To borrow the words of Chad Sugg: "Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year." This is a quote about autumn but it also speaks to what wellness means. It’s not something to be mastered but encouraged to try again, and again. Today’s wellness episode is going to include autumn inspired ideas and examples of how to be mindful, quiet, thoughtful and creative in your wellness this fall.

And with each step you take, notice how you feel more and more alive with a bounce in your step…and it’s hard not to grin. Walking feels effortless and invigorating …like you’re gliding upon a magic carpet. Walking along, your tiredness melts away, and more and more you notice feeling renewed … There’s a spring in your step and it feels great to be here.

Elizabeth reads a children's story for our wellness segment.

Long ago, there was a rock floating through space, searching for where they belonged. They would visit many planets and travel to the farthest reaches of the universe, but would they find what they were looking for? The Stellar One is a tale of self-esteem and self-discovery. Story by Daniel Errico.

"Your heart continues to beat, even when it's breaking... Your heart continues to beat even when you feel joy. Your heart is strong and your heart can hold it all. "

Learn about the science behind essential oils, how to use them for your wellness and considerations for use in your clinical practice.

This is a beautiful story about a wave, crashing against a cliff. Focus on my voice, the movement of the wave and the details within the story. Can you feel the salty air? Take a deep breath..and listen to “The Wave”, by Liam O’Flaherty.

Join us butterflies, as we float along with this colorful, calming guided imagery.

When I think of Valentine's day there is one thing I think of every time…candy. More specifically, chocolate. I personally love chocolate and I bet many of you do too. If you have Valentine’s chocolate around, break off a piece and join me for this mindfulness experience using all of your senses.

When we practice slowed, deep breathing, we are slowing our heart rate- sending information to our vagus nerve and essentially communicating that we are safe. Those safety cues pump the brakes on our stress systems and the body is able to regulate via the ventral branch of the vagus nerve. The body needs these safety cues to function and access our social nervous system, so this breathing practice is one important tool for your nervous system.

You can still experience the reassurance of fire as its logs crackle and pop, the beauty of snow sparkling in the sun, and the filling warmth of hot chocolate on cold nights. The world is cold, the winter is dark, but you are not without joy. You are not without peace.

In today’s episode we explore and experience the benefits of being grateful.

Join us for this interactive mindfulness activity- a creative arts take on the "breathing square" technique.

On this week's wellness segment, find a cozy spot and join Ms. Elizabeth for a guided mediation moment for kids!

This episode explores some tips and tricks for creating a healthy work/life balance by experts outside of the field of music therapy and advice from professionals within the music therapy profession.

Today we sit down to talk all about rest! What is rest? Are there different types of rest? If so, what are they and how do I know what kind of rest I need? We will answer all of these questions and walk through tactile steps to creating space in your busy schedule and prioritizing rest...because your life depends on it!

Today we take inspiration from the Burnout book sweeping the nation and talk about the stress cycle and the importance of connection and rest. This is a casual podcast walking through some aspects to consider in caring for ourselves as individuals, educators, therapists and parents. Let’s commit to being kind and compassionate to ourselves and others and….complete the stress cycle!

As music therapists, our bodies are our main tool for work.  We depend on our voices, and our hands and often the line is blurred between “used” and “abused” to put it bluntly. It is  so important to be mindful of how we may be causing harm to our voices, hands, backs, and every area of our body in the ways that we use them.  I’m going to share 5 ways to tend to your body everyday and I strongly urge you to prioritize these wellness practices as an essential part of your music therapy practice. Just as you maintain your instruments, you must maintain yourself.

Welcome back to the conversation today. We are talking about wellness. I think a good place to start is by sharing our background with wellness. How did it look? Did our families talk about wellness and did we even know what it was or what it meant?

Today, we are going to talk about wellness. Some of the questions that came up when preparing this episode were: What is the difference between wellness, well-being and self-care? Do all of these terms fit together in some holistic package? Or are they all bringing something different to the table? Today, I am going to dive into what Wellness is, what these terms really mean, and how it all fits together in Music Therapy.