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.
Rachel Coe
Music Therapy Intern
Rachel Coe studied classical clarinet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2018, and is currently graduating in Music Therapy from the University of the West of England. She has experience working with adults and children with complex needs, having held placements in SEN schools, brain injury hospitals and forensic mental health institutions. She is passionate about advocating for clients and exploring ways to communicate their needs to the work settings they are connected to.
She has a particular interest in emotional regulation work, and in finding ways for music to connect to individuals, leading to a vast exploration of musical styles. She has an enthusiasm for songwriting as a therapeutic tool.
As a musician, Rachel performs and records on clarinet with a variety of London orchestras and works with the London Mozart Players and Britten Sinfonia in designing and leading music workshops that visit community settings. She also plays the saxophone in many function bands and nightclubs and enjoys singing both classical and rock music.
Kirsty Cheesemore
Music Therapist, BMus(Hons), PGCE, MA (Music Therapy)
HCPC Registration Number: AS018596
Kirsty graduated from Huddersfield University in 1996 with a BMus(Hons) in music studying the violin. After training and spending many years teaching in London, Hertfordshire and Luton, she retrained and graduated from Anglia Ruskin University with a MA in music therapy.
Kirsty has experience of working with children and toddlers with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, Severe Learning Disabilities, Autism and physical disability within special schools. She regularly used resonance boards with groups of children exploring vibration and resonance alongside rhythm and singing. She is a competent user of Makaton Sign Language.
She has also worked with adults within neurological rehabilitation and those with degenerative conditions or dementia. She has also supported children affected by life-limiting conditions and those at the end of life within their homes. Kirsty has a keen interest in working with families.
Kirsty currently plays the violin in the Hitchin Chamber Orchestra, performing in 3 concerts per year.
All our Music Therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and the Information Commissioner’s Office and have DBS clearance.
