Who Are the Experts Providing
DBT Informed Music Therapy Training?
Director & Founder
Deborah Spiegel MT-BC
Hi. I was introduced to DBT in 2001 when working at the state hospital on a DBT team. I received training from Behavioral Tech as part of the treatment team, and gained 11 years of experience as a DBT skills group leader in that workplace. Inspired by my experience of being a music therapist on a DBT team, I started offering training for music therapists. I am now known as a leading expert in the field of DBT Informed Music Therapy. I've spoken, presented workshops, and delivered trainings on music therapy and DBT skills nationwide since 2009.
Director of The Spiegel Academy, author of Creative DBT Activities Using Music: Interventions for Enhancing Engagement and Effectiveness in Therapy, (with Lauren Bonavitacola and Suzanne Makary) I am passionate about supporting music therapists in integrating DBT into their work to expand the reach of our profession into this arena.
Since the time that I was first introduced to DBT, the amount of research on DBT and its effectiveness with various populations has exploded as has the popularity of its use. The need for trained music therapists in this field is growing which is why I created this training program and have run it for so many years. As the program has expanded I've brought in a team of experts to support music therapist who participate in the program, supervising their learning of DBT and applying it in their practice.
Senior Clinical Advisor & Co-Founder
Lauren Bonavitacola, PsyD, MT-BC
Dr. Bonavitacola is a psychologist, DBT-Linehan Board of Certification Certified Clinician™, and board-certified music therapist with a private DBT practice.
She worked for many years for Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants of Westchester and Manhattan (CBC), an outpatient CBT- and DBT-based treatment, training, and consultation center. She was the Director of Trauma-Focused Treatment Programs at CBC, working with adolescents, adults, couples, families, and schools. She now has her own practice.
Dr. Bonavitacola has expertise and specialized training in the delivery of evidence-based treatments for anxiety, mood, substance use, eating, and personality disorders across the lifespan. She specializes in the implementation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and associated conditions, as well as CBT for anxiety and mood disorders, particularly Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adolescents and adults.
Skills Training and Supervision
Suzanne Makary, MT-BC
...is a Board- Certified Music Therapist who facilitates experiential DBT skills training groups for participants of the DBT Informed Music Therapy program.
She has spent her career serving adults with mental health challenges. She completed her internship in 1997 at Allentown State Hospital. Since that opportunity, Suzanne has worked with an interdisciplinary team in the Partial Hospitalization setting and is currently holding a supervisory role.
Throughout her journey as a professional, Suzanne designs and leads daily music therapy groups to assist in learning and reaching wellness goals with her clients. She found Linehan’s work inspiring and used concepts to help frame her work.
In 2017, Suzanne completed the yearlong “DBT Informed Music Therapy” Program through The Spiegel Academy. As a DBT-Informed music therapist, Suzanne has created a curriculum for the Innovations Partial Hospital Program at St. Luke’s University Health Network focused on teaching DBT skills daily. Which is why she was excited to come back and share not just the skills, but also what she has done with what she has learned since completing the program, with participants of the DBT informed Music Therapy Training.
Kim Johnson LMHC, MT-BC
Kim Johnson is a licensed mental health counselor and board certified music therapist currently practicing in Massachusetts. She received her master’s degree from Lesley University in 2017 in clinical mental health counseling with a specialization in music therapy.
During her time at a community mental health agency, she completed an intensive DBT training from Behavioral Tech in January 2021 and has since been implementing both comprehensive DBT, including individual work and facilitating DBT skills groups, and DBT informed therapy, often integrating music therapy interventions. She currently practices in a private practice outpatient mental health setting, working with both adolescents and adults, often with LGBTQ+ individuals.
In addition, Kim specializes in songwriting interventions. She also has recorded an album of guided mindfulness meditations featuring ukulele titled “Tiny Happy Guitar” as a free resource for clinicians and the general public alike.
Kim is a proud team member of The Spiegel Academy and facilitates the supervision meetings with Suzanne and Cait .
Cait Adair MT-BC
Cait is a board-certified music therapist who received their degree from Converse University. Since 2015, Cait has worked in an inpatient, adult psychiatric hospital where they are currently the director of activity therapy and provide DBT-Informed Music Therapy groups and individual sessions. Cait has worked with other disciplines in their organization to help build a comprehensive DBT program which involves being part of DBT consultation teams and receiving trainings including DBT for Frontline Workers and DBT intensive training through Behavioral Tech.
Working in a facility that focuses on the Zero Suicide Framework, Cait has also received additional trainings including SafeTALK, ASIST, AMSR, Motivational Interviewing Core Principles, Healing Trauma+: Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People, and CAMS (in progress). Cait also eagerly advocates for music therapy and mental health on social media.
Bailey Hinz, MA, MT-BC, LPMT, LMSW, CSW-I
...facilitates our monthly DBT consultation group for music therapists. She is a Board Certified Music Therapist and Social Worker. She is a DBT Informed music therapist, and is here to support participants as they learn and apply the skills.
In 2013, Bailey received her master’s degree in music therapy from Colorado State University; her graduate thesis was on the utilization of therapeutic music for young women with negative body perception and disordered eating.
Bailey has had the opportunity to work with a variety of populations including mental health, at risk youth, substance abuse, veterans’ needs, hospice, autism spectrum, developmental disability, and diseases of aging. Her greatest passion and life’s purpose, however, lies in mental/ behavioral health. She loves incorporating music and other creative arts to affect meaningful change in the lives of individuals she serves.
To continue her growth as a clinician, Bailey received her designation as a DBT informed Music Therapist through Behavioral Tech and The Spiegel Academy in 2017. She is passionate about DBT and music therapy and is excited to support you in your application of the skills in your life and your practice.
Customer Success Manager: DBT Support Specialist
Kelly Howard MT-BC
Your first point of contact for enrollment and ongoing program support. Kelly ensures participants have a smooth onboarding experience and access to the resources they need throughout the training. She helps bridge communication between participants and facilitators, guiding you through each stage of the program so you can focus on your learning and success.