Anastasia Canfield, MA, MT-BC, LPC, NCC, hails from Texas, but has found a new home in Colorado, where she has lived since 2013. She is a Neurodivergent (ADHD, combined type) therapist so she is familiar with the importance of working with the right clinician for your neurotype. She is a master’s level board-certified music therapist (MT-BC), licensed professional counselor in Colorado (LPC), and national certified counselor (NCC) having earned her first master’s degree in Neurologic Music Therapy from Colorado State University in 2016. Her studies encompassed a broad overview of music therapy with all populations, but Anastasia pursued extra clinical hours working in schools and mental health clinics to emphasize her interest in Psychiatric Music Therapy. Her first master’s research focused on music therapy with a child with an emotional disability in a specialized classroom. She completed her clinical internship at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan in the Therapeutic Activities department where she later was hired to work full-time. Anastasia has worked as a board-certified music therapist for over six years, offering individual and group services addressing a variety of individualized goals at facilities and private practices such as Highlands Behavioral Health System, Rocky Mountain Music Therapy, and the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan. She specializes in music therapy with mental health populations across the lifespan, as well as children and young adults who identify as Neurodivergent, particularly Autistic, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and Highly Sensitive People.

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Anastasia continued on to her second master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University in 2019 where she pursued the child and adolescent counseling track to specialize in mental health services with younger populations. Anastasia was a Graduate Assistant/Emerging Scholar during her education at Northwestern which offered her opportunities to coach other students on counseling skills, develop an introduction and history of play therapy course, and provide other support for first term counseling students in their methods series. Anastasia completed her clinical training at Brightside Counseling Services as an intern under Dr. Angela Schubert, PhD, LPC, while she pursued her second master’s degree, Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University, to earn dual licensure as a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) and a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

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During her previous work as a music therapist in hospital and private practice settings, she worked with children through older adults with various mental health difficulties ranging from situational depression, chemical dependency, and anxiety disorders to severe and persistent mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders, and dissociative identity disorder. Anastasia offered groups and individual music therapy addressing goals relevant and specific to participants’ lives through experiences such as expressive songwriting, supportive risk taking through percussion improvisation, group cohesion and trust through active music-making, insight discovery through song discussion/analysis, and music-guided relaxation strategies. She subscribes to a trauma-informed and humanistic approach to therapy, believing that all humans have worth, and with careful intention and guidance, can improve their mental health and well-being.

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Anastasia formerly served as the treasurer for the Colorado Association for Music Therapy and remains active in the organization after the fulfillment of her term. She is an avid conference attendee and presenter; she has presented student passages sessions, concurrent lecture sessions, and continuing music therapy education courses on a variety of topics including, but not limited to impostor syndrome in music therapy students, professionals, and healthcare professionals; cultural competence in music therapy; and the neurobiology and neurochemistry of music relevant to clinical application. She also serves as the Womxn's Committee Leader for the Colorado Musicians Union and a mental health advocate and moderator for Punk Rock Saves Lives Mental Health.

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Anastasia prefers to remain busy and craves learning, but in her limited free time she enjoys hiking, attending concerts, performing and writing music with her bands Anastasia Rose, Occam's Rose, Then I Fly, Appetite For Destruction (A Tribute to Guns N' Roses), and Pretty In Punk (an all-female/AFAB punk cover band), spending time with her dog and cat, Bane and Jaina, gardening, and reading.

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Education

• Certificate of Advanced Study in Play Therapy -- Sacred Heart University (in progress)

• MA, Mental Health Counseling – Northwestern University (2020)

• Graduate Certificate: Psychology of Leadership – Cornell University (2019)

• MM, Neurologic Music Therapy – Colorado State University (2016)

• BA, Music – Texas Woman’s University (2013)

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Licenses and Certifications

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC.0018860)

• Registered Play Therapist (in progress)

• Nationally Certified Counselor (#1547036)

• Board-Certified Music Therapist (#12291)

• Psychological First Aid 

• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (American Heart Association | American Stroke Association)

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As a music instructor:

Anastasia originally hails from Texas, but has found a new home in Colorado since 2013. She is a seasoned music instructor having taught individual and group music lessons since 2005. Anastasia has overseen operations for the Pride of Windsor Marching Band in Windsor, CO during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years as the ensemble’s Assistant Marching Band Director while also maintaining a private music studio providing instruction on piano, French horn, guitar, percussion, and conducting.

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Anastasia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music degree in 2013 from Texas Woman’s University and her Master of Music degree with a specialty in Neurologic Music Therapy in 2016 from Colorado State University. Her primary instruments are piano and French horn. Anastasia has performed in several ensembles of different natures to provide her eclectic experience. She has performed with The Pueblo Symphony Orchestra, During her drum corps years, Anastasia marched with Crossmen in 2009 and 2010, followed by Boston Crusaders in 2011 and 2012, where she aged out. She now works full-time as a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) and licensed counselor (LPCC) in the state of Colorado for two agencies, Creative Remedies and Rocky Mountain Music Therapy.

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In her [not so] free time, Anastasia enjoys writing and performing original music under the stage name “Anastasia Rose”, speaking at music therapy conferences about a number of topics (including but not limited to cultural competence, the “Impostor Syndrome,” and the neurobiology and neurochemistry of music), and, lastly, hiking or otherwise spending time in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

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