Laura Gillis, RP, MTA – “Creative Projects: Reaching Out from Long-Term Care”

In this presentation, the presenter will share about her music therapy work in long-term care and how, with a feminist psychotherapy lens in mind, she has developed two special projects to contribute to increasing visibility and amplifying voices of individuals living in long-term care. One project features the voices of residents as radio DJs, sharing and responding to their favourite music: These are shared on radio and the internet. The other project, with the support of arts grants, brings composers into long-term care to work with and create music with/for a handbell choir. There will be audio and photo examples shared of the special projects. The special projects will be situated in an overview of the types of music therapy the presenter provides in the facility, and briefly what long-term care looks like more generally to provide context for international music therapists. Highlights from music therapy literature will be provided.

Biography

Laura Gillis is a Registered Psychotherapist/Music Therapist working in long-term care, for almost 15 years. She pursues her own artistic practices, producing and sharing work in experimental film and music.