Midwest American Music Therapy Association Conference

Hosted by The University of Iowa

Midwestern Regional Conference of the American Music Therapy Association

Join us in person for our regional music therapy conference in Iowa City, Iowa, March 20-23, 2025 at the Voxman School of Music building on the University of Iowa campus. The Midwestern Region of the American Music Therapy Association includes the states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Conference Schedule

Thursday, March 20

12:00-5:00 CMTE A

Clinical Improvisation for Guitar: Creating musical resources for clients and clinicians.

Peter Meyer, MA, MT-BC

VOX 3357

Friday, March 21

7:00- 12:00 CMTE C	Neurologic Strategies for Speech/Language for Individuals with Developmental and Neurodevelopmental Challenges	Angela Meier, MM, MT-BC and Julie Guy, MM, MT-BC	VOX 3357
8:00- 11:30	PASSAGES		VOX 5
12:30-2:00	Opening Ceremony	Keynote: Singing Extravaganza	Voxman Concert Hall
2:30- 3:20	Concurrent Sessions
	Plan A, Plan B, Plan OMG!	Barbara Ashton, MM, MT-BC	VOX 2
	What We’re Learning About Trauma-Informed Teaching and Supervision	Laura Beer, Ph.D., MT-BC, and Lindsey Wilhelm, Ph.D., MT-BC	VOX 5
3:00- 4:00	BOARD MEETING		VOX 3357
3:40- 4:30	Concurrent Sessions
	Tuning in to Success: Expanding the Reach of a Music Therapy Practice	Misty Dais, MT-BC; Beth Huff, EdD; Katie New, EdD, LMSW, RN	VOX 2
	Applications of Music Technology in Telehealth Settings: A Beginner's Guide	Naomi Davis, MA, MT-BC	VOX 5
	Therapist Reflections on Implementing a Research Intervention	Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, Ph.D., MT-BC; Amy Wilson, MA, MT-BC; Jennifer Welch, MME, MT-BC	Stark
4:45- 5:45	Business Meeting 1		Recital Hall
6:00-8:30	Reception at West Music

