At Chiltern all our operational roles sit within circles (aka teams). We also have a Board of Directors who support the operational work of the organisation. Click into the circles to see the different roles that sit in each circle and who sits on our board.
The Advance circle exists to future-proof Chiltern through outward-facing high quality growth and innovation. See the roles that sit in this circle below.
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Cath is passionate about all things music therapy, has a special interest in working with people with an acquired brain injury and is curious about the NHS social prescribing agenda. Cath holds many roles at Chiltern: as a clinician she is Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, MATADOC assessor and clinical supervisor. She loves to talk to people about music therapy, help them understand the value of what we do and promote our profession and everything Chiltern. Within our organisation, Cath leads the Outer Circle, steering the Chiltern ship in the present and into the future, she is also a facilitator and supports the team in scoping and developing new clinical projects in her project maker role. Cath brings experience from her previous career in drug development within the pharmaceutical industry and running her own music therapy business to Chiltern, proving that a radical career change can bring new and varied skills into our profession.
"Elizabeth completed her MSc in Music Therapy at Queen Margaret University before carrying out further study to train as a Neurologic Music Therapist, NICU-MT, and MATADOC assessor. She is passionate about neurorehabilitation and supporting children and adults with brain injury to reach their goals and is currently heading up an exciting pilot project at a neurorehab unit in East London. Elizabeth also plays cello and piano and when she’s not working she can be found kung-fu-ing, running, or playing tennis! In her role as Neuro Network Champion, Elizabeth oversees our business development and PR in this sector as well as coordinating our neuro & medical services team. She also holds a number of other roles, including as an external trainer in the Outcomes Stars and an internal trainer in the Working Out Loud method which helps our team to reach their personal and professional goals. Additionally, she holds the role of supervisor and Advance Link, communicating key information between our Advance Circle which focuses on business development and income generation, and our Outer Circle which holds our vision and company strategy."
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Gabrielle joined Chiltern in 2017 and has loved being part of a forward thinking and growing team that's passionate about making music therapy understood and accessible for everyone. After a career in business Gabrielle had a change of direction and completed her MA at Roehampton University. She has also completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU and MATADOC. Gabrielle loves the opportunity that working for Chiltern provides to see clients of all ages - from working with the elderly in care homes, seeing young people in schools to working with pre-schoolers in their home. In addition to her clinical work Gabrielle is the Business Development Lead in the Advance Circle.
Gareth completed his MA in Music Therapy at Guildhall, School of Music and Drama and also has an MMus and BMus (Hons). As a Music Therapist he works freelance as well as for Chiltern Music Therapy. Gareth works within a variety of settings with varied client groups of all ages. His clinical experience ranges from acute mental health to children and adolescents with Learning Difficulties, ASD and SEBD, as well as Dementia and neurological deficit. Prior to becoming a Music Therapist, Gareth worked as an Opera Singer, working for such companies as Glyndebourne opera and English National Opera, having trained at the Opera Department at the Guildhall, School of Music and Drama. As a Music Therapist, Gareth is keen to draw from both his vocal and therapeutic understanding the potential of the voice as a therapeutic tool to enhance a persons understanding of self, nurturing from within and promoting a healthier outlook.
Irene qualified as a Music Therapist in 2007 and gained further certification as Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, MATADOC Assessor and NICU-Music Therapist. Her clinical experience includes working with children and adults with a range of needs, including neuro-rehabilitation, dementia, learning disabilities, ASD, behavioural difficulties and complex medical needs. She has also worked in perinatal care and adult mental health, among a variety of settings in the UK and abroad. Irene has a passion for evidence-based research and an adaptable and caring provision. Further to her clinical work, Irene is involved in research related applied music technology in music therapy and is also a clinical supervisor.
Izzy leads on the development of the external training offered by Chiltern Music Therapy across a variety of sectors. With a background in both the education and healthcare sectors, she brings a passion for learning and professional development with her to the role.
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Katie heads up all things communications at Chiltern and tries to keep everyone ‘on brand’! She’s also a lover of systems and data and works across our circles (teams) to keep things running smoothly. She works as a link between our delivery circle and the other circles at Chiltern and is one of the circle Facilitators making sure our meetings are kept on track!
After completing her music therapy training at Roehampton, Laura has worked with people of all ages with a range of identities and diagnoses, and this is reflected within her diverse approaches to work. She enjoys the variety in her sessions, from writing catchy jingles to discussions on favourite songs, and loves discovering new music and ideas. Laura has a passion for all things inclusion and is driving the organisation towards a progressive and intersectional space for all. She is also developing our children and young people services so that they are current, user-led and accessible.
Laura trained as a music therapist at UWE Bristol and studied music at the University of Surrey. Since qualifying, she has completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy and is a qualified MATADOC assessor. Laura is based in Bath and can take referrals in and around Bath and Bristol. She specialises in working with neurological conditions and with stroke and brain injury survivors, and is particularly interested in supporting people with aphasia and other communication difficulties. Laura also supports children and young people who have experienced early trauma. As a self-confessed music therapy and psychology geek Laura also coordinates our research and academic network and can often be found at conferences or sharing interesting articles on twitter!
Rosie founded Chiltern Music Therapy in 2011. She completed her MA in Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University and previously worked as a Music Therapist at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and with the NHS Learning Disability Community and Forensic Team in Hertfordshire. Completing training in Neurologic Music Therapy, MATADOC and Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapy, she is passionate about continued professional development for Music Therapists. Supporting the organisation through transformational change into self-management and employee-ownership has meant that her own learning continues to change and grow. She is currently Designated Safeguarding Lead and through her other roles, supports the staff with their personal development within Chiltern, whilst keeping conversations and connections going with other organisations, who share our passion and promise to make Music Therapy the transformative thread in everyday life.
