Hi, I’m Mindy.
I’m a music therapist and researcher. I started Heard Therapy because I believe everyone, at every age, deserves to feel understood, and that music is often the quickest way there.
My name is Kyung Min Kim; most people call me Mindy. I hold a PhD in music therapy from The University of Melbourne, and I’ve trained and worked in both Australia and the United States.
Why “heard”?
In my work with young people, I kept hearing the same words: “I don’t know how I feel.” Not because they didn’t feel anything, but because the feelings were too big, too mixed, or too hard to say out loud. Yet nearly all of them could tell me exactly which song they played when things got hard.
That gap, between knowing a song and knowing a feeling, became my PhD. I spent years at The University of Melbourne’s Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit exploring how distressed young people make sense of their emotions when they listen to their meaningful music with intention.
Before that, my research with older adults living with chronic illness taught me something just as important: that quality of life looks different for every person, and the professional’s job is to understand it from their point of view, not ours.
Heard Therapy brings those two ideas together. Whether you are 15 or 85, sessions start with listening: to you, and to the music that matters to you.
At a glance
- PhD (Music Therapy), The University of Melbourne, Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit
- Published in Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy (2025) and Behavioral Sciences (2022)
- Presenter, World Congress of Music Therapy, July 2026
- University educator in music and health
- Works in English and Korean (한국어 상담 가능)
What you can expect
Warm and plain-spoken. No jargon, no pressure to perform musically.
Goal-focused. We agree on goals together and review them regularly.
Collaborative. With your consent, I work alongside GPs, psychologists, teachers, support coordinators and care teams.
Inclusive. I welcome people of every culture, ability, gender, sexuality and background, and I am neurodiversity-affirming.
Ethical. I follow the Australian Music Therapy Association Code of Ethics and keep your information private.
In the media & speaking
Mindy is available for interviews, conference keynotes, professional development and guest lectures on music, emotion and wellbeing across the lifespan.