Meet the Team!
Music TherapistPeri Strongwater, MA, MT-BC (she/her) is a music therapist, program manager and organization enthusiast. In addition to running Strongwater Studios, she works at Mass Eye & Ear Hospital in Boston where she is their first board-certified music therapist. You will likely see her with a guitar in hand, but she also plays the violin, viola, ukulele and piano.
Peri's career began after completing her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Music at Skidmore College in 2011. Initially working as a film/TV composer in NYC, she soon realized that her favorite part of music was making it with other people. She moved to Boston in 2013, and in 2015 launched Strongwater Studios, offering music services and programming to the community. This led her to pursue a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Music Therapy from Lesley University in 2018. During her academic journey, Peri gained valuable experience through various clinical placements and work experience. She worked with geriatric patients in Assisted Living and Memory Care Assisted Living, and Pelham Academy, a therapeutic residential school that provides treatment and education to adolescent females with emotional/behavioral issues, mental health disorders and complex trauma histories. She launched her small business, Strongwater Studios, in 2015 where she facilitated intergenerational music groups, recreational programming, special events and early childhood development programs. She has also worked as a music therapist in psychiatric units at Mass General Hospital and HRI Hospital, and as an outpatient community mental health clinician at Eliot Community Human Services. As a member of the American Music Therapy Association and the New England Music Therapy Association, Peri is committed to professional growth and sharing her knowledge with others. She has presented at local and regional conferences, covering topics such as neuroscience and music, music for patients with hearing loss, voicework, and session structure + planning procedures for music therapy sessions. In April 2023, she presented "Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology in the Key of C" at the NERAMTA conference. Peri has also been invited to guest lecture at Boston University and Berklee School of Music. Peri loves hard rock, emo music, broadway / showtunes, fully orchestrated movie scores and bluegrass. Her favorite composers are Bernstein, Dvorak, Tchaikofsky, Beethoven, Alan Menken, James Horner and Stephen Schwartz. Favorite artists include Umphrey's McGee, Papadosio, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Husky, 1860, Something Corporate, Jeff Buckley and Evanescence. Her favorite soundtrack is sometimes Rent, but it also could be Wicked, Tick Tick.. Boom!, the Lion King or The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Peri loves to make music with her adorable son, who's favorite songs include ABCD and Baa Baa Black Sheep. Other hobbies and interests include playing with her dog Finley, making to-do lists and eating ice cream. (Updated July 2023) |