Tara Rae, MT-BC, NMT

Clinical Music Therapist, and Neurologic Music Therapist

Tara Rae, MT-BC, NMT, is a clinical music therapist based in Pittsburgh, PA. Her prior clinical work includes hospital inpatient rehabilitation units with a focus on neurologic disorders, palliative care units, assisted living and long term care facilities, and in-home services for children with autism, epilepsy, and various behavioral needs. She has worked with all ages from young school-aged children to older adults and geriatrics. She has worked with a variety of populations including autistic people, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), behavioral disorders, mental health diagnoses, substance use disorder and addiction, trauma, neurologic disorders (stroke, aphasia, Parkinson’s Disease, TBI, TIA, etc.), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and geriatric psych.

Tara received her BA in music therapy from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. She completed her internship at Birch Bay Retirement Village in Bar Harbor, Maine, including long term care, assisted living, memory care, and worked in the swing bed unit at Mount Desert Island Hospital. Tara received her board-certification in music therapy in 2018, and received her specialized certification in Neurologic Music Therapy through The University of Toronto in 2022.

Her virtual telehealth experience includes working with older adults with MCI, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s, young adults with IDD and mental health challenges, and adolescents with trauma, gender identity difficulties, and mental health challenges. As the world of telehealth makes access to therapy easier and more available, Tara is committed to finding what works for her clients in a virtual setting and adapting her in-person techniques to meet their needs and goals. Tara has worked in a variety of in-person settings which include an adult training facility, group homes, an adult residential care facility, day programs, a long term care facility, and school settings (inner city and suburban).

Her approach to therapy includes a mix of person-centered, humanistic, and holistic styles. She likes to have her clients make decisions about their therapy sessions and will focus on the goal areas that her clients want to make improvements on, while also including a holistic, mind/body/spirit approach. She utilizes different therapy models and techniques including NMT (Neurologic Music Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), Nordoff-Robbins Creative Music Therapy, improvisation, storytelling, songwriting, mindfulness-based guided imagery, and some elements of nature or eco-therapy. She is excited to meet new clients and build strong therapeutic relationships that will foster trust, healing, and growth to strive towards full potential in life.