Music Therapists

Katelyn Morris, MT-BC

Katelyn Morris graduated from Illinois State University with her Bachelors of Arts in Music Therapy. She grew up on a beef cattle farm in southern Illinois with music and theater being major factors in her life. She instantly fell in love with Music Therapy (MUTH) the moment she heard about it. Throughout her college career, she worked with many populations including adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, older adults with dementia, and teenagers in a juvenile detention center. She also volunteered at “The Autism Place”, an after school program for children with autism. She then moved to Indiana and completed her MUTH internship at Opportunities for Positive Growth. Katelyn has recently acquired her board certification (MT-BC), and will be working remotely in Fishers and surrounding areas. She is excited to begin working in the professional world and grow alongside the other therapists at Pure Abilities. Katelyn’s main goals are to foster creativity, promote independence, and inspire individualism for persons with disabilities!

Alaina Cruse, MT-BC, CDP

Alaina Cruse, MT-BC, CDP is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, board-certified music therapist and certified dementia practitioner from a small town on Long Island, New York. After completing her music therapy internship at Matheny Medical and Educational Center in Peapack, New Jersey, she earned her bachelor’s degree in music therapy from the State University of New York at Fredonia. She has worked abroad with individuals with developmental disabilities in North Macedonia through the Peace Corps, where she established music-based therapeutic programs at a day habilitation center and organized a community concert performance. She has also implemented music therapy interventions as an undergraduate student music therapist in Jamaica at a school for children with learning disabilities and at an infirmary. In addition to her experiences abroad, she has worked in a wide variety of settings in the United States, including assisted living and memory care, early intervention, and in a hospital serving individuals with medically complex diagnoses such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Her primary instrument is the violin, but she also enjoys playing guitar, flute, bass guitar, piano, and ukulele. She is also passionate about learning new instruments and music from other cultures. She moved to Bloomington, Indiana in August of 2021 and will be serving clients in the area. As a music therapist, she strives to utilize music as a mechanism for developing personal growth in individuals with diverse abilities to optimize their potential as independent and active participants in their communities.

Sarah Whitehouse, MT-BC

Sarah is a board-certified music therapist in the Indianapolis area. Originally from Akron, Ohio, music was a huge passion in her life through choir, band, musical theater, steel drum ensemble, show choir, and church ensembles. Sarah completed her Bachelor’s of Music from the University of Dayton, during which time she gained practicum experience with a myriad of clientele including children with intellectual and developmental delays, adults with dementia, women with substance use disorders, and children in a local hospital. She remained involved in the Music Therapy Club as the service coordinator and vice president, and served on the board of the Association of Ohio Music Therapists as the student representative. Sarah completed her internship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, working with children on various units of the hospital including hematology/oncology, bone marrow transplants, cardiology, rehabilitation, and NICU. Following internship, Sarah relocated to Indiana to begin a music therapy career with a Medicaid waiver provider, and later transitioned to an ABA center, during which time she received training as a registered behavior technician. Sarah is currently pursuing a Master’s in mental health counseling with a focus in child and adolescent psychology through Marquette University. Sarah believes in the power of music to be a catalyst for growth, change, and healing. Sarah’s passion is to allow the gift of music to be available and achievable for everyone, and utilize music to tell one’s story.

Jessica Balagna, MM, MT-BC

Jessica Balagna graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2015 with a bachelor of arts in music on a violin and a minor in psychology. She graduated from Illinois State University in 2020 with her masters degree in music therapy. She completed her music therapy internship at Lawrence Hall Youth Services in Chicago, Illinois. There she worked with youth who have experienced severe trauma and had severe emotional and behavioral needs. Jessica also worked as an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Technician for two years prior to working professionally as a music therapist. At the ABA clinic, she worked with children with Autism from ages 3 to 20 years old. She comes from a cognitive behavioral background and often incorporates ABA techniques in her music therapy practice. Jessica is originally from Muskegon, Michigan, right on the shore of Lake Michigan. She credits her sister, Sara, who is on the Autism spectrum, for her passion for music therapy and for people with disabilities. Thanks to Sara, Jessica was guided by other families and friends in the special needs community to find music therapy. Jessica also grew up in a multi-cultural home and focused her graduate project on the Hispanic and Latino culture in music therapy. Jessica is passionate about using music to improve the wellbeing and independence of others and to be an advocate for those without a voice.

Maddie McGinnis, MT-BC

Maddie discovered music therapy at Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, a select summer program for high school students, and quickly realized her passion for the field. Maddie later attended the University of Louisville and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music therapy. Maddie’s main instrument is the saxophone, and she was involved in the university’s wind ensemble, symphonic band, saxophone ensemble, and marching band throughout her college years. Maddie loves to sing, and was happy to learn how to play percussion instruments, the guitar, the piano, and the ukulele during her time at UofL. She completed her music therapy internship with Louisville Expressive Therapies, where she worked with populations including mental health settings, clients with substance use disorder, early childhood settings, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Maddie continued to work in the music therapy field after becoming board-certified, and spent the first year of her career with a company named Louisville Center for Therapy and Personal Sustainability. Maddie loves working with all ages, but she adores working with children and seeing their creativity shine through music interventions. She lives in Louisville, KY, and will be serving clients in the Indiana area close by. Maddie’s goal as a music therapist is to serve her clients and their specific needs, while helping them achieve their individualized goals using the uniqueness of music therapy!

Rachel Turnbill, MT-BC

Rachel Turnbill is a board-certified music therapist and recent graduate from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Music Therapy and Minor in Psychology. Rachel grew up in Greenwood, Indiana and fell in love with music at an early age. Receiving classical piano training since kindergarten, Rachel was heavily involved in school choirs, vocal jazz, dance, marching band, and musical theater before pursuing music therapy as her profession. In her undergraduate years, Rachel worked with many populations, including adolescents with Autism, young adults with Down Syndrome, children with motor speech disorders, and adults receiving treatment in both in-patient and out-patient hospital settings. She completed her internship with Norton Healthcare in Louisville, Kentucky, where she gained diverse experience with children and adults in hematology/oncology units, neurological rehabilitation, palliative/hospice care, med/surg units, and neonatal intensive care. Rachel moved back to her hometown following internship and is excited to give back to the Southside community through music therapy services with Pure Abilities. Rachel is passionate about helping all individuals achieve their highest potentials of self-worth, independence, and wellbeing through the gift of music.

Noriah Uribe-Matanick, MT-BC

Noriah graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy. With a lifelong passion for the arts, especially through choir and musical theater, Noriah discovered music therapy as the perfect fusion of a love for music and a strong belief in the inherent value of every individual.

During her academic journey, Noriah gained diverse experience working at a residential facility for youth with varying needs, including substance abuse, sexually acting-out behaviors, and conduct disorders. Additionally, she completed practicum placements in Head Start programs, behavior management classrooms, clinical settings with individuals on the Autism spectrum, and conducted group therapy sessions in retirement homes and assisted living facilities.

Her internship at The Music Therapy Center of California, specializing in Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), provided the opportunity to work with clients across the lifespan, from preschoolers to older adults, with diagnoses such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, and other neurological disorders.

Professionally, Noriah has worked in an inpatient acute care behavioral health hospital, addressing complex diagnoses like personality disorders, substance use disorders, and psychotic disorders. She also provided end-of-life care in hospice and worked in a clinic setting serving children and adolescents with neurologic and developmental disorders.

Now based in Indiana, Noriah is excited to continue her music therapy journey at Pure Abilities. Her primary goal is to promote dignity, foster confidence, strengthen autonomy and instill value through the therapeutic power of music.