Message from our new Music Therapist

Hello from Stephanie, The Lotus Tree’s new Music Therapist!

I am thrilled to be joining the team at The Lotus Tree, and can’t believe there is a place in Boise that combines compassionate clinicians, connected families and a CAVE ROOM! Needless to say, if you can’t find me, I’m in the tree house.

I was born and raised in Boise, received my music therapy training in Boston and moved back to Boise last January. While in Boston, I discovered an incredible network of music therapists (every school, hospital and nursing home has one) and looked forward to the day that Idaho families would have access to this therapy. So here it is!

My therapy philosophy is very relationship based. I believe that progress can only be made in a trusting and caring therapeutic relationship. The beautiful thing is that trust is a built-in part of music-making (e.g., trust that the song will maintain rhythm, continue in an expected manner, or even that the song will end). So before you know it, the relationship is building without the necessity of words. I also practice improvisational music therapy, so that songs can be adapted to the moment. This allows for a wide variety of tempos and dynamics, which give songs the flexibility necessary to adequately work toward specific goals.

Some goals we might work toward in music therapy include:
Communication (we’re often seeking pathways to verbal communication)
Promoting positive social relationships (especially in groups)
Sustaining and developing attention
Shared play, turn-taking, listening and responding to others
Developing identification and appropriate expression of emotion
Enhancing auditory processing and sensory/motor skills
The following groups start Monday, August 2nd:
Monday 10 am- Preschool
Monday 11 am- OT/Music Group with Andrea and Stephanie
Monday 3 pm- K-2nd Grade
Monday 4 pm- Teens

Please contact me if you have any questions. My cell number is 208-371-9102 and my email is MusicTherapyofIdaho@gmail.com. If you are a regular to The Lotus Tree and would like to meet me, let me know when you’re around and I’ll try to stop in while you’re there.

I’m very excited to be here and look forward to meeting you all!

Stephanie Leavell, MT-BC

The Lotus Tree is Hiring!

We are looking for a full time Occupational Therapist and Speech and Language Pathologist with at least a couple years experience with sensory integration.  The Lotus Tree is a great place to work.  We love our jobs!  Call for more information.  Interested candidates, please email a resume and references to: laurie@thelotustreesi.com

The Lotus Tree Is…

A place where children of all abilities come for an innovative, holistic approach to Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy intervention. We offer an array of traditional and complimentary approaches to therapy, helping children and families to find the perfect fit for them.

Our mission is to provide a safe, fun, and respectful place where children can move beyond the labels and into their full potential. Understanding where a child is now and what they can become allows us to celebrate every accomplishment. We aspire to facilitate the intrinsic drive for health, happiness and well being that exists within us all.

We provide a family-centered approach to developing a treatment plan for children who are having challenges with sensory processing, learning, motor planning, auditory processing, and social interaction. We also work with babies who are having difficulty with breast feeding, visual tracking, tummy time, and reflex integration or who are developing torticollis and plagiocephaly. Utilizing a gentle and relaxing hands on therapy technique we support new born babies in establishing healthy neurological functioning and proper structural alignment.