youngest clients, our early intervention programs lay foundations for healthy development. These sessions engage children through playful, music-centered activities that support attachment, stimulate language development, and nurture crucial early social bonds.
​
Children and Youth (6-18 years)
Children and adolescents find in music therapy a compelling medium for self-expression during these formative years. Our approach acknowledges their growing independence while providing structured support for emotional regulation, social navigation, and identity formation.
​
Adults
Our adult clients come with diverse needs—from managing mental health challenges to navigating major life transitions. Music therapy offers them a refreshing alternative to talk-based interventions, often accessing emotions and insights that words alone cannot reach.
​
Older Adults
For older adults, music's ability to access long-term memory and evoke life review makes it an exceptional therapeutic tool. Our sessions might involve familiar songs that reconnect clients with their personal histories, gentle movement to music that maintains physical function, or improvisation that encourages spontaneity.
Settings We Serve
​Music therapy's adaptability allows us to bring its benefits to clients in virtually any environment. Our Make a Melody therapists have become valued members of interdisciplinary teams across numerous settings throughout Northern Ireland:
Educational settings
In schools, preschools, and SEN units, our therapists collaborate with teachers and educational psychologists to support students' developmental and emotional needs through consistent, school-based sessions.
Healthcare facilities
In hospitals and rehabilitation centers, music therapy offers emotional support during medical challenges while contributing to physical rehabilitation goals as part of comprehensive treatment approaches.
Mental health services
In both outpatient and inpatient facilities, our therapists provide a non-threatening medium for emotional expression and regulation for clients who may struggle with traditional talk-based interventions.
Residential care
In nursing homes and assisted living facilities, both group and individual sessions enhance quality of life while addressing specific clinical needs of residents.
Community centres
Youth groups and community programs provide contexts where music's community-building power amplifies the therapeutic benefits, reaching individuals who might not otherwise access support.
Private practice
Our in-home sessions eliminate transportation barriers, while studio-based therapy provides access to a wider range of instruments and resources.
Hospice and palliative care
Our therapists provide compassionate support for both clients and families during end-of-life journeys, using music for life review, emotional processing, and creating meaningful legacy projects.
Across all these settings, our therapists maintain the same high standards of practice while adapting their approach to honor the unique culture and constraints of each environment.
​​
Music Therapy offered across Northern Ireland
The therapeutic benefits of music should be accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live. That's why we've established a network of skilled music therapists across all counties of Northern Ireland, ensuring that geographical location never stands as a barrier to receiving quality care.
​
Our Regional Coverage:
​
From the bustling streets of Belfast to the serene countryside of Fermanagh, our therapists bring their expertise directly to the communities they serve:
​
-
County Antrim - Our team supports clients in Belfast, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, and numerous surrounding communities.
-
County Armagh - We're actively engaged in Armagh city, Lurgan, Portadown, and neighboring areas.
-
County Down - Our services extend throughout Newry, Bangor, Newtownards, and beyond.
-
County Fermanagh - The communities of Enniskillen and surrounding areas benefit from our dedicated therapists who understand the unique character of the region.
-
County Londonderry/Derry - We serve both the vibrant city areas and quieter towns like Coleraine.
-
County Tyrone - From Omagh to Dungannon, our therapists are deeply integrated into local healthcare and education networks.
This comprehensive regional coverage allows us to form lasting relationships with clients, families, and referring professionals while developing an intimate understanding of each community's specific needs.
The Science Behind Music Therapy
​​While the joy and emotional power of music have been recognised throughout human history, modern music therapy is firmly grounded in scientific research. The evidence base supporting our work continues to grow, providing important validation for music therapy's inclusion in healthcare and educational settings.
​How Music Impacts the Brain
Music engages multiple brain regions simultaneously, creating neural integration that few other activities can match. When you listen to or create music, your brain activates areas responsible for:
- Emotion processing in the limbic system
- Motor planning and coordination in the cerebellum and motor cortex
- Language and communication in Broca's and Wernicke's areas
- Memory and attention in the prefrontal cortex
- Reward and motivation in the nucleus accumbens
This whole-brain engagement creates unique opportunities for therapeutic intervention. For instance, when language areas are damaged by stroke, music therapy can help rebuild communication by engaging intact musical pathways. For individuals with Parkinson's disease, rhythmic auditory stimulation triggers motor responses that bypass damaged movement initiation systems.​
Evidence-Based Outcomes
The outcomes documented in research mirror what we observe daily in our practice. Studies consistently demonstrate music therapy's effectiveness in:
- Reducing anxiety and stress through impact on the autonomic nervous system
- Improving mood and emotional expression via neurotransmitter production
- Enhancing communication and social skills through musical interaction
- Supporting cognitive function by organising neural firing patterns
- Facilitating physical rehabilitation through rhythmic entrainment
- Managing pain through competition with pain signals and endorphin release
As researchers continue to refine their understanding of exactly how and why music therapy works, our practice evolves to incorporate these insights. We maintain connections with university research departments and participate in clinical studies that contribute to the growing evidence base for our profession.​​
We've witnessed residents who rarely speak suddenly singing all the words to songs from their youth. The group sessions bring a social dimension that combats isolation, while the individual sessions help manage some of the challenging behaviors associated with dementia. The music therapist has become an essential part of our care team
Care Director, residential facility
Frequently Asked Questions
​​​​​We understand that you may have questions about music therapy and how it might benefit you or your loved one. Here are answers to some of the questions we commonly receive:
Q: Do I need musical ability to benefit from music therapy?