After studying an undergraduate degree in Special Educational Needs and Music, Sabina went back to her family’s Irish roots and completed an MA in Music Therapy at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Limerick. During her training, Sabina gained experience in adult mental health and ran a pilot project with family caregivers. Sabina also provided music therapy in a Dublin based hospital (and potentially holds the title for playing “Molly Malone” a record number of times!) Now back in the Midlands, Sabina works closely with adolescents who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, as well as children and adults with a range of disabilities. In 2019, Sabina gained further certification as a specialist Neurologic Music Therapist and is utilising this training to inform her work in the field of neuro-rehabilitation. Sabina is passionate about using music as an accessible tool to help individuals achieve their goals. In her work, Sabina always aims to create an inclusive, comfortable, and supportive environment.
The board of directors are responsible for taking lead when required. Our two existing directors, Rosie and Rebecca have been joined by two internal directors, Kasia and Natasha and two external directors, Roger and Sofie. Find out more below.
Kasia holds the role of Clinical Delivery Lead at Chiltern and is a qualified Music Therapist, gaining her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and BMus (Hons) in Music from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has a broad experience base working with children and adults of all ages across the community, in schools, hospitals and family homes. With specialist training in neonatal intensive care (NICU) Music Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), Kasia’s recent clinical work has focused on setting up and developing services in NICUs, looking to further establish this network and way of working with premature infants. In her role as Clinical Delivery Lead, Kasia led the development and restructure of the team into self-managed ‘pods’ (teams) and continues to drive staff development and wellbeing during Chiltern’s move to becoming a ‘teal’ organisation. Kasia is also an experienced flute teacher, and advocate for people with additional needs.
Natasha is currently on maternity leave but is still an active Director at Chiltern. She is a trained Music Therapist completing her masters at Guildhall and completing specialist training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU-MT and MATADOC. She loves working with people of all ages and needs.
Rebecca Atkinson is a Neurologic Music Therapist and Doctoral researcher with the University of Brighton. Alongside directing Chiltern Music Therapy her main focus of work is in paediatric brain injury, neurodegenerative conditions, acute care and community rehabilitation. Under an Arts Council scholarship, Rebecca’s PhD research project is investigating the impact of music and NMT for children and young people diagnosed with Batten disease. Her continued collaboration and affiliation with UK and European research institutions, sees Rebecca at the forefront of current and pioneering research in the arts, health and music therapy sector.
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Rosie founded Chiltern Music Therapy in 2011. She completed her MA in Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University and previously worked as a Music Therapist at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and with the NHS Learning Disability Community and Forensic Team in Hertfordshire. Completing training in Neurologic Music Therapy, MATADOC and Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapy, she is passionate about continued professional development for Music Therapists. Supporting the organisation through transformational change into self-management and employee-ownership has meant that her own learning continues to change and grow. She is currently Designated Safeguarding Lead and through her other roles, supports the staff with their personal development within Chiltern, whilst keeping conversations and connections going with other organisations, who share our passion and promise to make Music Therapy the transformative thread in everyday life.
Sofie is very proud to be a Non-Exec Director at Chiltern Music Therapy, having joined the board in October 2021 shortly after the organisation’s move to employee ownership and self-management. Sofie is a long-time supporter of Chiltern, having had the opportunity to see the profound benefits brought by music therapy to her clients in her job as a solicitor representing those with traumatic brain injury at Irwin Mitchell. She is passionate about music therapy becoming widely to available to all that need it. To that end she is proud to have been involved with several joint projects between Irwin Mitchell and Chiltern, including a Neurologic Music Therapy Pilot Clinic in the Trauma Wards at the Royal London Hospital in 2018 and at the Regional National Rehabilitation Unit at Homerton Hospital in 2021/2022, providing access to neurologic music therapy to severely injured people.
The Life circle exists to help the Chiltern team to be excellent in every way; caring, nurturing and supporting all our staff through the challenges that present. See the roles that sit in this circle below.
Alice studied musicology at the University of Huddersfield and gained her MA in Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University. She has experience of working with children and adults with a wide range of needs, including autism, PMLD, learning disabilities, and mental health.
Amanda is a trained music therapist completing her masters at Anglia Ruskin, Cambridge. She has completed further training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU and MATADOC. Amanda is also a qualified primary teacher graduating from Middlesex University in 1995 and also continues part time in that role. She enjoys working with people of all ages and diagnosis including Epilepsy, brain injury, spinal injury, learning disabilities and clients within hospice care. She feels privileged to work with and to support clients and their families. Within Chiltern she has the role of Pod Comms Voicebox and a supervisor and enjoys producing resources and materials which can be used as visual props to support clients within music therapy sessions.
Cath is passionate about all things music therapy, has a special interest in working with people with an acquired brain injury and is curious about the NHS social prescribing agenda. Cath holds many roles at Chiltern: as a clinician she is Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, MATADOC assessor and clinical supervisor. She loves to talk to people about music therapy, help them understand the value of what we do and promote our profession and everything Chiltern. Within our organisation, Cath leads the Outer Circle, steering the Chiltern ship in the present and into the future, she is also a facilitator and supports the team in scoping and developing new clinical projects in her project maker role. Cath brings experience from her previous career in drug development within the pharmaceutical industry and running her own music therapy business to Chiltern, proving that a radical career change can bring new and varied skills into our profession.
