CARRYING OUR GRIEF:
2024 End-of-Life Virtual Conference Series
Where Words Fail, Music Speaks May 16th, 2024 | 6-7:30 pm (MST)
Music touches every aspect of our life—mind, body, and spirit, and promotes overall wellness. In a therapeutic setting music may help to alleviate the physical, emotional, and mental stress that accompanies serious illness.
This session will be led by four musicians who have spent years playing for hospice patients and their loved ones. The presenters will share insights from their training and work as to how music can benefit the grief patients experience as they near end-of-life and the grief journey their loved ones face. The musicians will play or share music that they have found beneficial to patients and families dealing with grief. We will also have the opportunity to share our own experiences and reflections during a brief small group breakout session. Please join us for this engaging evening of the healing power of music in grief and loss.
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OUR PRESENTERS
Hana Halverson is an experienced harpist and Music-Thanatologist who has played in medical settings for over 10 years. Hana’s love for the harp began at an early age, and Hana studied music and harp at the University of Arizona. Hana is completing her Master’s of Social Work and intends to pursue licensure as a grief and end-of-life therapist and companion.
Michael Hieber received a BA in music from Humboldt State University and has a Master of Music (MM) degree with an emphasis in double bass performance from the University of Arizona. Michael returned to school in 2017 and received a BA in music therapy from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute, Indiana, completing his 1200-hour internship with Tucson Music Therapy under Sierra Norris, MT-BC.
Michael is a board-certified music therapist, MT-BC, and also received certification in Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) from the Robert F. Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy.
Beatrice J. Krauss has been playing folk harp at hospice once-a-week for eight years. Bea received a Bachelor’s degree in applied music, harp, from Northwestern University and was recently certified as a healthcare musician. With her concert harp, Bea has played as an extra for the Atlanta, GA, and Columbus, OH, symphonies, and was guest soloist with the Augusta, GA, and Clear Lake, TX, orchestras. She was a regular member of the Hudson Valley Symphonic Wind Ensemble before moving to Tucson, AZ. Dr. Krauss is also a PhD psychologist, Fellow of the Health Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association and Emerita Professor of Public Health, City University of New York School of Public Health and Health Policy. Her psychology and public health research career focused on family and community adjustment to serious illness. She was formerly a liaison to the United Nations for the American Psychological Association on HIV-related issues. She is currently a designated campus colleague, Psychology Department, University of Arizona. In 2021, she published a book of poetry, “Strong Medicine.”
Celeste Rogers is a harpist and Certified Music Practitioner (CMP). A graduate of the Music for Healing and Transition Program (MHTP), Celeste has provided live therapeutic music at the bedside for ill and dying patients, their families, and caregivers in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehab units, dementia care facilities and hospices since 2000. She has played at the Inpatient Unit at Casa de la Luz since 2011.
Celeste has been a massage therapist and movement educator for over 40 years and has a broad background in the natural healing arts. Her early explorations of sound healing with Don Campbell eventually led her to the music therapy program at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire (1995-97). She also became certified in the Use of Cross-cultural Music in Healing through the Open Ear Center in 1997, before graduating from the Music for Healing and Transition Program in 2000. She has served as an Advisor for MHTP since 2001.