Inspiring Conversations with Kate Kelly of Empower Music Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Kelly.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As a child, when my family faced misunderstandings, we turned to music. Saying “Let’s just listen to a song together” spoke the unspoken, melting away resentments and allowing honesty to prevail. Music held a unique power.

My dad’s late-night guitar sessions on my bedroom floor, singing “Take these broken wings and learn to fly,” revealed music’s potency in the human experience. These moments etched musical memories into my soul, ones I still lean on for solace and inspiration.

I grappled with conventional piano lessons in my childhood, I craved the freedom to improvise, dance, compose songs, and express emotions through music. When I couldn’t find this in the lessons I took, I quit.

During high school challenges, I encountered Angela Rayburn, a non-traditional music teacher. Angela emphasized the healing power of music, treating me as a friend and mentee. She taught me that it wasn’t about being good at music but feeling good with music, opening my eyes to its divine potential.

One day, I brought my journal to a lesson, and Angela helped me turn a painful experience into a song. Transforming through music, I discovered purpose and meaning, sparking the dream of creating “a healing house.” A place where people could come and use music to transcend their pain.

This journey led me to Belmont’s music therapy program, where I completed my education, then toured/performed as a songwriter, and worked as a music therapist in Nashville.

Amidst the pandemic, I offered music therapy remotely, realizing the potential to revisit my high school dream of creating a community of healing. Empower Music Therapy, my thriving practice in Nashville, emerged, exceeding expectations and continuing the story of healing through music.

Every day, music lifts me out of my burdens, allowing me to momentarily soar. Its mysterious ability to hold space for brokenness and piece us back together is a testament to its enduring power. I have faith in music’s innate goodness more than almost anything.. and I want nothing more than to dedicate my life’s work to it.

I am overcome by gratitude as I type this. It’s such a gift to do this work.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Once I opened Empower, I found that many things in my life “aligned”.

While there have been challenges in learning to maneuver a therapy business, overall it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Empower Music Therapy is a group music therapy practice in Nashville. We have a team of three incredible clinicians. Empower is an inclusive space where we share our true selves, cultivate emotional awareness, and discover pure joy.

All guided by the ultimate muse: music! Music therapy is different than traditional therapies in that it brings music into the healing process. Board-certified music therapists use interventions like songwriting, improvisation, and lyric discussion to cultivate self-expression, confidence, coping skills, and more.

One thing that is special about Empower is that we are fully inclusive. We work with clients of all ages and abilities and are not only accepting but embracing Nashville’s neurodiverse, disabled, and marginalized communities. We welcome everyone!

Pricing:

• Individual session $100
• Inclusive choir $250 (for Jan-May tuition)
• Inclusive Social Groups $400 (for Jan-May tuition)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.empowermusictherapy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowermusictherapy/

Image Credits
Abby Weeden and Mackenzie Laroe