Nat is honoured to be this year’s keynote speaker for the annual music therapy conference hosted by the Music and Imagery Association of Australia.

This year’s conference theme is Soundscapes: connect, co-create, expand.

In her address, Nat will share her experiences and approaches creating soothing music from the perspective of an artist, not therapist.

Nat will guide us through the creation of several projects influenced by music therapy, mindfulness, radical acceptance and humanism: Forever, and No Time At All, her acclaimed lullaby album for parents and children; Hope, her response to the challenges of 2020, Forever Changed, her newest project, celebrating neurodiversity; and Seeking Solace, a compilation for Hush Foundation inspired by discussions with female inpatients at Cabrini Mental Health Clinic. These recordings are often played in clinical contexts, as well as chosen by individuals as a soundtrack to deeply personal moments including childbirth, caregiving, and in the hours before death.

With lived experience of neurodiversity, mental illness and caregiving; and a 17-year career spanning jazz, classical and children’s music; Nat’s unique story showcases the importance of living artists creating music for co-regulation – between the artist and their work, artist and audience; between caregiver and receiver; therapist and client.  

Nat will explain her creative approach to creating this music, the impact of her work in several communities; and the experience of creating and listening to music as a tool for regulation, processing emotions and ‘fizzy feelings’.

The Treacy Centre
University of Melbourne, Parkville
Sat 28 and Sun 29 June

The conference theme, Soundscapes invites participants to:

● Explore the dynamic interplay of connection, creativity, and expansion in GIM (Guided Imagery and Music) practice
● Honour Helen Bonny’s foundational principles while embracing emerging musical and cultural influences
● Consider musical elements in shaping the therapeutic process in GIM practice
● Consider how soundscapes—including nature sounds, spontaneous improvisation, and diverse musical genres can be utilised in GIM practice
● Explore music’s transformative role in emotional and spiritual healing
● Explore the intersection of diverse clinical presentations and modifications of music
psychotherapeutic techniques

Pricing:

* Members: $220 per day / $400 for two days
* Interstate Members: $120 per day / $220 for two days
* Non-Members: $250 per day / $460 for two days