"Elizabeth completed her MSc in Music Therapy at Queen Margaret University before carrying out further study to train as a Neurologic Music Therapist, NICU-MT, and MATADOC assessor. She is passionate about neurorehabilitation and supporting children and adults with brain injury to reach their goals and is currently heading up an exciting pilot project at a neurorehab unit in East London. Elizabeth also plays cello and piano and when she’s not working she can be found kung-fu-ing, running, or playing tennis! In her role as Neuro Network Champion, Elizabeth oversees our business development and PR in this sector as well as coordinating our neuro & medical services team. She also holds a number of other roles, including as an external trainer in the Outcomes Stars and an internal trainer in the Working Out Loud method which helps our team to reach their personal and professional goals. Additionally, she holds the role of supervisor and Advance Link, communicating key information between our Advance Circle which focuses on business development and income generation, and our Outer Circle which holds our vision and company strategy."
Emma knew from the age of 4 whilst standing infront of an audience singing 'twinkle twinkle little star' dressed as a christmas tree that music would be a massive part of her life and now she gets to use music to help others! Emma trained at Anglia Ruskin University in 2014 and has since worked with a broad range of client groups specialising in working with children with additional needs. Emma is also passionate about supporting and nurturing staff as well as students and is able to do this in her two operational roles of ‘Life Circle Guardian’ and Placement Co-ordinator.
Gabrielle joined Chiltern in 2017 and has loved being part of a forward thinking and growing team that's passionate about making music therapy understood and accessible for everyone. After a career in business Gabrielle had a change of direction and completed her MA at Roehampton University. She has also completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU and MATADOC. Gabrielle loves the opportunity that working for Chiltern provides to see clients of all ages - from working with the elderly in care homes, seeing young people in schools to working with pre-schoolers in their home. In addition to her clinical work Gabrielle is the Business Development Lead in the Advance Circle.
Gareth completed his MA in Music Therapy at Guildhall, School of Music and Drama and also has an MMus and BMus (Hons). As a Music Therapist he works freelance as well as for Chiltern Music Therapy. Gareth works within a variety of settings with varied client groups of all ages. His clinical experience ranges from acute mental health to children and adolescents with Learning Difficulties, ASD and SEBD, as well as Dementia and neurological deficit. Prior to becoming a Music Therapist, Gareth worked as an Opera Singer, working for such companies as Glyndebourne opera and English National Opera, having trained at the Opera Department at the Guildhall, School of Music and Drama. As a Music Therapist, Gareth is keen to draw from both his vocal and therapeutic understanding the potential of the voice as a therapeutic tool to enhance a persons understanding of self, nurturing from within and promoting a healthier outlook.
Irene qualified as a Music Therapist in 2007 and gained further certification as Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, MATADOC Assessor and NICU-Music Therapist. Her clinical experience includes working with children and adults with a range of needs, including neuro-rehabilitation, dementia, learning disabilities, ASD, behavioural difficulties and complex medical needs. She has also worked in perinatal care and adult mental health, among a variety of settings in the UK and abroad. Irene has a passion for evidence-based research and an adaptable and caring provision. Further to her clinical work, Irene is involved in research related applied music technology in music therapy and is also a clinical supervisor.
Jessica has been a music therapist since 1998 and part of Chiltern since 2017. Her love of sharing music with people has found a home in music therapy, although she has also worked as a violinist and music teacher. She cares, perhaps more than anything else, about people being heard and valued and joining Chiltern felt like coming home. Jessica now works alongside the whole team to help grow the values and ethos of the organisation and to support colleagues in their work. Her experiences have led her to research into the ways of knowing that happen in music therapy. She also loves walking and making things!
Kasia holds the role of Clinical Delivery Lead at Chiltern and is a qualified Music Therapist, gaining her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and BMus (Hons) in Music from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has a broad experience base working with children and adults of all ages across the community, in schools, hospitals and family homes. With specialist training in neonatal intensive care (NICU) Music Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), Kasia’s recent clinical work has focused on setting up and developing services in NICUs, looking to further establish this network and way of working with premature infants. In her role as Clinical Delivery Lead, Kasia led the development and restructure of the team into self-managed ‘pods’ (teams) and continues to drive staff development and wellbeing during Chiltern’s move to becoming a ‘teal’ organisation. Kasia is also an experienced flute teacher, and advocate for people with additional needs.
Laura trained as a music therapist at UWE Bristol and studied music at the University of Surrey. Since qualifying, she has completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy and is a qualified MATADOC assessor. Laura is based in Bath and can take referrals in and around Bath and Bristol. She specialises in working with neurological conditions and with stroke and brain injury survivors, and is particularly interested in supporting people with aphasia and other communication difficulties. Laura also supports children and young people who have experienced early trauma. As a self-confessed music therapy and psychology geek Laura also coordinates our research and academic network and can often be found at conferences or sharing interesting articles on twitter!
Rosie founded Chiltern Music Therapy in 2011. She completed her MA in Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University and previously worked as a Music Therapist at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and with the NHS Learning Disability Community and Forensic Team in Hertfordshire. Completing training in Neurologic Music Therapy, MATADOC and Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapy, she is passionate about continued professional development for Music Therapists. Supporting the organisation through transformational change into self-management and employee-ownership has meant that her own learning continues to change and grow. She is currently Designated Safeguarding Lead and through her other roles, supports the staff with their personal development within Chiltern, whilst keeping conversations and connections going with other organisations, who share our passion and promise to make Music Therapy the transformative thread in everyday life.
Vicky heads up the scheduling of all new and existing referrals for our team of Music Therapists and Community Musicians across England. Overseeing enquiries and referrals, she supports all clients to enable access Music Therapy or Community Music. Vicky also deals with recruitment of new staff and volunteers, staff boarding and supports all existing staff at Chiltern.
The delivery circle exists to enable access to Chiltern in order to fulfil every service request within our offer to help realise our vision and support the smooth running of new and existing offers and initiatives with a skilled workforce. All our clinical staff sit within our delivery circle and you can learn more about them and the other circle roles below.
