Jessi Teich

“The power of music to integrate and cure … is quite fundamental. It is the profoundest non-chemical medication.”

- Oliver Sacks -

Jessi Teich (pronounced teach) is a board-certified neurologic music therapist. In 2007, Jessi received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Berklee College of Music. After graduating, Jessi taught music lessons while pursuing a career in songwriting and vocal performance during which she won over a dozen international songwriting awards and recorded several albums. In 2017, after a decade-long career, Jessi restructured the role that music played in her life and subsequently completed a Master of Music in Music Therapy at Arizona State University in 2020. This process included completing her masters level coursework, fulfilling her clinical internship, completing her neurologic music therapy (NMT) training, and eventually working as a part time clinician under the tutelage of Suzanne Oliver at Neurologic Music Therapy Services of Arizona. Jessi accepted and began a PhD position in the Music and Health Sciences Research Collaboratory (MaHRC) at the University of Toronto in August of 2020, supervised by Dr. Michael Thaut. She is currently a third year PhD candidate with research interests that include the application of NMT sensorimotor techniques to address motor deficits seen in children with ASD. Jessi is enrolled as a graduate student in the Collaborative Program in Neuroscience (CPIN), she works as a guest facilitator and lecturer for the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy, and is currently working on materials to contribute as an author for the second edition of the NMT handbook published by Oxford University Press. Jessi has experience working with a multitude of complex neurodivergent populations including but not limited to autism, rare genetic disorders, and traumatic brain injury. In her free time, Jessi enjoys going on long walks with her two rescue dogs, trying new food, and getting lost in nature.

Check out my recent podcast interview with fellow clinician Joe Thompson: In therapy and music, the baseline informs our next steps. This is the show that examines the present state of music therapy and asks, 'where to from here?'. Made on the lands of the Darug nation by Joe Thompson. If you like the show, consider supporting Baselines financially at https://www.patreon.com/baselinesinmusictherapy?fan_landing=true

Publications:

Richard Williams, N., Hurt-Thaut, C., Brian, J., Tremblay, L., Pranjić, M., Teich, J., ... & Thaut, M. (2024). Improved motor skills in autistic children after three weeks of neurologic music therapy via telehealth: a pilot study. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1355942.

Loria T, Teich JE, Pranjić M, Tan M, Huang A, Thaut MH. The Impact of Limb Velocity Variability on Mallet Accuracy in Marimba Performance. Journal of Motor Behavior. doi:10.1080/00222895.2022.2069080.

Teich, J. (2020) Master’s Thesis:  Music Therapy-Based Workplace Health Promotion Programming: Wellness Facilitated Through Community Music-Making Experientials

Selected Presentations:

Pranjić M, Tan M, Teich JE, Tremblay L, Thaut MH. Neural Correlates of Auditory-Motor Entrainment & Synchronization: A Scoping Review of Neuroimaging Research. Society for Neuroscience; San Diego, California, USA. (2022)

Richard N, Teich JE, Kowaleski, J. Telehealth neurologic music therapy effects motor rehabilitation in children with autism: A pilot feasibility study. 12th World Congress for Neurorehabilitation; Vienna, Austria. (2022)

Teich JE. Clinical Vocal Techniques: A vocal pedagogy workshop for the new and seasoned music therapist, Canadian Association for Music Therapists Conference; Riding the Rapids, Trusting the Process (2022)

Teich JE & Thaut, C. Musical Mnemonics Training: Immediate and Delayed Recall in a Client with Dementia, Canadian Association for Music Therapists Conference; Riding the Rapids, Trusting the Process (2022)

Richard N & Teich JE. In-service information session for families and staff of SAAAC Autism Centre regarding the efficacy and application of NMT for children with Autism — online (2021)

Jessi provides private clinical care to individuals as her schedule allows. Please contact her for more information.