About RGV Music Therapy
Our Health Mission
Our board certified therapists put your needs first. We are proud to provide a high quality level of care and commitment to health and wellness to all our patients. Our goal is to make music therapy and recreational therapy accessible in the Rio Grande Valley.
Experience and Professionalism
With extensive clinical training, our therapy team will create an individualized plan of care that's right for you. We understand the importance of your healthcare, and we will be there every step of the way to assist you.
Therapists Who Care
We strive to help you improve your quality of life, achieve your clinical goals, and rehabilitate your body to live your best life possible.
Our Story
The First and Only
In the Rio Grande Valley, access to music therapy has been extremely limited...until now. Over the year, we have made music therapy available across multiple settings including adults or children with special needs, behavioral health, hospice, and support for veterans with PTSD. This is a huge step forward for healthcare in the Rio Grande Valley.
Access to music therapy treatment is important for several reasons. Music therapy is an allied health profession that is research and evidence-based which means that everything music therapists do is intended to target very specific objectives. For children who are nonverbal, music can be the bridge for communication with others. In hospice care, patients can compose or record favorite songs as a legacy for their loved ones. Music can teach academic skills, reinforce positive behaviors, provide relaxation, improve motor functioning, and facilitate positive coping for traumatic events.
The difference that music therapy can make is immeasurable. Music itself has been referred to as a universal language because of its constant presence throughout the course of humanity. I have seen Alzheimer's patients sing every word of a "Golden Oldie" after being unable to recognize themselves or their loved ones. I have watched families come together at the bedside of their beloved elder to join in one last hymn.
Music is always with us. As music therapists, we are trained to take these connections and use them to enhance the lives of our patients in a clinical setting. Music therapists have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in music therapy and a current, professional credential (MT-BC) to practice music therapy.
For years, it has been my mission to create a place in our community where music therapy can grow, and I have been fortunate enough to work alongside facilities and agencies who strive to provide a high level of care.
RGV Music Therapy is a new program in the Valley, but it is a rapidly growing organization dedicated to serving our community. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Marisa de Leon, MT-BC
Music Therapist-Board Certified
Neurologic Music Therapist
Owner of RGV Music Therapy and Wellness Center
Ribbon cutting event for RGV Music Therapy and Wellness Center, 2017