Saturday, March 22

7:00-8:00	Hawkeye Alum, Student, and Iowa Friends Breakfast	Bring your own coffee and breakfast items to enjoy around the company of other Hawkeye alums, current students and Iowa friends. Join in on our Hawkeye conference picture!	Stark
8:45- 6:30	EXHIBIT HALL		2nd Floor
8:00- 8:50	Concurrent Sessions
	Ready, Set, Play: Music and Movement for Diverse Social Development	Alyssa Stone, MM, MT-BC	VOX 2
	Listen and Learn: Music Therapy for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children	Hae Sun Kim, Ph.D., MT-BC; Maya St. Clair; Rebecca Cohen	VOX 5
	Safeguarding the Past and Present: Preserving Music Therapy’s History	Emily Sevcik, PhD, LCPC, MT-BC, and Lindsey Wilhelm, PhD, MT-BC	Stark
9:00- 10:30	RESEARCH POSTER SESSION		Pearl West Lobby
	Diving into DAWs: Music Therapy Students' Perceptions of a Virtual Collaborative Peer Songwriting and Music Video Project	Amy Robertson, & Chris Millett	University of Missouri-Kansas City, & The University of Louisville
	The Effects of Live Lullaby Music on Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Low Birth Weight Infants on Mechanical Ventilation	Amy Robertson, Alexis Ruffner, Alexis Ruffner, & Dana Osterling	University of Missouri-Kansas City, & University of Rochester Medical Center
	Effects of Reminiscence-Focused Music Therapy on Intimacy Behaviors for Spousal Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia	Laura Kuper & Abbey Dvorak	University of Iowa
	Experiences of Music Therapists and Applied Behavior Analysis: A Phenomenological Study	Alyssa Stone	Colorado State University
	Exploring the Effects of Therapeutic Group Singing on Young Adults	Anabel Perez-Brennan, Alisa Kandel, Sun Joo Lee, & Abbey Dvorak	University of Iowa
	From Readiness to Action: How Educational Approaches Affect Attitudes and Use of Hearing Protection	Hae Sun Kim, Erika Cowhey, and Kate Gfeller	University of Iowa
	Hospice Music Therapists' Experiences with Musical Life Reviews and Music Therapy Legacy Projects	Lauren Camp	University of Kansas
	Music, Signs and Meaning (Música, Señas y Sentido)	Federico Rincon	University of Iowa
	Music Therapy in the Liminal Space of Pediatric Palliative Care	Kristen O’Grady	University of Kansas
	Music Therapy for Children with Hearing Loss: Interdisciplinary Collaboration in the Communication Explorers Program	Rebecca Cohen, Hae Sun Kim, & Abbey Dvorak	University of Iowa
	Neuroimaging and Music Interventions in the NICU	Efthymios Papatzikis, Kyriakos Dimitropoulos, & Aubrianna Gerdes	Oslo Metropolitan University, University of Macedonia, & University of Kansas
	Preliminary Results of Hope Outcomes from a Feasibility Investigation of the EMPOWER Singing Intervention	Amy Wilson, Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, & Jiwoong Choi	University of Kansas, & University of Kansas Medical Center
	A Scoping Review of Auditory Based Interventions on Premature Infant Sleep in the NICU	Vivian Lok	University of Kansas
	A Scoping Review of Music Therapy Interventions That Foster Hope	Amy Wilson	University of Kansas
	Sing and Speak: A Model for an Effective Interdisciplinary Group for People with Aphasia	Bill Matney, Julie Gatts, Elizabeth Webster, Karlee Seevers, Grace Bradbury, & Alyssa Marino	University of Kansas
	A Theory of Intervention Model to Define the Essential Characteristics of Music to Support Emotion Regulation Development in Early Childhood	Kimberly Sena Moore, Kailah Burbach, & Deanna Hanson-Abromeit	Bower School of Music and the Arts, Florida Gulf Coast University, & School of Music, University of Kansas
	The Use of Legacy Projects with Caregivers Who Experienced the Loss of a Child	Anelise Gebard, & Abbey Dvorak	University of Iowa
	The Use of Music in the Treatment of Specific Phobia for Adults A Rapid Scoping Review	Lorena Surducan	University of Kansas
9:00- 10:30	INTERNSHIP FAIR		Pearl West Lobby
	University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics	Katey Kooi & Becca Kurtz	Iowa City, IA
	West Music	Lorna Johnson & Rachel Burchett	Davenport and Coralville, IA
	Pathways Hospice	Beth Mosko	Fort Collins, CO
	SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital	Kimberly Iverson	St. Louis, MO
	Teton Music Therapy	Hilary Camino	Jackson, WY
	Easter Seals Midwest Autism Services	Kelley Pujol	Cape Girardeu, MO
9:10- 10:00	Concurrent Sessions
	Exploring Hope as a Foundation for Music Therapy	Amy Wilson, MA, MT-BC	Stark
	Caring Cadences: Community Engagement through Music Therapy Informed Performances	Meghan Ross, MA, MT-BC; Luis Enrique Infante Hernandez; Kylie Little; Renee Santos; Christina Leigh Stephenson; Kirsten Nelson, MA, MT-BC; Beth Oakes; Abbey Dvorak, PhD, MT-BC	VOX 5
	Evaluating Music Therapy Business Success: An Examination of Resources and Education	Sydney Winders, MA, MT-BC	VOX 2
10:30-11:20	Concurrent Sessions
	From the Inside: Understanding Autism and Supporting Autistic People	Amy Adams, MM, MT-BC	VOX 2
	Hearing Preservation Principles and Practices for Music Therapists: Risks and Preservation Strategies	Hae Sun Kim, Ph.D., MT-BC; Kate Gfeller, Ph.D.	Stark
	Burnout: Successful Strategies From a Seasoned Clinician	Maggie Rodgers, MT-BC	VOX 5
11:30-12:00	Iowa Chapter of Music Therapy Meeting		Stark
12:00- 2:00	LUNCH AT HILTON GARDEN INN	Luncheon and Awards Banquet	Meal included with registration
		Music Provided by Caring Cadences	Caring Cadences aims to provide accessible, interactive, and supportive music therapy-informed experiences to individuals of all ages and abilities. The Dunn Quartet, in collaboration with music therapy clinicians and faculty, presents classically performed music in an entertaining and welcoming way for all ages, including those living with dementia and their caregivers. Enjoy the Golden Age of Song with members of the University of Iowa Dunn Quartet: Luis Hernandez (violin), Kylie Little (viola), Renee Santos (violin), and Christina Leigh Stephenson (cello).
2:30- 3:20	Concurrent Sessions
	Music Therapy and Military Populations: Exploring the VA Health Care System	Alisa Kandel, MT-BC; Matthew Lloyd, MT-BC; Bailey Skarpness, MT-BC	VOX 2
	From Chaos to Harmony: How Music Therapy Supports Addiction Recovery	Lindy Welch, MT-BC	VOX 5
	Invitation for Educators: Bridging the Gap between Education and Clinical Practice	Kelsey Nelson, MM, MT-BC; Stephanie Johnson, MT-BC; Maggie Brown, MT-BC	Stark
2:30-3:30	BOARD MEETING		VOX 3357
3:40- 4:30	Concurrent Sessions
	Group music-based intervention for parents and infants to support pre-linguistic language acquisition for infants living in under-resourced environments	Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, Ph.D., MT-BC; Amy Smith, Ph.D., MT-BC; Brenda Salley, Ph.D.	Stark
	I Can’t Hear You! Improving Clear Speech and Music Accessibility in Sessions	Lindsey Wilhelm, Ph.D., MT-BC	VOX 2
	Music Therapy to Promote Empowerment with Women in Addiction Recovery	Natalie Wlodarczyk, Ph.D., MT-BC	VOX 5
4:45- 5:45	Business Meeting 2		Recital Hall