Anvita has a MBA in Financial Management and has worked in accountancy across various industries for over 20 years. Her strength is in data analysis and compiling insightful reports and she enjoys preparing management reports, analysis and cash forecasts. She supports the Finance Function at Chiltern and helps bring together all the various financial elements to present an accurate and cohesive picture.
Music has always played a huge part in Eleanor's life. Having gone to a music specialised grammar school in Germany and having spent most of her free time singing in choirs and playing instruments, it was clear to her that she would go on and do something that would involve music. Eleanor went on to study Social Pedagogy at a University in Germany and once she graduated she worked in various institutions with people who had learning disabilities, autism, dementia and mental health issues and always used music as a tool to communicate with the clients. She enjoys working with all kinds of people and she hopes to complete a music therapy degree in the future.
Kasia holds the role of Clinical Delivery Lead at Chiltern and is a qualified Music Therapist, gaining her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and BMus (Hons) in Music from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has a broad experience base working with children and adults of all ages across the community, in schools, hospitals and family homes. With specialist training in neonatal intensive care (NICU) Music Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), Kasia’s recent clinical work has focused on setting up and developing services in NICUs, looking to further establish this network and way of working with premature infants. In her role as Clinical Delivery Lead, Kasia led the development and restructure of the team into self-managed ‘pods’ (teams) and continues to drive staff development and wellbeing during Chiltern’s move to becoming a ‘teal’ organisation. Kasia is also an experienced flute teacher, and advocate for people with additional needs.
Katie heads up all things communications at Chiltern and tries to keep everyone ‘on brand’! She’s also a lover of systems and data and works across our circles (teams) to keep things running smoothly. She works as a link between our delivery circle and the other circles at Chiltern and is one of the circle Facilitators making sure our meetings are kept on track!
Laura trained as a music therapist at UWE Bristol and studied music at the University of Surrey. Since qualifying, she has completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy and is a qualified MATADOC assessor. Laura is based in Bath and can take referrals in and around Bath and Bristol. She specialises in working with neurological conditions and with stroke and brain injury survivors, and is particularly interested in supporting people with aphasia and other communication difficulties. Laura also supports children and young people who have experienced early trauma. As a self-confessed music therapy and psychology geek Laura also coordinates our research and academic network and can often be found at conferences or sharing interesting articles on twitter!
Steph supports with the scheduling of Music Therapy and Community Music referrals, as well as service contracts and training opportunities.
Vicky heads up the scheduling of all new and existing referrals for our team of Music Therapists and Community Musicians across England. Overseeing enquiries and referrals, she supports all clients to enable access Music Therapy or Community Music. Vicky also deals with recruitment of new staff and volunteers, staff boarding and supports all existing staff at Chiltern.
The Anchor Circle exists to guide the Chiltern ship in the present, and look forward to the future. See which roles sit within this circle below
Cath is passionate about all things music therapy, has a special interest in working with people with an acquired brain injury and is curious about the NHS social prescribing agenda. Cath holds many roles at Chiltern: as a clinician she is Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, MATADOC assessor and clinical supervisor. She loves to talk to people about music therapy, help them understand the value of what we do and promote our profession and everything Chiltern. Within our organisation, Cath leads the Outer Circle, steering the Chiltern ship in the present and into the future, she is also a facilitator and supports the team in scoping and developing new clinical projects in her project maker role. Cath brings experience from her previous career in drug development within the pharmaceutical industry and running her own music therapy business to Chiltern, proving that a radical career change can bring new and varied skills into our profession.
"Elizabeth completed her MSc in Music Therapy at Queen Margaret University before carrying out further study to train as a Neurologic Music Therapist, NICU-MT, and MATADOC assessor. She is passionate about neurorehabilitation and supporting children and adults with brain injury to reach their goals and is currently heading up an exciting pilot project at a neurorehab unit in East London. Elizabeth also plays cello and piano and when she’s not working she can be found kung-fu-ing, running, or playing tennis! In her role as Neuro Network Champion, Elizabeth oversees our business development and PR in this sector as well as coordinating our neuro & medical services team. She also holds a number of other roles, including as an external trainer in the Outcomes Stars and an internal trainer in the Working Out Loud method which helps our team to reach their personal and professional goals. Additionally, she holds the role of supervisor and Advance Link, communicating key information between our Advance Circle which focuses on business development and income generation, and our Outer Circle which holds our vision and company strategy."
Emma knew from the age of 4 whilst standing infront of an audience singing 'twinkle twinkle little star' dressed as a christmas tree that music would be a massive part of her life and now she gets to use music to help others! Emma trained at Anglia Ruskin University in 2014 and has since worked with a broad range of client groups specialising in working with children with additional needs. Emma is also passionate about supporting and nurturing staff as well as students and is able to do this in her two operational roles of ‘Life Circle Guardian’ and Placement Co-ordinator.
Gabrielle joined Chiltern in 2017 and has loved being part of a forward thinking and growing team that's passionate about making music therapy understood and accessible for everyone. After a career in business Gabrielle had a change of direction and completed her MA at Roehampton University. She has also completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU and MATADOC. Gabrielle loves the opportunity that working for Chiltern provides to see clients of all ages - from working with the elderly in care homes, seeing young people in schools to working with pre-schoolers in their home. In addition to her clinical work Gabrielle is the Business Development Lead in the Advance Circle.
