Music From The Hart

What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is a research-based allied health profession in which music is used to actively support people as they aim to improve their health, functioning and well-being. It can help people of all ages to manage their physical and mental health and enhance their quality of life.

A Registered Music Therapist (RMT) is a music therapist who is registered with the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA). To be eligible to register with AMTA, a Registered Music Therapist needs to complete a certified university course in music therapy and maintain their skills through ongoing professional development as approved by the AMTA.

About Us

Music from the Hart was created in 2012 by Sarah-Jayne Hart, and was created as a Music Therapy service for adults with disabilities to access at their homes. Music from the Hart provides person-centred services bearing in mind that every person is different, with different upbringings, cultural backgrounds, spiritual underpinnings, skills, talents and abilities.

Sarah-Jayne Hart

Sarah-Jayne (aka SJ) is a Registered Music Therapist through the Australian Music Therapy Association. I have received a Graduate Diploma in Music Therapy and a Bachelor of Creative Arts in Music (Performance). I have played and sung in many bands and settings beginning in 1995. I play trumpet, piano, guitar, percussion and sing. I became a music therapist to create opportunities for others to express themselves. Music is a medium that allows people of any ability, language, place or time to express themselves and be understood and through receiving music therapy training I facilitate musical interactions and create a space for musical and expressive opportunities for people of all abilities. Since creating Music from the Hart my services have been accessed by people in a private practice capacity and I have been contracting to Royal Rehab in Ryde.

Services Provided

Music from the Hart offers both Individual and Group Music Therapy Sessions. Each music therapy session begins with a “Welcome Song” and concludes with a “Goodbye Song”. This provides a participant with a predictable beginning and ending to the session. This predictability creates security and assists with the reduction of anxious feelings. The sessions are person-centred meaning that every person has an individualised session plan based on individual goals, musical taste, ability and skills. Many sessions utilise music therapy techniques such as improvisation, song writing, group or individual singing, drumming and rhythm and playing musical instruments. Improvisation encourages spontaneous expression and can lead into a musical conversation or expression of difficult emotions. Song writing creates a container for thoughts, feelings, and/or experiences which a participant may choose to express. A song can say what a person feels they can not and having the opportunity to put words to feelings into a song can free someone to express what they need to express without feeling the pressure of social etiquette. Singing is an excellent exercise for strengthening or maintaining respiratory function. Songs also provide us with cues for taking breaths within a sentence and when crossing over to verbal communication it is an important skill to know when to speak, pause and take breaths which is all naturally provided within songs.

Individual Sessions

Individual sessions consist of a 1:1 setting at a participant’s residence and utilise many of the techniques mentioned above. Individual sessions provide an opportunity for music therapy sessions to be further tailored to the individual and are founded upon the therapeutic relationship leading the way to the expression of thoughts/feelings/ideas through music. Individual sessions range from 30 minutes to 1 hour in length depending upon the needs and goals of each individual.

Group Sessions

Group sessions consist of groups ranging from 2 people to 8 people. These sessions provide an opportunity for social interaction around a common activity. Group sessions provide a space where participants can practise communication skills, expressive skills, and social skills whilst creating and sharing music.

Music Therapy Changes Lives...

To meet the future healthcare needs of Australia’s growing and ageing population, Australia needs more RMTs. Registered Music Therapists, or RMTs, play a critical role in Australia’s healthcare system and society. Using music-based therapy techniques informed by research and clinical practice, RMTs improve the health and well-being of thousands of Australians with a wide range of health issues and conditions.