Katie Down
She/Her/Hers
Music Therapist - Board Certified, MT-BC Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, LCAT Master of Arts, MAShe/Her/Hers
Music Therapist - Board Certified, MT-BC Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, LCAT Master of Arts, MAKatie Down, (LCAT, MT-BC, MMT) is a music psychotherapist with over 15 years of clinical experience and specializes in EMDR for reduction of symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Using integrative approaches including talk therapy with music, sound, creative visualization, and deep listening meditation, Katie helps clients rekindle meaning, purpose, and self-awareness in order to overcome obstacles in their lives.
Katie's clients have found relief of ongoing symptoms of trauma and PTSD through 6 to 8-week sessions of EMDR, as well as ongoing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction using music, sound, and breath work to help regulate the central nervous system and create a sense of safety and inner calm.
Katie's approach to psychotherapeutic work stems from a humanistic philosophy that everyone deserves a space to experience non-judgmental acceptance in order to recognize strengths and areas for growth and greater insight into our own sense of self in the world.
For music psychotherapy clients, there is no musical experience or knowledge needed. Clients engage in musicking through creative play and improvisation, vocal toning, songwriting and poetry with sound as well as more receptive techniques that include sound bath meditations and Reiki.
Trauma - Trauma-informed therapists and experts all agree that EMDR is the number one method of helping clients to reduce symptoms and find relief while processing traumatic events safely. EMDR is a somatic practice (body-mind) and is highly effective in calming the nervous system, grounding, and creating a safe environment for processing difficult material and emotions.
Anxiety - Anxiety is something we all experience at times in our lives and it mostly exists in our ideas about future events or things that might happen in the future as a result of something that happened in the past. Through breath, somatic awareness and mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, anxiety symptoms can become better managed and greatly reduced.
Depression - Depression can be attributed to on-going issues that seem insurmountable, causing us to feel hopeless and despairing. We will work together on identifying the root causes of depression, how to manage the symptoms of depression, and release repressed anger, disappointment, and even trauma. Through mindfulness-based stress reduction, visualization, EMDR and creative arts, we can work together to begin the reduction of symptoms towards a sense of contentment and wellbeing.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a technique created by Buddhist teacher, Jon Kabat-Zinn. It has been proven to quickly and effectively help with managing stress, creating a sense of calm and well-being, and acceptance of what is happening at the moment non-judgmentally. Together, we will work with MBSR techniques to help you reduce stress and anxiety and manage these areas that may be affecting areas of your life.
Sound Healing and Reiki - Music and Sound have been used in healing modalities for centuries. I incorporate sound in my Reiki practice as a way to create an immediate grounding and sense of safety through the healing process.
Artists' mental health - As a performer myself, and a daughter of artists, I understand the stressors that come with in a career in the arts. Together, we will work towards anxiety around goal-setting and focus. We will look at negative beliefs and patterns that may be presenting themselves, and through mindfulness, creative visualization and creative play, begin to unlock areas that feel stuck or trapped in order to move through psychological obstacles and towards a sense of flow and connection.
Katie Down is not in-network with any insurances.
Read about the benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider here.
This provider can support you in getting reimbursement from your insurance company if you are seeking out-of-network reimbursement. Here are the out-of-network billing options they provide:
Frequency of sessions this provider offers to see clients once you are an established client.
I offer a sliding scale for those in financial need. We can discuss your options when we have our phone consult. The sliding scale starts at $150 and some insurance companies will reimburse either in full or partial.
Years of Experience: 14 years
SoundWell Creative Arts Therapy, PLLC, Director, 2011 - Present
SUNY, New Paltz Music Therapy , Associate Professor, Music Therapy. , 2020 - Present
Brooklyn Music School, Former Chair and current Consultant Music Therapy Dept. , 2018 - Present
The Angel Band Project at NYU, Lead Music Therapist and NY Coordinator, 2018 - Present
You Can Thrive, Music and Sound Therapist, 2016 - Present
Sound School Maha Rose Center for Healing, Co-Director, 2016 - Present
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Music therapist, 2016 - 2018
King’s County Hospital, Music therapist, 2010 - 2013
Gracie Square Hospital, Music therapist, 2011 - 2012
CNR Health Care Network, Music therapist, 2009 - 2009
Parnell Institute, EMDR Certified Levels 1, 2, & 3, 2017
New York University, MMT , 2009
New England Conservatory of Music, MM, 1996
Berklee College of Music, BA, 1988
New York: 001473-1
English
We interviewed Katie Down and asked about their work with clients and guiding philosophies on therapy.