(From left) are NeuroSound music therapists Zoe Gleason Volz, Alyssa Blackburn and Kelsi Yingling-Tafaro. Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.
Music can be many things – entertaining, stirring, relaxing and just plain fun. However, it also has the power to help improve people’s cognitive, sensory and motor functions.
Based on research and results, it’s called neurologic music therapy; and in the City of Fairfax, the place to find it is at NeuroSound Music Therapy. It opened in February at 10355 Democracy Lane, Suite B, and recently held an open house to give people an idea of the services it provides.
“We serve everyone and provide home-based services, plus here in the clinic and at facilities and schools,” said Administrative Director/music therapist Kelsi Yingling-Tafaro. “We work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and work on their social skills through music.”
Both group and individual sessions are offered, including sing-alongs and adapted music lessons based on the person’s own pace and preferred learning styles. The staff also works with people with mental-health problems and with people living in nursing homes.
For example, said Yingling-Tafaro, “We work in memory-care units with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, and with people suffering from traumatic brain injuries. Music is perceived over the entire brain, so we can bypass the affected areas and create new pathways.”
NeuroSound Music Therapy is open Tuesday-Saturday, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Phone 571-367-9951 or go to www.neurosoundmusictherapy.com for more information.
The staff comprises four board-certified music therapists. “I’m trained in neurologic music therapy, working with neurologic disorders and techniques rooted in science to elicit change,” explained Yingling-Tafaro. “So the name of the business is derived from that.”
“We offer free initial consultation to give each person an idea of our therapeutic style and services,” she continued. “Then we do an assessment and determine each client’s appropriate treatment plan, as well as how often it will be needed and for how long.”
Cost for music-therapy services in the clinic is $60 for 30 minutes, $85 for 45 minutes and $110 for 60 minutes. Home-based services cost an additional $10. And the therapists work with people of all ages, from children through the elderly.
During the open house, there were social-group demonstrations, using group music therapies to teach social skills such as personal space, impulse control, taking turns, whole-body listening and appropriate speaking and singing volumes. There were also sing-alongs, information presentations, plus an instrument petting zoo enabling attendees to see and familiarize themselves with various musical instruments. In addition, children made musical rain sticks out of cardboard tubes, pipe cleaners and beads.
“We’ve been in business – in people’s homes, schools and facilities – since 2015,” said Yingling-Tafaro. “But we opened here in February to serve a larger clientele. Our goal as a music-therapy company is to provide client-centered services tailored to people’s specific needs and to use music to reach their individualized goals.”