A: No musical background or skills are required. Our therapists meet you at your level and create accessible musical experiences. The focus is on the process and experience rather than creating polished performances. Our therapists are skilled at adapting musical experiences to match each client's abilities and comfort level.
Q: How long are music therapy sessions?
A: Individual sessions typically last 30-50 minutes, while group sessions may range from 45-60 minutes, depending on client needs and attention spans. During your initial consultation, we'll discuss the optimal session length and frequency for your situation.
Q: How many sessions will be needed?
A: The number of sessions varies based on individual goals and progress. Some clients benefit from short-term therapy (8-12 sessions), while others may engage in longer-term work. We establish clear goals during the assessment process and regularly review progress to ensure the therapy remains beneficial.
Q: Is music therapy covered by insurance or funding schemes?
A: Some health insurance plans and educational funding may cover music therapy. We can provide documentation to support funding applications. Additionally, we work with various charitable organizations that sometimes provide grants for therapy services. Our administrative team can offer guidance specific to your situation.
Q: How is progress measured in music therapy?
A: We take a comprehensive approach to measuring progress, combining objective assessments with subjective observations. For each goal in your treatment plan, we establish specific, observable indicators of progress. We maintain detailed session notes and provide formal progress reports that can be shared with other professionals involved in your care.
Q: Can music therapy be combined with other treatments?
A: Absolutely. Music therapy often works best as part of an integrated approach to care or education. We regularly collaborate with other professionals to ensure our work complements other interventions. During our assessment process, we'll discuss other treatments you're receiving and consider how music therapy can best support your overall care plan.
Q: What musical instruments and equipment do you use in sessions?
A: Our sessions utilize a wide range of instruments chosen for their therapeutic potential and accessibility, including drums and percussion, keyboards, guitars, xylophones, and small handheld instruments. We also use recording equipment, digital music technology, and adaptive instruments for clients with physical limitations.
Q: Do you offer online or virtual music therapy sessions?
A: Yes, we do offer telehealth music therapy sessions in situations where in-person services aren't feasible. While we generally find in-person sessions most effective, our telehealth option has proven valuable for clients in remote locations, those with transportation challenges, or during circumstances that prevent in-person meetings.​
Getting Started with Music Therapy
Beginning your music therapy journey with Make a Melody is a straightforward process designed to ensure you receive the most appropriate and effective care for your unique situation.​
1. Contact Us
The first step is to reach out through your preferred method—our online form, direct email, or a phone call to our office. During this initial contact, we'll gather basic information about your needs and interests in music therapy.​​
2. Initial Consultation
Following this initial contact, we'll arrange a free 15-minute consultation with a music therapist. This brief conversation helps determine if music therapy aligns with your goals and needs. The therapist will explain our approach in more detail, answer your specific questions, and discuss how music therapy might address your particular circumstances.​
3. Assessment Session
​
If you decide to proceed after the consultation, the next step is scheduling an assessment session. This more extended session allows the therapist to understand your relationship with music, observe your responses to various musical experiences, and gather the information needed to develop a personalised treatment plan.​
4. Begin Your Music Therapy Journey
Based on the assessment, your therapist will develop a treatment plan with specific goals and approaches tailored to your needs. Once the plan is established, you'll begin regular sessions according to the recommended frequency.
Throughout this process, we emphasise transparent communication, respect for your preferences, and attention to practical considerations such as scheduling, location, and financial arrangements. Our goal is to make high-quality music therapy accessible and to ensure that your experience from first contact through ongoing sessions feels supportive and responsive to your needs.
​
Connect With Us
​​​The work we do at Make a Melody thrives on connection—with our clients, their families, professional networks, and the wider community. We invite you to stay engaged with our services and the evolving field of music therapy.
Our social media presence offers regular insights into our work, sharing therapeutic approaches, client successes (with permission), and the latest research in music therapy. For more direct and detailed updates, our newsletter delivers curated content directly to your inbox, including articles, announcements, and practical tips for incorporating music into daily wellbeing practices.
We welcome direct contact for any questions, referrals, or feedback about our services. Whether you're a potential client, a family member seeking services for a loved one, a professional considering a referral, or simply someone curious about music therapy, we're here to engage with your questions and needs.​​