Getting to Know Kim!

Kimberly Dolan. Music Therapist. Kingston, Ontario.

Kimberly Dolan is a Music Therapist at our Kingston, ON Location holding Masters of Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University.  She specializes in mental health with adults and seniors including the application of music therapy within correctional institutions.  In addition, Kimberly has clinical experience working with individuals with developmental delays, and seniors with dementia and Alzheimers.

Why did you choose music therapy?

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. From piano lessons, to school choir and making up songs just for fun. As I grew older, I began to recognize the power of music and how much of a safe place it had become was for me. In Grade 12, we did a career quiz on the computer to come up with possible career paths and music therapist actually came up in my generated list. I was intrigued so I did a bit of research and I was immediately sold on the career. I had taken a psychology course prior to this and developed a passion for that field, so really, it is a mashup of many of my greatest passions; music, psychology, and people!

Why do you think music is effective as a form of therapy?

I feel that music is intrinsically therapeutic in its nature. It has this crazy ability to engage with us on so many levels and in so many different capacities. Furthermore, it has no exclusions or boundaries to who can access and benefit from it. I’m almost certain that everyone can find at least one moment where they were able to connect emotionally with music. Whether it be from recalling a positive memory from listening to an old favourite, being soothed by a lullaby, or finding your preferred tear jerker to get you through a rough time. In our field, we are able to take these initial human connections to music, and expand on them to enhance the therapeutic qualities specific to each individual. Furthermore, one of my favourite aspects of music therapy is its ability to transcend language barriers in a way that speaking simply cannot. Individuals who speak a variety of languages including those who have limited or no verbal language, can still actively engage and express musically. In essence, it comes down to music being so inclusive and accessible which makes it such an effective form of therapy.

As a native to Kingston, why did you choose to return to the area as a music therapist?

I have been away at school in Waterloo for seven years now, that is a long time to be away from home! It honestly came as a bit of a surprise to me that I was considering moving home simply because I wasn’t as connected to Kingston when I had left, and I had developed a whole life and network in my new home of Waterloo. But, Waterloo was missing one key thing, my family. I am very close to my family and often would make the trip home to visit, and over the many visits home I began to remember how much I value being near family and also how much I love the city of Kingston. I won’t lie, the initial reasoning for moving home definitely had to do with living with my parents rent free and enjoying my moms delicious home cooked meals. But the more heavily I considered moving back, the more the universe seemed to pull me in. I came across Find Your Voice Music Therapy and fell in love with the company and the idea of working in my field serving my hometown community. I am so lucky to have been welcomed into the FYVMT family with such warmth and so quickly after finishing school. It was a huge final push in my decision to move home, and I couldn’t be happier!