Hi! My name is Jill and from an early age I can remember dancing, singing, and bobbing my head to music for the sheer love of it, but also as a self soothing technique when I was nervous. At the age of 16, I picked up playing guitar and singing. At the time I was battling anxiety and depression and music was my "go to" for helping me connect to my feelings, to express myself, and ultimately helping me gain more confidence when I began performing at the age of 21. I've always been a highly sensitive person who has enjoyed helping others. My teachers would often ask me to mentor or help explain an assignment to another student that was struggling.

After high school, I took a bit of a break because I really had no idea what I wanted to study. In 2004 I found the field of Music Therapy and set myself on a mission to learn how to use music as a therapeutic tool to help others achieve their goals. In studying Music Therapy I had to be proficient at voice, guitar, and percussion. My main instrument of concentration was guitar. I did 1200 hours of practicum work which included a 900 hour internship in adult and pediatric hospice and palliative care. I received my Bachelor's degree in Music/Music Therapy from Anna Maria College in 2011 and went on to develop a Music Therapy program from the ground up at a Health Care agency in Worcester, MA. In this experience I was able to work with individiduals one to one as well as in group sessions using music as a tool to help alleviate pain in conjunction with pain medications, as a motivator for babies and young children to accomplish physical goals like crossing mid-line or vocalizing vowel sounds, and helping someone leave a legacy behind to their loved ones through song-writing among others. I also helped write songs/arrange music for our hospice memorial services and had the very unique opportunity of running an adult bell choir at our agency's assisted living campus. I love seeing people conquer the odds and do things that they never thought they were capable of, and I saw a lot of that in my work as a Music Therapist!

I am originally from Massachusetts, but I moved to Venice, FL September of 2023 with the intention of following my dream of bringing specialized, enriching music groups to adults and children. Being a mom to an infant, I felt really lonely and even isolated at times. I was desperate to meet other adults whom I could connect with and make friends. As I was looking for drop in classes here in FL, I found a few but because I'm a reserved person it was hard for me to connect with others. I would let my daughter run around and play but I'd be off on the sidelines carrying on small talk with a few other moms, rarely making lasting connections. I wished there was a group that had a more structured, highly supportive, and encouraging enviroment for not just the children but for the caregivers too. My thought is I might have felt like I could warm up a little more easily and connect with others in a more meaningful way had a program like this existed.

This is how Playdate Harmonies LLC was formed. I bring my knowledge of music, extensive training in music therapy, years of working with people in hospitality and customer service, and my own personal experiences to the table to help connect caregivers not only to their children more, but also to each other. My hopes for Playdate Harmonies LLC are that I can offer that drop-in class where our children can play and thrive while also helping caregivers not feel lost in the shuffle of it all. We have a very important job, but we need a little love too! 

So please come join me during one of these engaging, enriching, and supportive live music group sessions being offered Wednesdays at 10:30 am beginning July 10th at Sunflower Village Arts and Crafts Studio. The address is 1229 US 41 Bypass S. Venice Florida- tucked in the hallway on the right hand side of the Regency Square Plaza. The cost is $15 (cash, credit, or Venmo), you can just drop in, and all ages are welcome to attend. Feel free to email us for more info: hello@playdates.fun