About Us Meet the Team!
Hi. I’m Deborah Spiegel MT-BC, CEO and Director of The Spiegel Academy!
I was working at the mental health institute on the adolescent unit. There was a girl who had been discharged but was readmitted. She came up to me and said “Miss Deb, I was at my placement and the other girls were teasing me, so I climbed up on the roof and was about to jump off when your Pros & Cons song came into my head and I had to get down.”
Yes! I made a difference, and even possibly saved a life that day. This is music therapy. This type of moment makes it all worthwhile.
Because every music therapist makes a difference in many clients lives, we at The Spiegel Academy aim to provide you with new ideas and strategies so you’re exceptionally skillful at supporting your clients.
The Spiegel Academy makes it convenient and affordable to attend quality online continuing education (CMTE and LCAT approved) classes that fit into your schedule so you’re all set with your credits, even if you aren’t able to attend conferences.
The Spiegel Academy has been providing music therapists with a growing and varied list of quality CMTE online classes since 2011. We also can issue LCAT credits on select classes due to our affiliation with Water and Stone.
With your help we’ll continue to impact more lives as you learn and implement new strategies, and as we all evolve, improve, and expand.
Join our classes and see for yourself!
While you are here...
...meet our team below!
Values
We learn something new every day and apply it
We are here to serve selflessly and with honesty and integrity.
We strive to deliver more value than expected and to be timely.
We aim to show up with positivity, high energy, and enthusiasm.
We don’t make excuses, we make it happen.
inspired by and credit to Billy Gene
Our Team!
Lauren Bonavitacola PsyD, MT-BC
Lauren is the supervising clinician for the Spiegel Academy’s DBT Informed Music Therapy Training program.
Dr. Bonavitacola is a psychologist, DBT-Linehan Board of Certification Certified Clinician™, and board certified music therapist. In her private practice, Dr. Bonivitacola specializes in the implementation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and associated conditions, as well as CBT for anxiety and mood disorders, particularly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Sally Bonkrude MA, LPC, MT-BC
Sally facilitates many classes in our catalog.
She is best known for her enthusiastic energy and interactive delivery style! She is always open to presenting material in a way that meets your needs and answers your questions. Sally has been in Private Practice as a Board Certified Music Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor since 2004 seeing clients from Children to Seniors with difficult issues, from anxiety to depression to major trauma. We honor her memory.
Katherine Borst MT-BC
Katherine Borst facilitates Music Therapy Ethics and Standards: A Breakdown in our catalog.
She is a graduate of the Molloy College Music Therapy program and has been practicing as a Board Certified Music Therapist since 2014. As a professional music therapist, Katherine has experience working within a variety of settings with children, adults, and geriatrics of varying needs and abilities.
Janna Cantu MT-BC
Janna support Professionals in Health Care with trauma exposure who feel like their jobs are killing them.
Over the course of 10 years and 10k patients, Janna migrated from working on the front lines as a MT-BC, to caring for those in the back end. By not only helping them resolve their own Compassion Fatigue, but also though designing creative therapy systems and Integrative Medicine programs that benefit their facilities. Her specializations include Compassion Fatigue, Integrative Medicine for Mental Health, Vibroacoustic Therapy, and Electroceudicals. Janna speaks and trains throughout Texas on behalf of companies that create FDA cleared neurostimulation and biofeedback devices. She is
an advisory board member for the India Association of Music Therapy ( IAMT), whose aim is to be on the cutting edge of music as medicine.
Katie Down MT-BC
Katie Down facilitates Mindfulness and Music in Clinical Practice for the Spiegel Academy
Katie is a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, who received her masters degree in music therapy from NYU and additional training from ICP in Trauma Studies. She practices and teaches mindfulness meditation with sound and facilitates sound meditations throughout the New York Metropolitan region. Incorporating music, mindfulness, talk therapy, and meditation as tools for relief of pain, anxiety, depression, and difficult life issues,
Nathalie Edmond, Psy.D RYT-500
Nathalie Edmond is a licensed clinical psychologist, director and founder of Mindful and Multicultural Counseling, fulfilling her dream of making mindfulness, therapy and yoga accessible to more of the community. She believes that transformation happens when we integrate mind-body-spirit and have an embodied dialogue. She is trained in multiculturalism and intersectional feminism and takes a trauma informed approach to her work. She believes that anti-racism work includes addressing all marginalized groups and identities and working towards liberation of all beings. She regularly leads anti-racism and diversity trainings for clinical practices, libraries, school districts, corporations, nonprofits, activism groups and yoga communities.
Nathalie teaches the Anti-Racism (ethics) class in our catalog.
Nicole Edwards MT-BC
Nicole facilitates a class on Creative Innovations in Mental Health & Addictions: A Guide to the 12- Steps in Practice .
