Feature:

The Angel Band Project

There are unique music therapy initiatives that have found a New York home at the nordoff-Robbins Center for music therapy…

The Angel Band Project has been offering music therapy for survivors of sexual assault at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy for the past 4 years. The project was spearheaded by Rachel Ebeling, based in St. Louis, who oversees all three sites nationwide in Missouri, Washington State, and New York. The NYU program was originally facilitated by the late Benedikte Scheiby, whose presence of loving kindness, compassion, and dedication to true healing is the foundation of the Angel Band's mission and work with the survivors. Benedikte asked Katie Down, LCAT, MT-BC to step in to facilitate the groups at the Nordoff Robbins Center and Katie has been the lead music therapist there for the past 2 year along with licensed creative arts therapist, Noa Fort. The sessions are 8 weeks in length, focusing on clinical improvisation, song writing, peer and clinical support. Instruments from all over the world are made available to the women, many of whom have never touched a musical instrument before the sessions. The sessions run 90-minutes in length each week, are free of charge, and are completely confidential, focusing on self-expression, symptom management, and affect regulation using the act of musiciking together to connect, support, and provide a sense of safety and wellbeing. In addition to our 8-week group sessions, the Angel Band also offers a once-a-year program entitled "Songs of Survival" in which one survivor is paired with one of our music therapists for 6 weeks to create an original song. This program culminates in a professional recording of the songs in a studio with local pro musicians. The Angel Band is dedicated to providing free music therapy to anyone who has survived sexual assault with the belief that music is a powerful agent for change, growth, and healing.

For more information on The Angel Band Project, visit:
www.angelbandproject.org