Where feelings are heard and made meaningful.
Heard Therapy is a music therapy practice led by Dr Mindy Kim, PhD. We help young people understand and express what they feel, bring comfort and connection to older adults in aged care and palliative care, and teach school communities how to listen on purpose.
For teens and young adults
When “I don’t know” is the honest answer to “how are you feeling?”, music can say what words can’t. Individual and group sessions for ages 12 to 30.
Youth mental health →For aged care and palliative care
Music for comfort, memory, connection and quality of life, in residential aged care, in the home and in hospice and palliative settings.
Aged & palliative care →For students, staff and parents
Evidence-informed wellbeing workshops that teach students how music affects their mood, and how to use it on purpose.
School workshops →It’s not music lessons. It’s therapy, through music.
Music therapy is an evidence-based allied health practice. A qualified music therapist uses music listening, songwriting, singing, playing and improvising to support a person’s emotional, social, cognitive and physical wellbeing.
You don’t need to be “musical”. You don’t need to sing in tune or play anything. You just bring yourself, and the music that matters to you.
Read: what happens in a session →Built on research, shaped by what young people told us.
Dr Kim’s PhD explored how emotionally distressed young people make sense of their feelings while intentionally listening to music they love. That research became the three-step approach behind our youth work.
1. Listen
Choose a song that means something to you and listen with intention, not as background noise.
2. Name it
Notice what comes up and find words for it, together, at your pace. No right or wrong answers.
3. Own it
Turn that understanding into choices: playlists, songs and habits that build confidence and agency.
Dr Mindy Kim, PhD
Music therapist, researcher and university educator.
Mindy (Kyung Min) Kim completed her PhD in music therapy at The University of Melbourne’s Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit, researching how intentional music listening helps distressed young people understand their emotions. Her earlier research, published in Behavioral Sciences, examined quality of life for older adults living with chronic illness.
She has trained and practised in Australia and the United States, teaches music and health at university level, and works in English and Korean.
Two areas of research. One belief: people deserve to be understood on their own terms.
Exploring the practicality of portable EEG equipment for visualising emotional responses when listening to meaningful songs
Kim, K. M. M., Kim, J., & McFerran, K. S. From Mindy’s PhD work with distressed young people and intentional music listening.
Read the paper (open access) →The impact of music therapists’ perspectives on quality of life in building relationships with older adults with chronic illness
Kim, K. M. Shows why quality of life must be understood from the older person’s own point of view.
Read the paper (open access) →Getting started is simple.
Enquire
Send an enquiry or referral. We reply within two business days.
Free 15-minute call
We talk about what’s going on, what you hope for and whether music therapy is a good fit.
First session
An assessment session to understand goals, musical preferences and the best format: telehealth, in person or on site.
Plan & review
Clear goals, regular sessions and written progress updates for families, NDIS plans and care teams.
NDIS, aged care, schools and private clients.
Music therapy can be funded in several ways. We’ll help you work out what applies to you.
- NDIS: self-managed and plan-managed participants, usually under Capacity Building supports.
- Aged care: residential facilities and palliative services engage us directly; home care clients can ask their provider about using their package budget.
- Schools: wellbeing budgets and mental health funding for workshops and programs.
- Private: pay per session. Some private health funds cover music therapy under extras; check with your fund.
Common questions
Does music therapy work over telehealth?
Do I need to be musical?
Do I need a referral?
Is this a crisis service?
Listen on purpose.
Articles, guides and research in plain language for young people, parents, carers and professionals.
Why sad songs can actually help
What research says about choosing sad music, and when it helps or doesn’t.
Music and quality of life in later life
Why the person’s own view of a “good day” matters most.
When your teen says “I don’t know”
One question to ask about the song they’re playing on repeat.