About Music Mind

MusicMind is a music therapy private practice operated by Cathy Rivera, a board-certified music therapist (MS, MM, MT-BC). Neurologic music therapy uses music's unique connection to the brain to develop and regain mental and physical skills. Music activities such as listening, playing music, singing, and moving to a rhythm are used as needed to support health and positive growth.

Neurologic music therapy uses research-based techniques to address a wide range of medical and psychological conditions. MusicMind is focused primarily on the needs of persons recovering from brain injury, stroke, or living with neurologic conditions such as Parkinson's, Alzheimers's, or multiple sclerosis. Benefits of music therapy typically include improved gait and other motor functions as well as improvements in vocalization and speech. The anxiety, depression, and chronic pain associated with these neurologic conditions and other conditions also often show improvement as a result of neurologic music therapy.

MusicMind was created to provide music therapy services to individuals in their homes, and to individuals or groups in residential facilities or outpatient clinics in Austin, TX. Based in east Austin, MusicMind is committed to providing services in this traditionally underserved area.

Cathy Rivera's education and careers have followed a winding path between music and science, intuition and reason, student and teacher. She has been a musician all of her life, born into a family of professional and amateur musicians. From piano lessons at age 8 to her current study of the traditional Afro-Haitian conga, music has supported her personal growth and identity. She was trained as a scientist at the University of California, Davis, studying viticulture and plant cell biology. She worked for 20 years as an entrepreneur in the field of plant biotechnology. After studying the effect of music on brain functions under Dr. Michael Thaut at Colorado State University at his Center for Biomedical Research In Music, Cathy shifted focus and became a music therapist. What began as a new way to pursue scientific research led to a master's in music therapy and the most challenging, rewarding work of her life: using music in therapy.

During graduate studies at Colorado State University, Cathy was certified by the Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy in 2002. Cathy became a board certified music therapist in 2003 after completing her internship and passing the national board exam administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists, Inc.. That year she also became a Fellow with advanced training with the Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy. She worked as a music therapist at clinics and in private practice in Colorado before relocating to Austin, TX in 2004. After three years of work as a supervising music therapist and clinical director at an Austin therapy center, Cathy established MusicMind.

As a private practice music therapist, Cathy Rivera is an active member of the American Music Therapy Association, the Southwest Regional AMTA, and the Central Texas Music Therapy Association. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Capital Area Parkinson's Society since 2004.