Jessica has been a music therapist since 1998 and part of Chiltern since 2017. Her love of sharing music with people has found a home in music therapy, although she has also worked as a violinist and music teacher. She cares, perhaps more than anything else, about people being heard and valued and joining Chiltern felt like coming home. Jessica now works alongside the whole team to help grow the values and ethos of the organisation and to support colleagues in their work. Her experiences have led her to research into the ways of knowing that happen in music therapy. She also loves walking and making things!
Kasia holds the role of Clinical Delivery Lead at Chiltern and is a qualified Music Therapist, gaining her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and BMus (Hons) in Music from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has a broad experience base working with children and adults of all ages across the community, in schools, hospitals and family homes. With specialist training in neonatal intensive care (NICU) Music Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), Kasia’s recent clinical work has focused on setting up and developing services in NICUs, looking to further establish this network and way of working with premature infants. In her role as Clinical Delivery Lead, Kasia led the development and restructure of the team into self-managed ‘pods’ (teams) and continues to drive staff development and wellbeing during Chiltern’s move to becoming a ‘teal’ organisation. Kasia is also an experienced flute teacher, and advocate for people with additional needs.
Katie heads up all things communications at Chiltern and tries to keep everyone ‘on brand’! She’s also a lover of systems and data and works across our circles (teams) to keep things running smoothly. She works as a link between our delivery circle and the other circles at Chiltern and is one of the circle Facilitators making sure our meetings are kept on track!
From the age of 13 Laura was dedicated to achieving her goal of becoming a Music Therapist, which she did at the age of 24 after graduating from Guildhall. She initially joined Chiltern as a student on placement and now works with them full time and adores her work. She is devoted to using music to connect with her clients and has experience working with children, including those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, who have developmental and social-emotional needs, and adults, young and old, who are recovering from or experiencing mental health problems. Laura loves to sing and play a number of instruments and can’t go a day without tinkling the ivories!
The Fundraising circle exists to facilitate and increase revenue to secure and sustain the future of the organisation. You can learn more about the roles in this circle below.
Gabrielle joined Chiltern in 2017 and has loved being part of a forward thinking and growing team that's passionate about making music therapy understood and accessible for everyone. After a career in business Gabrielle had a change of direction and completed her MA at Roehampton University. She has also completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU and MATADOC. Gabrielle loves the opportunity that working for Chiltern provides to see clients of all ages - from working with the elderly in care homes, seeing young people in schools to working with pre-schoolers in their home. In addition to her clinical work Gabrielle is the Business Development Lead in the Advance Circle.
Izzy leads on the development of the external training offered by Chiltern Music Therapy across a variety of sectors. With a background in both the education and healthcare sectors, she brings a passion for learning and professional development with her to the role.
Jo is a Community Musician and also provides support to our fundraising team. Jo’s working background is predominantly administrative, but since making the leap in late 2017 (leaving her role as royalties director at a literary agency), she hasn’t looked back! Jo has always had a passion for music and enjoys playing piano/keys, singing, improvising and writing in bands, however, in early 2018 she discovered a different way of experiencing music with people that really struck a ‘chord’ with her. It all started with volunteering as a music assistant at Share (an organisation providing support to adults with learning disabilities, physical/sensory impairments, autism and mental health needs). Later in 2018 the opportunity to join Chiltern came along and Jo jumped at the chance – she has loved meeting different people, sharing music with them and seeing the joy participatory music-making can bring. Long may it continue!
The Culture Circle exists to cultivate and develop the theory and practice of Chiltern's culture in all spheres: organisational, therapeutic, interpersonal, internal and external.
Jessica has been a music therapist since 1998 and part of Chiltern since 2017. Her love of sharing music with people has found a home in music therapy, although she has also worked as a violinist and music teacher. She cares, perhaps more than anything else, about people being heard and valued and joining Chiltern felt like coming home. Jessica now works alongside the whole team to help grow the values and ethos of the organisation and to support colleagues in their work. Her experiences have led her to research into the ways of knowing that happen in music therapy. She also loves walking and making things!
Jim joined Chiltern in January 2018, shortly after he qualified as a music therapist and became a dad! Jim mostly works with school children and adults with learning disabilities at the moment, but has experience with clients with a range of diagnoses from nursery age all the way through to elderly care homes. He has a particular interest in working with people with psychosis, both in hospital and in the community. Jim is passionate about sustainability and created the Environmental & Sustainability Lead role at Chiltern at the beginning of 2021. He also works as a library music composer, with his music being used on Masterchef, Neighbours, Blue Peter, and many other programmes across the world.
Kasia holds the role of Clinical Delivery Lead at Chiltern and is a qualified Music Therapist, gaining her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and BMus (Hons) in Music from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has a broad experience base working with children and adults of all ages across the community, in schools, hospitals and family homes. With specialist training in neonatal intensive care (NICU) Music Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), Kasia’s recent clinical work has focused on setting up and developing services in NICUs, looking to further establish this network and way of working with premature infants. In her role as Clinical Delivery Lead, Kasia led the development and restructure of the team into self-managed ‘pods’ (teams) and continues to drive staff development and wellbeing during Chiltern’s move to becoming a ‘teal’ organisation. Kasia is also an experienced flute teacher, and advocate for people with additional needs.
After completing her music therapy training at Roehampton, Laura has worked with people of all ages with a range of identities and diagnoses, and this is reflected within her diverse approaches to work. She enjoys the variety in her sessions, from writing catchy jingles to discussions on favourite songs, and loves discovering new music and ideas. Laura has a passion for all things inclusion and is driving the organisation towards a progressive and intersectional space for all. She is also developing our children and young people services so that they are current, user-led and accessible.
