If you’ve been a part of Higher Octave Healing programming or therapies, we’d love to know your thoughts about your experience or your child’s experience.  Please email us at info@higheroctavehealing.org if you have a personal story to share.

Steffi’s Story

Music Therapy Has Inspired Me

For more than ten years now, God has blessed me through music services. Music Therapy has always been a very fun and interactive part of my life. Working with my music therapist, Kymla, has been amazing. Music therapy gave me an amazing sense of freedom from always having to rely on my parents for everything. My music therapist understands me as an individual, and not just another person with a disability. 

I have emceed and performed at recitals.  I went to the rally at the State Capitol in 2009 and rallied to keep music therapy.  I volunteer some of my time to do office work because it helps me learn new work-related skills. Through music therapy, I have fulfilled a life-long dream of mine completely aside from the therapy: I have developed my own podcast radio station online.

My music therapist helped me start a Feelings Journal, which I still keep. This helps me to release my emotions. Lately, I even started writing my own poetry; which is helping me get through tough times in my life. I also have Cerebral Palsy, Spastic Dyplegia, and Raynauds Syndrome. I have been in a wheelchair for my entire life as well. Music therapy has encouraged me, uplifted me, and inspired me to try new things.

I am grateful to be able to continue to receive music therapy services given all of the state budget cuts. Having Music Therapy has definitely changed my outlook on life forever.

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Katie’s World

My Thoughts About Adaptive Yoga

My name is Katie, and I have Cerebral Palsy.  I would like to share with you how adaptive yoga has helped me in my life. I first started attending adaptive yoga class in June 2010.  Since then my Physical Therapy has been cut to one time a month due to state budget cuts, and yoga has acted as a replacement to that in a alternative form.  I have learned many exercises including the Cat. Dog, and windmill positions to name a few of my favorites.

I have been able to not only use my yoga knowledge at the clinic but also at home to manage my pain levels, flexibility, and muscle tension caused by my CP. Yoga has not only helped me physically but mentally, as well, to cope with stress and my other difficulties in life such as my emotions.  Every time I leave a yoga session, I feel like a much happier person. Since learning these skills and poses, I have even begun to teach others what I have learned.  Yoga is great, and I would recommend to anyone!

My Thoughts About Music Therapy

I would like to share with you how music therapy has helped me in my life. I started receiving music therapy through Higher Octave Healing in June 2010.  Since then music therapy has helped increase my self-esteem.  I have been able to work on this goal by creating a blog with music and songs that I can relate to as a young woman with a disability.  The theme of my podcast is “Helping others to understand more about my life as a young woman with a disability through music that I can relate to.” This has helped me to express and be more vocal about my thoughts and feelings through music.  Music therapy has also helped me become more confident in the things that I can do like singing, which is hard for me because of my CP, but my music therapist Kymla has helped me work on breathing so that I can feel confident to speak and sing.  I have performed in the Higher Octave Healing recitals and annual fundraiser “Don’t Stop the Music!”  Without music therapy and great music therapists, my life would not be as good as it is.  It is therapeutic as well as fun! Thank you Kymla and Higher Octave Healing for your dedication to people with disabilities!

~Katie G.