MEET OUR FOUNDER
Tara Jenkins, MT-BC
Founder
Tara has always enjoyed creating music with others since she was young. She pursued and received her bachelor's degree in music therapy from Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA, in 2007 and has been a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) since 2008.
Throughout her career, Tara has held many roles and responsibilities that uniquely qualify her for the work she does today. She has served as an Activity and Volunteer Coordinator, supervising a team and overseeing activity programming for Assisted Living and Memory Care. Additionally, she developed and implemented a multi-sensory music therapy program from the ground up for groups, individuals, and those receiving end-of-life care. In 2014, Tara started a successful private practice, Young at Heart Music Therapy, in the Washington D.C. metro area, focusing on older adults and their caregivers.
In 2016, Tara relocated to Austin, TX, where she expanded her skills and expertise as the Senior Staff Music Therapist at a local music therapy company. She has extensive experience presenting on music therapy and dementia, comprehensive training in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and co-authored the book "Music, Memory, and Meaning: How to Effectively Use Music to Connect with Aging Loved Ones.”
In 2022, Tara revamped her private practice, Harmony in Dementia, and currently resides in Wilmington, NC.
The goals of Harmony in Dementia are to:
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Foster meaningful relationships and facilitate quality music activities for caregivers and people living with dementia.
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Provide education for caregivers across the nation.
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Share tools and resources with caregivers, professionals, and students to help support themselves and those they care for.
Through each one of these roles, Tara expands and strengthens her knowledge of music and dementia care. She is passionate about music therapy, committed to fostering meaningful relationships, devoted to those she works with, and, above all, dedicated to encouraging participation in shared music experiences with others.