From the age of 13 Laura was dedicated to achieving her goal of becoming a Music Therapist, which she did at the age of 24 after graduating from Guildhall. She initially joined Chiltern as a student on placement and now works with them full time and adores her work. She is devoted to using music to connect with her clients and has experience working with children, including those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, who have developmental and social-emotional needs, and adults, young and old, who are recovering from or experiencing mental health problems. Laura loves to sing and play a number of instruments and can’t go a day without tinkling the ivories!
Rosie founded Chiltern Music Therapy in 2011. She completed her MA in Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University and previously worked as a Music Therapist at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and with the NHS Learning Disability Community and Forensic Team in Hertfordshire. Completing training in Neurologic Music Therapy, MATADOC and Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapy, she is passionate about continued professional development for Music Therapists. Supporting the organisation through transformational change into self-management and employee-ownership has meant that her own learning continues to change and grow. She is currently Designated Safeguarding Lead and through her other roles, supports the staff with their personal development within Chiltern, whilst keeping conversations and connections going with other organisations, who share our passion and promise to make Music Therapy the transformative thread in everyday life.
After studying an undergraduate degree in Special Educational Needs and Music, Sabina went back to her family’s Irish roots and completed an MA in Music Therapy at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Limerick. During her training, Sabina gained experience in adult mental health and ran a pilot project with family caregivers. Sabina also provided music therapy in a Dublin based hospital (and potentially holds the title for playing “Molly Malone” a record number of times!) Now back in the Midlands, Sabina works closely with adolescents who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, as well as children and adults with a range of disabilities. In 2019, Sabina gained further certification as a specialist Neurologic Music Therapist and is utilising this training to inform her work in the field of neuro-rehabilitation. Sabina is passionate about using music as an accessible tool to help individuals achieve their goals. In her work, Sabina always aims to create an inclusive, comfortable, and supportive environment.
All our clinical staff sit within our delivery circle and you can learn more about them below.
Alice studied musicology at the University of Huddersfield and gained her MA in Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University. She has experience of working with children and adults with a wide range of needs, including autism, PMLD, learning disabilities, and mental health.
Amanda is a trained music therapist completing her masters at Anglia Ruskin, Cambridge. She has completed further training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU and MATADOC. Amanda is also a qualified primary teacher graduating from Middlesex University in 1995 and also continues part time in that role. She enjoys working with people of all ages and diagnosis including Epilepsy, brain injury, spinal injury, learning disabilities and clients within hospice care. She feels privileged to work with and to support clients and their families. Within Chiltern she has the role of Pod Comms Voicebox and a supervisor and enjoys producing resources and materials which can be used as visual props to support clients within music therapy sessions.
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Becky qualified as a Music Therapist in 2012 from Anglia Ruskin University and lived and worked for several years in Oxfordshire before relocating to undertake her PhD at the University of Nottingham, which she completed in 2020. She is passionate about the power of music and music therapy for people living with dementia, and about strengthening the connections between research and practice. As well as working for Chiltern Music Therapy she also works as a researcher, and in her spare time she enjoys running, crafting and spending time with her cat.
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Briony went to Anglia Ruskin University as a mature student in 2003, after having worked mainly in catering and health care work. She completed a BA (Hons) in Music and shortly afterwards an MA in Music Therapy. All the way through her training she was drawn towards working in palliative care and soon after completing the training she got her dream job in a hospice in Hull. For almost ten years, Briony worked with adults with life limiting illnesses and all ages for pre-bereavement and bereavement care. Within this role she worked in the hospice, in the community, nursing homes, schools and hospitals. Three years after adopting her daughter, Briony decided to move closer to family and then began working for Chiltern Music Therapy at the beginning of 2021. She works in the school environment, with young people who have severe learning disabilities and ASD.
Cath is passionate about all things music therapy, has a special interest in working with people with an acquired brain injury and is curious about the NHS social prescribing agenda. Cath holds many roles at Chiltern: as a clinician she is Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, MATADOC assessor and clinical supervisor. She loves to talk to people about music therapy, help them understand the value of what we do and promote our profession and everything Chiltern. Within our organisation, Cath leads the Outer Circle, steering the Chiltern ship in the present and into the future, she is also a facilitator and supports the team in scoping and developing new clinical projects in her project maker role. Cath brings experience from her previous career in drug development within the pharmaceutical industry and running her own music therapy business to Chiltern, proving that a radical career change can bring new and varied skills into our profession.
Daryl is a newly qualified music therapist, who studied at Roehampton University. He has extensive history working with children and young people in both mainstream and SEN settings, whilst also having taken a placement in a neuro-rehabilitation hospital. His main instruments are piano and vocals
Music has always played a huge part in Eleanor's life. Having gone to a music specialised grammar school in Germany and having spent most of her free time singing in choirs and playing instruments, it was clear to her that she would go on and do something that would involve music. Eleanor went on to study Social Pedagogy at a University in Germany and once she graduated she worked in various institutions with people who had learning disabilities, autism, dementia and mental health issues and always used music as a tool to communicate with the clients. She enjoys working with all kinds of people and she hopes to complete a music therapy degree in the future.
"Elizabeth completed her MSc in Music Therapy at Queen Margaret University before carrying out further study to train as a Neurologic Music Therapist, NICU-MT, and MATADOC assessor. She is passionate about neurorehabilitation and supporting children and adults with brain injury to reach their goals and is currently heading up an exciting pilot project at a neurorehab unit in East London. Elizabeth also plays cello and piano and when she’s not working she can be found kung-fu-ing, running, or playing tennis! In her role as Neuro Network Champion, Elizabeth oversees our business development and PR in this sector as well as coordinating our neuro & medical services team. She also holds a number of other roles, including as an external trainer in the Outcomes Stars and an internal trainer in the Working Out Loud method which helps our team to reach their personal and professional goals. Additionally, she holds the role of supervisor and Advance Link, communicating key information between our Advance Circle which focuses on business development and income generation, and our Outer Circle which holds our vision and company strategy."
