Music Therapy Services in

and around Austin

Brianna Rzeznik, MA, MT-BC

Brianna Rzeznik is a Masters-level music therapist, currently practicing in Austin, Texas.

With extensive experience spanning hospitals, schools, and homes, Brianna has worked with a diverse clientele, including adults and children with Autism and other developmental disabilities, older adults with Alzheimer's and Dementia, individuals facing acute psychiatric symptoms, and those navigating medical diagnoses or procedures. She also runs music therapy groups to support children dealing with challenges such as homelessness, parental incarceration, grief and bereavement, and parental deportation in schools in and around Austin.

Brianna's core belief is that mental and emotional well-being are fundamental for every individual, regardless of their circumstances. Her approach to therapy is characterized by warmth, acceptance, and authenticity, creating a nurturing environment for creativity and skill development.

In addition to her work as a music therapist, Brianna is also a practicing psychotherapist at the Center for Therapy and Healing, a telehealth practice based in Boston, Massachusetts. There, she provides compassionate guidance to adolescents and adults, empowering them on their journey toward enhanced well-being and personal growth.

What Is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is the evidence-based use of music activities to help individuals and groups build skills or achieve personal goals. Music therapy is an allied health profession, just like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Music therapy clientele range from infants to older adults with varying needs and disabilities.

Who are Music Therapists?

Music therapists are more than just music teachers or entertainers: music therapists are trained professionals who specialize in selecting and using music interventions - or activities that involve music - to target a client's unique goals. To be a music therapist, one must hold a Bachelor's degree or higher from a college or university program that's been approved by the American Music Therapy Association. In addition to educational coursework, they must compete at least 1200 supervised hours of clinical training, including a supervised internship. Lastly, they must pass the national board certification exam to obtain the credential MT-BC (Music Therapist-Board Certified), which is necessary for professional practice.

How can music therapy help with different challenges?

Physical Disabilites

Utilizing music therapy techniques, individuals with physical disabilities can benefit from improved gross and fine motor skills, enhanced coordination, increased grip strength, and better ability to cross the midline. By incorporating instrument play and movement to music, sessions can facilitate gait training and elevate overall physical capabilities. Moreover, integrating physical tasks and exercises with music transforms routine activities into enjoyable experiences, fostering engagement and motivation.

Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Music therapy is a valuable tool for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, offering opportunities for expressive language development, sustained attention, cognitive growth, and enhanced social engagement. The structured nature of musical activities aids in the memorization of task sequences, important rules, and acquisition of new skills. Within group settings, music provides a safe and structured platform for socialization, fostering meaningful connections and interactions among peers.

Mental Health

Music therapy is a versatile approach to promoting mental health and well-being across various care settings, including inpatient and outpatient environments. Music serves as a powerful medium for individuals to express their experiences, emotions, and thoughts, both verbally and non-verbally. It fosters healthy relationships, facilitates communication, and aids in reconnecting individuals with their bodies. Moreover, music therapy can play a vital role in gender-affirming care and mitigating feelings of isolation, anxiety, depression, and fear. Integrating music therapy with psychotherapeutic techniques enhances treatment outcomes; for instance, within dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), music interventions effectively support distress tolerance and emotional regulation skills development.

Memory Care

Music therapy is a valuable approach for individuals with dementia, Alzheimer's, and other neurodegenerative conditions, aimed at supporting memory care and overall wellbeing. Through music, individuals can retain expressive language abilities and experience sensory enrichment. Utilizing familiar songs aids in orientation to person, place, and time, while incorporating musical instruments encourages movement and facilitates neurorehabilitation. The structured nature of music provides a calming influence, effectively reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and agitation commonly associated with these conditions.

Services Offered

Initial Assessment

An initial music therapy assessment serves to help me get to know a new client and to tailor my music therapy services to meet their unique needs. Through this evaluation process, I assess whether music therapy is a suitable fit for you, identify specific goals to work toward, and determine the most effective approaches and techniques to achieve those goals. Initial assessment is available in person or via telehealth.

Individual Music Therapy

Individual music therapy sessions are typically 45 minutes to an hour long. For young children, 30-minute sessions may be considered. Whether it's improving communication, managing stress, or enhancing motor skills, we'll use music as our tool to make progress feel more like play. With music as our backdrop, we'll seamlessly integrate therapeutic activities into enjoyable musical experiences, masking the 'work' with the fun of music. Individual sessions are available in person or via telehealth.

Group Music Therapy

Group music therapy sessions offer a dynamic and inclusive experience, perfect for a variety of settings such as schools, camps, hospitals, group homes, day programs, nursing homes, and assisted living communities. These sessions cater to diverse demographics, including children, individuals with disabilities, older adults, and hospital patients, fostering a sense of community and connection through the power of music while building and practicing important skills, such as social skills, emotional regulation, self-esteem, stress-reduction, and universality.

Music Therapy In-service

I offer comprehensive music therapy in-services tailored to your organization's needs. Structured and informative sessions cover a variety of topics, including the benefits of music therapy, practical applications in different settings, and hands-on techniques for integrating music into your program. Whether you're a school, healthcare facility, or community organization, a music therapy in-service provides valuable insights and strategies to enhance the well-being of your clients or students through the power of music therapy.

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS: BS IN COMMUNICATION DISORDERS | BMus IN MUSIC

Acquiring both a bachelor's degree in music and a bachelor's degree in communication disorders provides a unique blend of skills, including proficiency in music theory and proficiency on multiple instruments, alongside expertise in speech, language, and hearing disorders assessment and intervention.

LESLEY UNIVERSITY: MA IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING: MUSIC THERAPY

Training in Lesley's graduate program prepares clinicians to address the emotional, cognitive, physical, and spiritual health of individuals using music as a lens for observation, research, and intervention.

BOARD-CERTIFIED MUSIC THERAPIST (MT-BC)

I am a board-certified music therapist. This certification is issued by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), which grants this credential to individuals who meet the requirements developed for this profession. This certification is recognized both nationally and internationally, and allows me to administer music therapy treatment independently and ethically.

PUBLICATION AND ADDITIONAL SPECIALITES

Rzeznik, Brianna, 'The Use of Violin Family Instruments in Music Therapy with Individuals Experiencing Acute Psychiatric Presentations: A Literature Review' (2022). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 556.

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