Sonja Knaus

·Implementing individual and family psychotherapy and/or music therapy sessions for children and adolescents with ASD, ADHD, learning and intellectual disabilities, behavioral and emotional concerns, anxiety, trauma, and family conflict

· Combining music, verbal, and sensory-based techniques and modalities (including CBT, DBT, and play) to help support, improve, and promote child and youth development, healthy emotional expression, distress tolerance and mindfulness skills, and socialization skills

· Familiar with using the online therapy platform “Jane” to book client consults, appointments, and document assessments, screenings, and therapy sessions

• Offering remote and in-person individual and group music therapy and psychotherapy sessions to clients in long term care, retirement homes, adult day programs, group homes, and community mental health organizations
• Creating sessions that target various goals including decreasing anxiety and hyperarousal, enhancing emotional expression, quality of life, social health, improving physical and active engagement, enhancing cognitive skills, and promoting routine engagement in a purposeful and meaningful activity
• Involved in monthly team meetings, professional development workshops, content creation and promotion, and monthly check-ins with clinical leads
• Dedicated to continually improving the therapeutic use of self in clinical practice and advocating for the benefits of music therapy through the production of infographs, flyers, posters, social media content, and blogs

• Facilitated individual and group-based psychotherapy and music therapy sessions for inpatients, outpatients, and families in child and adolescent mental health, pediatric general medicine, oncology, and anticipatory grief and bereavement support.
• Worked collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team of physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, child youth counsellors, psychologists, child life specialists, and art therapists to help provide person-centered and evidence-based care and resources to patients and families experiencing anxiety, ADHD, depression, trauma symptoms, mental health concerns related to personality disorders, and caregiver burnout
• Conducted and fulfilled psychotherapy and music therapy referrals, assessments/screenings, treatment plans, and documentation of progress made in therapy, as well as joint follow-up meetings with psychiatrists.