Ellie is a Music Therapist and Neurologic Music Therapist, and has been with Chiltern Music Therapy since 2013. Currently specialising in acute medical and hospital work with stroke survivors, Ellie is passionate about making music and music therapy accessible to everyone across the Stroke Pathway. Always keen for a new project, Ellie loves to develop new working models with multi-disciplinary teams and increase the ways in which patients can access music therapy whilst in hospital.
Emma completed her undergraduate degree in Music at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama in Dublin before moving to London to do her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has experience working with both children and adults in a variety of settings with a range of needs including mental health, emotional and behavioural difficulties, profound and multiple learning disabilities and age-related illnesses. Emma is also a certified Neurologic Music Therapist. Emma is passionate about the variety of ways music can be used within different settings and within a multidisciplinary team to meet the individual needs of each client.
Emma knew from the age of 4 whilst standing infront of an audience singing 'twinkle twinkle little star' dressed as a christmas tree that music would be a massive part of her life and now she gets to use music to help others! Emma trained at Anglia Ruskin University in 2014 and has since worked with a broad range of client groups specialising in working with children with additional needs. Emma is also passionate about supporting and nurturing staff as well as students and is able to do this in her two operational roles of ‘Life Circle Guardian’ and Placement Co-ordinator.
Fliss joined Chiltern with a passion for building relationships through music, and loves every minute of working with the young people she sees! Fliss trained at UWE Bristol, even though she lives in the midlands, so she's no stranger to a long car journey. Fliss mostly works with young people in schools and at home, but also enjoys and has experience working in hospitals and care units. Fliss also really loves a choir, and encouraging people to sing is one of her favourite things to do!
Gabrielle joined Chiltern in 2017 and has loved being part of a forward thinking and growing team that's passionate about making music therapy understood and accessible for everyone. After a career in business Gabrielle had a change of direction and completed her MA at Roehampton University. She has also completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy, NICU and MATADOC. Gabrielle loves the opportunity that working for Chiltern provides to see clients of all ages - from working with the elderly in care homes, seeing young people in schools to working with pre-schoolers in their home. In addition to her clinical work Gabrielle is the Business Development Lead in the Advance Circle.
Gareth completed his MA in Music Therapy at Guildhall, School of Music and Drama and also has an MMus and BMus (Hons). As a Music Therapist he works freelance as well as for Chiltern Music Therapy. Gareth works within a variety of settings with varied client groups of all ages. His clinical experience ranges from acute mental health to children and adolescents with Learning Difficulties, ASD and SEBD, as well as Dementia and neurological deficit. Prior to becoming a Music Therapist, Gareth worked as an Opera Singer, working for such companies as Glyndebourne opera and English National Opera, having trained at the Opera Department at the Guildhall, School of Music and Drama. As a Music Therapist, Gareth is keen to draw from both his vocal and therapeutic understanding the potential of the voice as a therapeutic tool to enhance a persons understanding of self, nurturing from within and promoting a healthier outlook.
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Helen studied music at Middlesex University and has 25 years experience of teaching singing and piano to adults and children. She is a recording artist, producer and an award winning songwriter. She is passionate about helping others find and develop their creative talents through song.
Irene qualified as a Music Therapist in 2007 and gained further certification as Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, MATADOC Assessor and NICU-Music Therapist. Her clinical experience includes working with children and adults with a range of needs, including neuro-rehabilitation, dementia, learning disabilities, ASD, behavioural difficulties and complex medical needs. She has also worked in perinatal care and adult mental health, among a variety of settings in the UK and abroad. Irene has a passion for evidence-based research and an adaptable and caring provision. Further to her clinical work, Irene is involved in research related applied music technology in music therapy and is also a clinical supervisor.
Isabel completed her Music Therapy training at UWE Bristol and has more recently trained as a Neurologic Music Therapist. Isabel was delighted to join the team at Chiltern Music Therapy in 2019. Isabel has experience of working as a Music Therapist with clients in education, healthcare and community settings both in the UK and beyond. She also works as a music practitioner for a range of arts and health organisations.
James has completed his MA in Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University in 2018 and has experience working within special schools, forensic units and general wards. He has worked with children and adults with learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties, Autism, Downs Syndrome and mental health conditions James' use of guitar, piano, voice and percussive instruments allows for communication to occur in both a musical and verbal capacity, encouraging positive development in a number of areas such as communication and language skills, self-expression and wellbeing. He also has a degree in popular music from Anglia Ruskin University.
Jenny joined Chiltern in April 2022, shortly after she qualified as a music therapist at UWE Bristol. She has experience working with children with learning disabilities, adult mental health within the community and acquired brain injury. Jenny is a singer with a passion for songwriting, improvisation and music technology. She has a particular interest in therapeutic songwriting and the use of voice in her clinical work.
Jessica has been a music therapist since 1998 and part of Chiltern since 2017. Her love of sharing music with people has found a home in music therapy, although she has also worked as a violinist and music teacher. She cares, perhaps more than anything else, about people being heard and valued and joining Chiltern felt like coming home. Jessica now works alongside the whole team to help grow the values and ethos of the organisation and to support colleagues in their work. Her experiences have led her to research into the ways of knowing that happen in music therapy. She also loves walking and making things!
Jim joined Chiltern in January 2018, shortly after he qualified as a music therapist and became a dad! Jim mostly works with school children and adults with learning disabilities at the moment, but has experience with clients with a range of diagnoses from nursery age all the way through to elderly care homes. He has a particular interest in working with people with psychosis, both in hospital and in the community. Jim is passionate about sustainability and created the Environmental & Sustainability Lead role at Chiltern at the beginning of 2021. He also works as a library music composer, with his music being used on Masterchef, Neighbours, Blue Peter, and many other programmes across the world.
