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Wishing you a joyous and happy holiday with your loved ones…from my family to yours.

The 2011 Moore Holiday Letter

Twas the week before Christmas and as you can tell / my voice doesn’t sound right, can’t sing very well.
So in lieu of our annual holiday song / this poem must suffice to sum up our year-long.

Lorian’s sweet, more quietly happy / She loves pretty dresses, a princess wants to be
She started dance classes and performed late last spring / She’s all full of sweetness as she dances and sings.

Jameson’s happy, a spirited lad / He’s visually creative, just like his dad
This year he went skiing, started taking piano / He had two recitals, and’s always on the go.

The biggest change this year is all due to me / as this fall I started work on my PhD
I keep up my blogging and work state policy / it’s quite a bit to juggle, but still I’m happy.

Steven, he works as a UCM chair / of Music. It’s busy, there’s much to do there.
Old building remodels, new people to hire / Plus he published a book! My! A lot has transpired.

Thus 2011 is now summed up nicely / We’re happy and healthy, wish you that precisely
As we wrap up this letter, we want you to hear / Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good year.

Inspired by the poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas”

Related posts:

1. Happy Holidays from My Family to Yours
2. Top Music Therapy Maven Posts of 2010
3. We’re 1! Happy Anniversary Music Therapy Maven!

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So I mentioned last week that I would be taking a couple weeks off for the holidays…Ha! Just kidding!

Earlier this year, I added a feature to my WordPress blog that allows me to track statistics for all my blog articles. I know which articles you’ve read the most, what you’ve commented on the most, what’s been retweeted and shared on Facebook the most.

So, just for fun, here are the top Music Therapy Maven posts from 2010 based on what you read, your comments, retweets, and Facebook shares (in chronological order):

• Music Therapy Bloggers to Watch in 2010 (January 2010) One of my early posts in 2010 turned out to be one of my most popular as well!
• Watch and Learn: The Mirror Neuron Song (January 2010)
• Developing a New Program? Keep These 4 Things in Mind (February 2010)
• Private Practice 101: An Introduction to Creating Your Own Private Practice (March 2010). The Private Practice 101 series wins for most popular! Believe it or not, 5 of the top 10 posts read this year are from this series (and this popularity is also what prompted me to launch the Therapy Business Blueprint earlier this fall).
• Top 12 Reasons Why Music as Therapy Works (April 2010)
• (VIDEO) The “Right-Left” Song: An Intervention for Children (June 2010).
• The Funny Side of the Mozart Effect (July 2010) This one wins for most shared on Facebook! Too bad I can’t take credit for the content…
• (VIDEO) Music as a Core Function in our Brain (September 2010)
• The Top 10 Holiday Songs…That Don’t Mention Christmas (December 2010)

A final note…This blog would not be possible without your shares, comments, and conversations. I am genuinely blown away by what’s happened with the Maven over the past couple years. Thank you SO much for all the positive support and for your readership. Here’s to more in 2011!

Happy New Year! Have fun…and be safe

Related posts:

1. Music Therapy Bloggers to Watch in 2010
2. Celebrating 100 Blog Posts!
3. Top 5 Music Therapy Topics of the Past 3 Weeks

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It’s been awhile since I’ve done a video post! But this song was too good–and too beautiful–NOT to share with you. It needs no further introduction. Enjoy

Related posts:

1. [Video] The “Right-Left” Song: An Intervention for Children
2. A Teen’s View of Hope and Change: A Song
3. The Neurodevelopment Song (Video)

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In the 1990s, scientists at the University of Parma were studying motor neurons in monkeys. They attached electrodes to a monkey’s brain cells responsible for movements. These electrodes recorded whenever those cells fired…a.k.a. whenever the monkey moved.

Monkeys like peanuts. The researchers set out peanuts for the monkeys to grab. Monkey grabs a peanut, motor neuron fires, electrode records.

Then an odd thing happened. The monkey watched a human pick up the peanut. Their motor neuron fired. The human picked up another peanut. The motor neuron fired again. The monkey hadn’t moved, but the motor neuron fired as if it had.

And that’s how these researchers accidentally discovered one of the coolest things in our brain: mirror neurons.

Mirror neurons are special brain cells that reside on either side of our head. These neurons fire when you do something…or just watch someone else do something.

You may ask: so what? The “so what” is that mirror neurons help tie us to other people’s actions and their feelings. This is important for:

• Empathy. When we see someone feel sad, we feel a little sad. When they’re happy, we’re happy. Mirror neurons help us develop empathy.
• Learning: One way babies learn new skills is by watching others. That’s why second children may learn how to crawl sooner than the first–because they’ve been watching older brother crawl. We don’t lose this ability. When we’re trying to learn something new, it helps to watch someone else do it–because of mirror neurons.

It’s also an important concept for therapists to understand…and it provides a bit of job security. We will never replace live therapists. Only a live therapist can show a client or patient how to do something–and let their mirror neurons work to help teach them.

Last December, I posted my first neuroscience-inspired song. I’m proud now to share with you my second–Watch and Learn: The Mirror Neuron Song.

CHORUS:

Watch and learn, watch and learn
Let your mirror neurons do their thing
Watch and learn, watch and learn
It’s time for your brain to change

1) Mirror neurons are specialized
One on each side of the brain
Near Broca’s and the inferior parietal lobe
Sending signals all over the place

2) They don’t care if they do or watch
They’ll fire the same every time
They influence feelings of empathy
Cause if I watch you, I’ll feel in kind

3) Mirror neurons may be fundamental
In how we connect with each other
They let me learn by watching you
Like a babe learns watching it’s mother

4) The implications for mirror neurons
Are vast, it affects therapy
If a client watches while I show them
What to do, their brain syncs with me

5) Some think those with ASD
Or autism, if you know what I mean
Their social challenges may be due
To broken mirror neuron circuitry.

6) Mirror neurons fire the same
No difference if you do or see
We literally change our client’s brains
When working with them through therapy.

Related posts:

1. 71 Things Everyone Ought to Know About the Brain (Part 1)
2. Let’s Start at the Neuro-Beginning…
3. The Neurodevelopment Song (Video)

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If you follow me on Twitter or are a fan of Neurosong on Facebook, you already know I have some exciting news to share with you.

Last December, a reporter from our local paper, the Fort Collins Coloradoan, contacted me. He had stumbled across my website, and thought a story on Neurosong and music therapy would make for an interesting article.

Things went from there and the “interesting article” turned into a substantial Sunday feature story in the business section! The reporter, David Young, wrote not only about our work, but about music therapy in general and the wonderful training program at Colorado State University.

You can read the article by clicking here. I’d also highly recommend you watch the video. It’s only 4 minutes long and features one of my music therapists working with a client!

P.S. If you enjoy this blog, sign up for the FREE monthly newsletter. Sign up now and you’ll also receive a copy of the Music Therapy Maven’s Productivity Primer ebook. Simply enter your name and email below to get started:

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Related posts:

1. Autism, Dying, Newsletters, Cancer, Alzheimer’s, SmartPhones, & Streakers
2. Wading the Waters of RSS, Feeds, Subscriptions, and Newsletters
3. 6 Ways to Help You Find Balance in Life

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Merry Christmas to all of my readers! I hope you have a happy, healthy, relaxing, and wonderful holiday.

I will be taking a break this next week to spend time with my family (can you blame me after seeing that video?!?). I will return next month ready and eager to talk with you again!

Related posts:

1. Happy Thanksgiving
2. What Every Therapist Ought to Remember About the Holidays