Tag Archives: music therapy



Threshold Choir Offers Comfort in Final Days

An international organization of bedside singers brings solace to the dying and their families

The Threshold Choir (now an international organization spanning the United States, Canada and parts of Europe and Southeast Asia), began with Kate Munger, who found herself in 1990 singing at the bedside of a dear friend as he lay in … Continue reading

Posted in Something Special | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Is Mantram Singing? An Interview with Jan Stoneman

Musician and mantram singer Jan Stoneman explains what mantram singing is and how it applies to aging, dying and death

Today SevenPonds speaks with Jan Stoneman, a musician and mantram singer who volunteers on a weekly basis at AgeSong—an innovative assisted living facility in San Francisco. He leads groups singing mantrams to AgeSong’s residents, including at bedsides for those unable … Continue reading

Posted in Professional Advice | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Alive Inside by Michael Rossato-Bennett

Rossato-Bennett follows social worker Dan Cohen as he embarks on a three-year journey to introduce music therapy to nursing homes throughout the U.S.

Rossato-Bennett’s Alive Inside (2014) is a must-see documentary for anyone who is familiar with the struggles of dementia. At the start of the film, we are introduced to Dan Cohen, who is both a social worker in nursing homes and … Continue reading

Posted in Lending Insight | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What is Music Thanatology? An Interview with Sharilyn Cohn

Sharilyn Cohn of SacredFlight explains the nature of music thanatology, a form of palliative care that uses harp and voice to aid the terminally ill or dying

Today, SevenPonds speaks with Music Thanatologist Sharilyn Cohn from SacredFlight, a nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon. She graduated with degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from from the University of Memphis and performed as a professional cellist in Memphis … Continue reading

Posted in Professional Advice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment