Anna Jacobs - Manager
Music Therapist, MA(Music Therapy), BMus(Hons), DipMusTh, LTCL
HCPC Registration number: AS00244
Anna Jacobs gained a BMus(Hons) degree from the University of Lancaster in 1993 and following this qualified as a Music Therapist in 1995. She was awarded an MA in Music Therapy in 2000 following research in the field of Music Therapy with Adults with Learning Disabilities and has also undertaken additional training in counselling.
Anna has many years experience in working with both children and adults in the fields of Learning Disabilities and Mental Health. Most recently Anna worked for the local authority specialising in providing therapy for children with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties. Anna is also an BAMT approved clinical supervisor.
Anna has particular interest in working with adolescents with behavioural difficulties and also in group therapy work. Organisational dynamics make a significant contribution to her approach to all clinical work and the work of other therapists that she supervises. Between 2007 and 2009 she was on the Executive Committee of the British Association for Music Therapy and has spoken at a number of Music Therapy conferences in the UK and also in Norway.
Outside of Music Therapy, Anna plays in the Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy Flute Ensemble.
Ian Nye
Music Therapist, BA(Hons), Dip MT
HCPC Registration Number: AS00324
Ian Nye graduated from Southampton University in 1995 with a BA(Hons) in Music. He then went on to study Music Therapy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, qualifying in 1998.
Ian worked for several years in Kent in schools for children with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. He worked with individuals and groups of children with a range of learning needs and emotional difficulties. In 2006, Ian moved to work in the pupil referral units throughout Bedfordshire. This work expanded so he worked with children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in nurture units, special schools and mainstream schools. Through this work, Ian developed a passion for working with children suffering from the effects of domestic violence. More recently, he has developed a number of training courses for educational staff working with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Ian spent two years on the committee for the British Society for Music Therapy (a forerunner of the British Association of Music Therapy) and has spoken at conferences throughout England and abroad. Outside music therapy, Ian runs various community music groups including choirs, African drumming circles and a primary school orchestra.
Emma Rountree
Music Therapist, BMus(Hons), MA (Music Therapy)
HCPC Registration Number: AS02254
Emma graduated from the University of Glasgow with a BMus(Hons) degree. She followed this with an MA in Music Therapy from Anglia Ruskin University and also has additional training in counselling skills.
Emma has worked extensively with children and adults with learning disabilities and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. She has a special interest in the field of bereavement and trauma, and completed a dissertation on the impact of bereavement for children with learning disabilities for her MA in Music Therapy. She has run training days on loss and bereavement with a focus on children and young people. Emma has also supervised Music Therapy students as part of their training.
Sarah Forshaw
Music Therapist, BA(hons) Music, MA (Music Therapy)
HCPC Registration Number: AS15309
Sarah graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2001 with a BA (Hons) in music, studying the flute and piano. She gained her MA in Music Therapy from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where she completed a research paper on the use of Music Therapy to support young people with communication disorders who have suffered from abuse. Sarah has attended several training sessions on Autistic Spectrum Condition and has worked with young people with ASC for over ten years.
Sarah has experience working with clients of varying ages and backgrounds including adults with learning disabilities and dementia, young people with attachment disorders, looked after children, and adolescents with dual diagnoses of learning disabilities and mental health problems. She has also enjoyed working with speech and language therapists to help develop young children’s social communication skills.
Sarah has a particular interest in family music therapy and runs groups and individual family sessions at nurseries, encouraging the child’s communication and social skills whilst nurturing the bonds between young children and their family members.
Sarah believes in a collaborative approach to working with clients including building positive relationships with and between those also working or living with the client.
Susie Renshaw
Music Therapist, BA (Hons) Music & French, MMT, PGDip, LRSM
HCPC Registration number: AS13643
Susie gained her BA (Hons) in Music and French from the University of Birmingham in 2002 where she studied piano and harpsichord. Susie continued her studies at Trinity College of Music with a postgraduate performance diploma in piano. Susie completed her Masters in Music Therapy with Nordoff Robbins in 2009. Since qualifying, Susie has also undertaken a foundation course in psychodynamic counselling skills.
Susie has worked in special needs schools, in London and Hertfordshire, with children with severe learning difficulties as well as for Nordoff Robbins in both London and Croydon. Susie was also a placement therapist for students in training. More recently, Susie has specialised in music therapy with deaf children and is qualified to Level 2 in British Sign Language.
Susie remains an active musician, singing in St Albans Chamber Choir and performing as a chamber musician.
Jane Brackley
Music Therapist, BA(Hons)Mus, MA Music Therapy
HCPC Registration number: AS02266
Jane Brackley graduated with a BA (Hons) in Music in 1996. After this she gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Piano Accompaniment from Trinity College of Music, London and a PGCE in Instrumental and Secondary Music teaching via the Institute of Education, London. Jane trained as a music therapist at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, qualifying in 2003, and went on to work in primary special schools and with adults in NHS learning disability services. Jane has supervised music therapy trainees on placement with the NHS and has completed additional training in counselling skills.
Jane has since worked mainly within education, including on pupil referral units, alternative education provisions and at a Child Development Centre. She has been involved in setting up music therapy on primary and secondary education early intervention behaviour support services for pupils at risk of exclusion or excluded from mainstream school. She has gone on to specialise in this area and is currently completing a PhD research project through the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research on music therapy and the impact on adolescent identity of adverse childhood experiences and early trauma.
Tānara Stedman
Music Therapist, MA (Music Therapy), BMus
HCPC Registration Number: AS017915
Tānara (the first “a” is long) graduated from The University of Otago (NZ) in 2002 with a BMus, and more recently studied Music Therapy at Anglia Ruskin University, graduating in 2022. He has experience with children and adults with learning disabilities, as well as working with children with mental health issues, particularly anxiety-related conditions. Tānara also has a particular interest in non-verbal work, letting the music act as a bridge between himself and the other person in music therapy work.
Musically, Tānara has worked in a variety of genres: orchestras, sacred and secular choirs, Middle Eastern-inspired, light operas, and several styles of hand percussion. He often uses wind instruments in his work, as well as guitar and voice.
All our Music Therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and the Information Commissioner’s Office and have DBS clearance.