Nicole has experience providing both group and individual sessions for those recovering from drug and alcoholism. ,A Board-Certified Music Therapist and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500). with a Master of Arts degree in music therapy from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, she is pursuing her mental health licensure (LMHC) in the state of Florida. Currently she works as a mental health counselor and music therapist at The Cove Center for Recovery in South Florida…
Jeffrey Friedberg MT-BC, LCAT
Jeffrey provides music therapists with classes on music therapy in the preschool classroom, social skills training for children, writing goals and objectives, and banjo.
He is a board-certified music therapist, NY State licensed creative arts therapist and Parents’ Choice Award winning children’s musician. He has successfully developed a therapy program in NY called Music for Life. He has practiced music therapy since 1994 in a variety of settings.
Melissa Gabel, MT-BC
Melissa Gabel provides a class called Merging DBT Mindfulness and Music: A Template for a Transformative 6-Week Program.
She is a board-certified music therapist based in Lawrence, KS. She graduated from the University of Kansas with her bachelors in music therapy and a psychology minor in 2020, and completed the DBT Informed Music Therapy Training in 2022. Melissa is presently in grad school.
Shawn V. Giammattei, PhD
Shawn provides an ethics class called Best Practices for Music Therapists and Providers Working with Transgender, Non-Binary, or Gender Expansive Clients.
Shawn is a clinical family psychologist licensed in the state of California, the founder & director of the Gender Health Training Institute and the humble servant of the TransFamily Alliance. His work specializes in family therapy with couples, families, and individuals across the lifespan, with a particular focus on transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive people and their families.
Julie Guy M.M. MT-BC
Julie co facilitates a CMTE on Neurologic Strategies for Speech & Language for Individuals with Autism and Other Special Needs.
Julie graduated with a Masters in Music Therapy from Western Michigan University. She co-founded The Music Therapy Center of California (MTCCA) and Banding Together, a San Diego non-profit. She is co-author of the book “In Harmony: Integrated Learning Program.” Her work has been published in Imagine Childhood Magazine and Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy.
Faith Halverson-Ramos M.A. LPC-S, ADDC,MT-BC
Faith provides a class called Hospice 101, and one called The Holistic Voice: Embodying and Embracing the Instrument You’re Born With.
Faith Halverson-Ramos has been a board-certified music therapist since 2007 and a licensed professional counselor since 2013. Over the course of her career she has worked in early childhood special education, special education, eldercare, and hospice before going into private practice as a music psychotherapist where she works with teens, young adults, and adults. With a background as a vocalist and trained from a transpersonal perspective, she is heavily influenced by integral spirituality and contemplative practices, including
voicework. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Therapy at Colorado State University, Faith has presented internationally and nationally on mindfulness and music, and gerotranscendence, and has contributed to publications involving spirituality, music therapy, and aging.
Bailey Hinz MA, MT-BC, LPMT, LMSW, CSW-I
Bailey is a DBT informed music therapist and a facilitator of the Spiegel Academy’s DBT Informed Music Therapy Program,
In 2013, Bailey received her master’s degree in music therapy from Colorado State University. Her graduate thesis was on the utilization of therapeutic music for young women with negative body perception and disordered eating. Bailey completed her master’s in social work in 2023 and now splits her time between music therapy private practice and a partial hospitalization program for adolescents. She currently provides DBT skills groups for adolescents in and out of the clinic using music therapy.
Patina Jackson MT-BC
Patina is providing music therapists with data forms in her CMTE called Data Driven!
Patina Jackson, MT-BC, has worked in school settings since 2011 and is passionate about inspiring music therapists to value themselves and their work, while creating resources to support them as they do what they do best!
Kim Johnson LMHC, MT-BC
Kim is a supervisor and facilitator in the DBT Informed Music Therapy Training Program.
Kim Johnson is a licensed mental health counselor and board certified music therapist currently practicing in Massachusetts. She received her master’s degree from Lesley University in 2017 in clinical mental health counseling with a specialization in music therapy., and is intensively trained in DBT through Behavioral Tech.
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Stephen King MT-BC
Stephen facilitates the Music Therapy Inner Circle monthly meetings, and facilitates groups for the DBT Informed Music Therapy Training. His other CMTE classes include Engaging Telehealth Tips and Tricks for the Music Therapist, and he facilitates Understanding Neurodiversity and Modified DBT Techniques in Music Therapy.
Stephen King explored his interest in Music and Psychology with his undergraduate work at Harding University, after which he studied the Masters in Music Therapy program at Texas Woman’s University. Stephen brings unique skills to the community of Music Therapy with his telehealth knowledge, his group facilitation skills, and his creativity
Joel Kroeker RCC, MA, MMT, MTA
Joel has classes on Archetypal Music Psychotherapy, Music therapy in Special Education, Improvisation, Chronic Pain, and Verbal Counseling for Music Therapy
Joel is a CVAP- certified Registered Clinical Counsellor, an accredited Music Therapist and the founding international workshop facilitator of Archetypal Music Psychotherapy (AMP). He serves on the board of the Vancouver Jung Society and is an international recording and touring artist on True North Records.
