Dear friends,
I am sure that all of you, all of us, share a common, ground feeling of what we need and what we are looking for in life. That is being healthy, happy and content. Being able to live life to its full potential; be open to the here and now; be the best version of ourselves; gain insight and inner peace.
But have you ever considered that taping into your creative self, might be your way to explore all these inner needs and provide you with the answers and solutions to your long-lasting issues and challenges?
Music, besides being a social experience, links us to our emotional, spiritual, and inner selves. It can trigger and/or connect us to memories, hidden thoughts, or desires. It can be the anchor that connects our present to our past and our future.
Music Therapy and GIM-psychotherapy, both as holistic therapeutic approaches, can provide us with experiences that involve the same time our body, mind, soul, and spirit. They can help us come to an ease with our past and everything that is holding us back and help us reach our full potential.
I am Maria Samara, a certified Music Therapist (MA, New York University), a Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) Therapist, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) trained Music Therapist as well as a Music Breathing in/training Therapist. I speak Greek, English and German, and I have 22 years of working experience mostly in psychiatric, medical and rehabilitation settings, as well as, in private practice in New York, Greece and now in Switzerland, with different populations and age groups. I am an Ordinary Member of the Swiss Association for Music Therapy (SFMT), and a Board member of the European Association for Music and Imagery (EAMI).
Coming originally from Greece, I had a challenging but the same time resourceful and fulfilling life journey, that has helped me, quite early, to recognize my drive, my passion and later my life path, which is becoming a therapist in order to help and support people, through their challenges, their self-discovery, their healing, and transformation process.
Music has always been a part of my life. I had my first singing solo at the age of 6, studied accordion, piano, classical singing, harmony of music and counter point and I have a bachelor’s in music pedagogy. My world of notes was always there for me, to hold and support me, through my difficulties and challenges. It was my escape land. My resource. It created for me the space where I could be free and creative. A space where I could cry, laugh, express, share, communicate, connect, get soothed, relax, get relief.
Becoming a Music Therapist, seemed like the natural path for me. The way of combining my trust and love for music with my drive to help and support people in need.
As a Music Therapist and one of the three trained and accredited GIM therapists in Switzerland, I have a humanistic training and approach, and my areas of expertise, include mostly people facing: Psychiatric conditions; Chronic or life-threatening illnesses; burnout; anxiety and stress related issues; people in crisis and/or grief; people facing any major life changes; emotional and/or creativity blocks, as well as people in search of enhancing wellbeing and quality of life; self-exploration and growth; self-healing, and so many more.
I offer short- or long-term, supportive or therapeutic sessions and/or workshops that can be tailored to any client or audience in private or in groups.
For more info, you can visit my webpage http://www.musictherapy-gim.com , or follow me on Instagram at @music.therapy_luzern. I would love to connect with you!