Sunday, March 23

8:00- 8:50	Concurrent Sessions
	“Something Changed in the Room” a Short Film about Music Therapy	Hilary Camino, MS, MT-BC	VOX 5
	Fostering Sanctuary in Music Therapy Practice and Clinical Supervision	Kailey Campbell, MA, MT-BC, MAADC II	Stark
	Defying Gravity: Student Supervision Supporting Growth from Classroom to Clinical Spaces	Kirsten Nelson, MA, MT-BC, and Katey Kooi, MT-BC	VOX 2
9:10-10:00	Concurrent Sessions
	Supervising Undergraduate Students in Emotionally Chaotic Times	Barbara Ashton, MM, MT-BC	Stark
	Making A Difference While Documenting to Decline: Data Tracking in Hospice	Laura Fehr, MT-BC	VOX 2
	Non-compliance, communication, or autonomy? Strategies for empowering multiple client populations	Annie Roberson, MT-BC, and Madison Robinson, MT-BC	VOX 5
10:20- 11:10	Concurrent Sessions
	Hospice Songs and Stories, Part Two	Maggie Rodgers, MT-BC	Stark
	Practical Application of Music Interventions in Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training	Lindsey Landeck, MT-BC; Abbey Dvorak, PhD, MT-BC	VOX 2
	Using Electroencephalography to Evaluate Mechanisms of Music Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease	Ryan Smith, MM, MT-BC	VOX 5
12:00- 3:00	CMTES
CMTE 3	Electric Guitar Workshop: Maximizing Technique and Equipment for Therapeutic Spaces	Luke Sanders, MM	VOX 5
CMTE 4	This is Your Brain on Music: The Neuroscience of Self-Regulation	Alyssa Stone, MM, MT BC, CYT 500	VOX 3357