Jo is a Community Musician and also provides support to our fundraising team. Jo’s working background is predominantly administrative, but since making the leap in late 2017 (leaving her role as royalties director at a literary agency), she hasn’t looked back! Jo has always had a passion for music and enjoys playing piano/keys, singing, improvising and writing in bands, however, in early 2018 she discovered a different way of experiencing music with people that really struck a ‘chord’ with her. It all started with volunteering as a music assistant at Share (an organisation providing support to adults with learning disabilities, physical/sensory impairments, autism and mental health needs). Later in 2018 the opportunity to join Chiltern came along and Jo jumped at the chance – she has loved meeting different people, sharing music with them and seeing the joy participatory music-making can bring. Long may it continue!
Kasia holds the role of Clinical Delivery Lead at Chiltern and is a qualified Music Therapist, gaining her MA in Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and BMus (Hons) in Music from Royal Holloway, University of London. She has a broad experience base working with children and adults of all ages across the community, in schools, hospitals and family homes. With specialist training in neonatal intensive care (NICU) Music Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), Kasia’s recent clinical work has focused on setting up and developing services in NICUs, looking to further establish this network and way of working with premature infants. In her role as Clinical Delivery Lead, Kasia led the development and restructure of the team into self-managed ‘pods’ (teams) and continues to drive staff development and wellbeing during Chiltern’s move to becoming a ‘teal’ organisation. Kasia is also an experienced flute teacher, and advocate for people with additional needs.
After completing her music therapy training at Roehampton, Laura has worked with people of all ages with a range of identities and diagnoses, and this is reflected within her diverse approaches to work. She enjoys the variety in her sessions, from writing catchy jingles to discussions on favourite songs, and loves discovering new music and ideas. Laura has a passion for all things inclusion and is driving the organisation towards a progressive and intersectional space for all. She is also developing our children and young people services so that they are current, user-led and accessible.
Laura is a trained Music Therapist, completing her Masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and further continued her training as a Neurologic Music Therapist. Laura enjoys working with an array of clients and currently works at a centre for young adults with learning disabilities, and home and school visits to children and adults. Outside of Chiltern, Laura teaches flute and piano in a quaint local studio, alongside providing music therapy at Red Balloon, a bustling centre for the recovery of bullied or traumatised adolescents.
Laura trained as a music therapist at UWE Bristol and studied music at the University of Surrey. Since qualifying, she has completed additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy and is a qualified MATADOC assessor. Laura is based in Bath and can take referrals in and around Bath and Bristol. She specialises in working with neurological conditions and with stroke and brain injury survivors, and is particularly interested in supporting people with aphasia and other communication difficulties. Laura also supports children and young people who have experienced early trauma. As a self-confessed music therapy and psychology geek Laura also coordinates our research and academic network and can often be found at conferences or sharing interesting articles on twitter!
From the age of 13 Laura was dedicated to achieving her goal of becoming a Music Therapist, which she did at the age of 24 after graduating from Guildhall. She initially joined Chiltern as a student on placement and now works with them full time and adores her work. She is devoted to using music to connect with her clients and has experience working with children, including those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, who have developmental and social-emotional needs, and adults, young and old, who are recovering from or experiencing mental health problems. Laura loves to sing and play a number of instruments and can’t go a day without tinkling the ivories!
I’ve been qualified as a music therapist since 2005. I have worked in Learning Disability, Dementia and Trauma. I’m a senior lecturer in music therapy and sing and play the guitar, flute and percussion.
Roz completed a BHSc Occupational Therapy in York before specialising with an MSc Music Therapy (Nordoff-Robbins) from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. She is now based in Liverpool and is the Director of MusAbility Ltd in the North-West of England, who work in partnership with Chiltern Music Therapy. With over 10 years experience as a music therapist, Roz continues to work with clients of all ages and with numerous conditions, including learning disabilities and neurological conditions, as well as with legal teams and families engaging in medical negligence legal suits, and with adoption services for 1:1 and family therapy sessions. Roz is passionate about music therapy and in making this more widely known and more readily available in the North of England.
After studying an undergraduate degree in Special Educational Needs and Music, Sabina went back to her family’s Irish roots and completed an MA in Music Therapy at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Limerick. During her training, Sabina gained experience in adult mental health and ran a pilot project with family caregivers. Sabina also provided music therapy in a Dublin based hospital (and potentially holds the title for playing “Molly Malone” a record number of times!) Now back in the Midlands, Sabina works closely with adolescents who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, as well as children and adults with a range of disabilities. In 2019, Sabina gained further certification as a specialist Neurologic Music Therapist and is utilising this training to inform her work in the field of neuro-rehabilitation. Sabina is passionate about using music as an accessible tool to help individuals achieve their goals. In her work, Sabina always aims to create an inclusive, comfortable, and supportive environment.
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Before becoming an international DJ in 2000, Sam worked in I.T., Project Management and as a P.A. so she has lots of office experience as well as a passion for music. She studied C&G Sound Design & Music Technology and has produced and released many tracks. She is also a Reiki Master and incorporates Sound Healing into her treatments and music, and is also an NLP & Hypnotherapy Practitioner.
Verity is a trained Music Therapist completing her masters at Anglia Ruskin University. She will also be completing GIM training in 2022. She loves working with people of all ages and needs and is currently putting her skills to use a behavioural school for children 13 - 16years old in Norfolk. Verity is a singer and uses vocal work in her sessions. She believes in using music creatively to unlock a persons potential.
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