Doctoral Portfolio
Jonathan Scheick, MA, MMH, MT-BC, CBIS
Introduction
Twenty-three years ago, I began my professional journey providing therapeutic care for individuals in need. My academic journey remains intertwined with my service work, as I continue to gain insight and awareness through my studies that impact the quality of care I provide to those I serve.
My healthcare career started in child & adult psychiatric crisis intervention services at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey. As a psychotherapist and crisis response team member, I facilitated individual & group therapy, in addition to psychiatric screening services for inpatient, partial hospitalization and outpatient programs. My work at Monmouth Medical, and subsequent experience as a brain injury specialist at The Center for Head Injuries - JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute & Children's Specialized Hospital, offered a unique lens to comprehend the fragile nature of health & humanity. This became my foundation for nurturing others through creative, therapeutic means, such as music.
In 2007, I introduced therapeutic music to school-aged children and adolescents in a group therapy setting at Children's Specialized Hospital. The outcome was profound, both for participants and clinicians involved in their care. This experience transformed into a daily therapeutic modality, and acted as the catalyst to pursue my master's degree in music therapy at NYU.
In 2011, I founded Mosaic Music Therapy & Neuro-Rehabilitation Services, a private clinic offering holistic, person-centered and strengths-based music therapy services to the communities of Monmouth & Ocean counties in New Jersey. Mosaic now serves over 75 participants weekly, ranging in age from two through ninety six years, and employs six board-certified music therapists.
My work as a psychotherapist and music therapist has provided a deep awareness of challenges faced by individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) or acquired brain injury (ABI), especially those related to the emotional and psychological adjustment of post-injury life. Specialization in pediatric & adult brain injury rehabilitation significantly influenced my music therapy practice and doctoral research focus.
A holistic, person-centered approach to music therapy holds tremendous potential to assist individuals recovering from severe traumatic brain injury or acquired brain injury. Its therapeutic application in TBI or ABI rehabilitation is currently underutilized and often overlooked when addressing multiple rehabilitative needs during the recovery process, such as cognitive remediation, physical, psychological & emotional well-being. Through my doctoral research, I intend to illustrate the therapeutic potential of person-centered music therapy for individuals recovering from brain injury diagnosed with Locked-in syndrome, and better understand the current obstacles preventing individuals with brain injuries from accessing music therapy services.