Carol LaRue OTR/L
Carol is author of the book, The Art of Self-Health, Creating Total Well-Being from the Inside Out. and presents a course here with the same name.
She is a licensed occupational therapist, speaker, trainer, and integrative wellness coach- assisting individuals and organizations in building resilience through mindful living. Her training and application in mind/body health spans over 25 years and includes experience in providing various forms of mindful exercise and movement, Stresscare Mastery training, Calm, Aware, and Present (CAP) train the trainer courses, and customized individual and organizational wellness coaching.
Ethan Lechner LCSWA, PhD
Ethan Lechner is a member of the training team and a facilitator in our DBT informed Music Therapy Training Program.
Ethan is an intensively trained DBT therapist with Guilford Counseling, PLLC, in Greensboro, NC. He holds a Masters of Social Work and a PhD in Musicology and is also a teacher of Buddhist meditation.
Suzanne Makary MT-BC
Suzanne provides skills training for the Spiegel Academy DBT Informed Music Therapy Training
Suzanne is a board-certified music therapist who has spent her career serving adults with mental health challenges. As a DBT-informed music therapist, Suzanne has created a curriculum for the Innovations Partial Hospital Program at St. Luke’s University Health Network focused on teaching DBT skills daily..
Angela Neve M.M., MT-BC
Angela co facilitates a CMTE on Neurologic Strategies for Speech & Language for Individuals with Autism and Other Special Needs
Ms. Neve is a board-certified neurologic music therapist, songwriter and co-owner of The Music Therapy Center of California. Ms. Neve has been working as a music therapist for over 16 years in the San Diego area with children, teenagers and adults with autism.
David Putano HPMT, MT-BC
David uses his proficient guitar skills to provide several CMTE classes on guitar.
David Putano, MT-BC, HPMT who lives in Toledo, OH has been a music therapist since 1992 and a professional musician all his adult life. David uses guitar every day in his work to support clients in his busy private practice that consists of children and adults of various populations. As all therapists utilize personal gifts and traits as well as developed skills, David uses his proficient guitar skills to effectively establish therapeutic rapport, support music therapy goals and to create original music.
Heather Rogers MSEd, MT-BC
Heather's class is called American Sign Language (ASL) Essentials: Signs and Songs for Communication.
Heather is a board certified music therapist and Baby Signing Time Instructor. Owner of It Is Music Time LLC., she has over ten years experience working with infants, toddlers, teens and adults with developmental disabilities. Her child’s programs focus on communication skills by combining American Sign Language (ASL) and music therapy interventions to promote growth and independence.
Jona Shook MT-BC
Jona will help you with Starting a Music Therapy Business and Growing Your Private Practice.
She also offers a class called IDEA, FAPE, LRE are the Alphabet Soup: Understanding the IEP.
Jona Jeffcoat is a board certified music therapist and the Director of Services of Infinity Music Therapy Services based in Connecticut. Since 2012, Jona has opened a music therapy clinic, has built a team of six music therapists and two music teachers, started a job shadow internship program, and launched a university affiliated internship.
Deborah Spiegel MT-BC, CCHT
Deborah is CEO & director of The Spiegel Academy and the DBT Informed Music Therapy Center. A music therapist since 1976, she has experience providing music therapy with a variety of populations, most recently mental health.
Deborah is known as the DBT informed Music Therapy expert. She first started using DBT in her music therapy in 2001. She uses music and music activities to teach and reinforce DBT skills and supports music therapists and allied health professionals to use their discipline to support clients in DBT.
Author of the book Creative DBT Activities Using Music: Interventions for Enhancing Engagement and Effectiveness in Therapy and presenter of workshops nation wide,
Rhett-Lawson Mohajer, PsyD, RP, RCC, Psychoanalyst
Dr. Rhett-Lawson Mohajer earned a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) from California Southern University.
He is a mentor in the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program at Yorkville University. He has sat on the Psychoanalysis and Film panel of the International Society of Applied Psychoanalysis and is an editorial board member of Dialogues in Health. Additionally, he is a registered psychotherapist, a registered clinical counselor, a psychoanalyst, and a musician.
His doctoral research was a qualitative study on the impacts of music improvisation on the endopsychic personality structure. Dr. Mohajer has published articles in US and EU journals and has been interviewed by the International Society of Applied Psychoanalysis, all on topics in the same area.
Tom Sweitzer MMT, MT-BC
A Covid survivor himself, Tom now offers a Covid Long-Hauler Music Therapy session to Covid survivors from all over America every week, and offers a CMTE showing you how.
Tom has received numerous awards for his outstanding music therapy activities. A Place to Be is his current project, its mission to help people face, navigate and overcome life’s challenges through Music Therapy.
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