Meet Miya Adout
“This work is very rewarding. Every day, I really do feel as though I’m doing something important, and that I’m touching people’s lives in big and small ways.”
When we hear a song, we usually can’t help but tap our foot to the beat, nod our heads in time or sing along. With its catchy beats and moving rhythms, music also comes with the power to heal.
Music is intrinsically motivating. Miya Adout experienced this, when, as a teenager, she found relief playing guitar and writing songs as a means of expressing herself. “Since then, I knew that music would be a big part of my life, and I also knew I wanted to be helping people find ways to express themselves.”
Miya’s passion for the power of music and her entrepreneurial spirit led her to pursue a Master of Arts in Music Therapy and start her own music therapy company, Miya Music Therapy.
The profundity of music on the human brain is remarkable. Miya explains that it is the music and the therapeutic relationship that motivates individuals to benefit from the therapy. Many seniors with dementia who may not remember their own names will often remember a song from their childhood. “We use this to engage with them and create meaningful moments of connection that go a long way to improving their quality of life.”
Similarly, many stroke patients, who may have lost their speech abilities, can often still sing due to the way music is stored in our brains. “We’re able to make the most out of this and help individuals achieve their goals whether it be a physical, communication, emotional, social, or spiritual goal.”
“This work is very rewarding. Every day, I really do feel as though I’m doing something important, and that I’m touching people’s lives in big and small ways.”
And the ‘small’ things are by no means insignificant. Imagine a child, who has been working on communication skills, saying a word on his own, prompted by the music, or a senior, who usually looks at the ground, tapping his foot to the beat and smiling.
“It’s hard to describe, it’s just a beautiful and tangible feeling of connection. Those moments put everything into perspective and make me feel like I’m doing the work that I was meant for. I absolutely love what I do.”
Miya Music Therapy’s slogan is ‘Empowering Individuals, Inspiring Wellness’. This encompasses Miya’s personal and professional mission. “I look to improve the client’s quality of life by empowering them to achieve their therapeutic goals. Music therapy can be so empowering. It can help give a voice to emotions yet to be expressed, it can foster self-confidence, it can create positive social experiences, and it can help individual’s find ways to take charge of their well-being.
Miya Adout is a certified music therapist and founder of Miya Music Therapy. Her practice’s therapists work with a range of individuals, including seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, children with autism, teenagers and adults with mental health concerns, and those in end-of-life care. Miya looks forward to her company’s continued growth in order to spread the power of music therapy to more people.
Let the power of music lead you. Listen up for Miya’s Music Therapy services on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.
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Jumans of Toronto is a window into the lives and passion of Jewish young adults making their mark in the world. A 50-part series, Jumans is inspired by Humans of New York. If you’d like to recommend someone awesome to be highlighted, please send an email to adina@thehousetoronto.com.
Written by: Adina Samuels