The Women That Shaped Music Series: Sam, Founder of Healing Waves!
- Miss K
- Mar 9
- 3 min read
This week I had the honor of interviewing our founder, Sam. A proud Board Certified Music Therapist, lifelong music enthusiast, and overall delightful person. Check out the interview below:
Q: What drew you to Music Therapy?
A: "I initially saw the profound effect music therapy had on oncology patients, particularly children in palliative care. Although I don't work in oncology, I am still drawn to working with younger populations. I love their capacity for creativity and imagination. The quote, "If you never stop playing, you never grow up" reminds me of the fact that for children, there are endless possibilities and opportunities. When you work with children, you see that rigid and heavily structured environments can sometimes limit their growth, as well as lead them to resent the activity being presented. So, my goal is to enter their world and help to elevate their interest in pursuing something that they like, in this case, music. It's really important to meet children where they are at, which can lead them to being more open to social engagement."
Q: Why did you create Healing Waves?
A: "I want to make therapy more affordable, more accessible. This economy makes it very difficult for people to access mental and emotional health services, so we provide a sliding-scale payment method so we can work with as many people as possible. Families with children that have intellectual or developmental disabilities, really any special needs, face unique challenges and I want them to feel seen- I want them to receive fairly priced therapeutic services. Also, I find myself drawn to creating autonomy not only for the clients I work with, but for myself. I rely on my therapeutic skills to create the platform for my success."
Q: What do you envision for the future of Healing Waves?
A: "I want to have an impact on curating imaginative and creative minds, through music, writing, and storytelling. I want to see kiddos achieve, whatever that may look like for them. Eventually, I would like an official office and space where clients can come to have sessions or lessons. In my ideal world, Healing Waves would offer occupational, art, speech, drama, and dance therapy. Art, drama, and dance are particularly special to me as a visual artist, and someone with more than a decade of dance and musical theater experience."
Q: What music therapy approaches inform your work as a music therapist?
A: "I would say:
Child-led
Humanistic and Holistic (person-centered approaches that prioritize the client's self-actualization inside and outside of the therapeutic space)
Developmental (an approach heavily informed by the developmental stage the client in currently in)
Compassion-focused (based in empathy for others)
Community music therapy (focused on the cultural context of the local community, addressing their collective needs and goals)
Ultimately, I practice from a place of compassion for the client's unique needs over reaching very specific, concrete goals on a client-to-client basis."
Q: Lastly, what's your favorite song to listen to lately?
A: "I can't decide on just one, so basically anything by Lizzy McAlpine!"
A huge thank you to Sam for telling us more about her story and about how Healing Waves came to be. I am happy to honor her for Women's History Month as well as Music Therapy Awareness month!
Miss K
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