The Song Therapy Network Advisory Team



Song Therapy Network Advisory Team Dr Catherine Pestano is based in London and is an established community music leader singer song writer and social worker She is chair of Culture & and previous chair of Sound Sense and an external examiner for the Open University Catherine provides the Song Therapy Network with invaluable advice and guidance as we build this supportive movement for independent community music makers worldwide In 2019 she was awarded a Doctorate by Winchester University as acknowledgement of her contribution to practice in diversity community music and social work Nigel Neill is a professional community musician based in the south west of England running community choirs in Taunton, Minehead and Tiverton since 2013 Bsc (Hons) Combined Science. Post Grad Cert Music & Health.Counselling Skills (Level Four) He has worked extensively with learning disability groups and in life limiting care settings as well as providing music programmes for the brain injury charity Headway, Parkinsons UK He has worked closely with the mental health charity Rethink and studied clinical music therapy for two years in Bristol before switching to counselling skills for a third year His professional background is music performance recording composition and song writing composing original instrumental music for BBC television and recording many established artists over forty years working professionally within the UK music industry Peter Brown is based in Winchester in the UK where he provides services through the Winnall Rock School a charity that supports young people by providing free music workshops and tuition Promoting wellbeing through the soul bearing acts of singing and songwriting is key to this and Peter is extending links with counselling and support services to promote this Peter is instrumental in developing cross community music initiatives in Winchester and pursuing relevant funding opportunities for worthwhile music and wellbeing projects in Hampshire Our qualified students Our Advisory Team specifically includes many of our ex students now delivering high quality music programmes in community social care and education Their feedback and contributions have helped to shape the growth of our independent leadership course over several years Through our peer support webinars many of them continue to offer valuable insight into specialised areas of music delivery as well as reflections on career development and sometimes personal health challenges faced along the way Further some have penned additional course materials helping to ensure an inclusive organic evolution of the course for the benefit of future students Certificate in Song Therapy Skills Ben Murray (2024) Jackie Macbeth (2023) Rebecca Wright (2022) Karen Moss (2023) Katy Holtham (2022) Emma Lancaster(2021) Lyndsay Regan-Hicks (2022) Peter Brown (2021) Bexi Owen(2021) Stephen Kenny (2021) Amy Hopwood (2021) Liz Radford(2021) Julie Oldham (2022) Julie Dowling (2022) Paula Tait (2023) Helen Alder (2023) Alan Flay (2023) Stephanie Guntrip Jessica Bowie(2023) Joanna Suvarna(2024) Nicky Aikin (2024) Sharon Moss (2022) Caroline O'Callaghan (2024) Joanne Lowry (2024) Sabrina Cartlidge (2024) Certificate in Song Therapy Practice Joanna Suvarna Jessica Bowie Alan Flay Julie Dowling Julie Oldham Liz Radford Amy Hopwood Katy Holtham Karen Moss Helen Alder Joanne Lowry Registered Students A few of our qualified students commit to ongoing CPD regular peer support and have adopted an ethical framework They are registered on our informal Song Therapy Register launched in 2023 which is updated annually Registration particularly suits those in employment in education and social care and those whose recreational music making programmes are sponsored by their employers or by third party funding authorities It provides an independent annual updated record of CPD and evidence of commitment to professional practice Our register will slowly grow with time at its own pace and help ensure the continued growth and profile of our Song Therapy Support Network in years to come Joanna Suvarna* (Registered) Jessica Bowie* (Registered) Julie Oldham* (Registered) Katy Holtham* (Registered) Joanne Lowry* (Registered)