Stoked on steem: a Music Therapist eager to use Steemit as a platform for discussion on music and science.

My name is Kayla. I am a board-certified Music Therapist with an interest in molecular and cognitive neuorsciences and I believe cryptocurrency has an important role in the future.

First, just a little bit about who I am:

1. I work in Las Vegas as a licensed practicing/board certified music therapist with individuals with all ages on the autism spectrum, Down syndrome, at-risk youth, memory care & dementia, and various other disabilities. You're probably wondering what music therapy is. In fact I get asked what music therapy is almost every day, no hyperbole, and that's okay because I love to talk about it and advocate for it! In the nutshelliest way I can put it, music therapy is the use of music as a medium to achieve progress toward clinical, non-musical goals. Please please please ask me more if you are curious!
2. I was born and raised in Las Vegas and contrary to popular belief did not live or grow up in a casino.
3. I play the following instruments (some far better than others): violin, guitar, piano, ukulele, mandolin, and my vocal chords. In college I tried to start a kazoo choir...for some reason it didn't catch on...most likely because a group of kazoos sounding all at once would be the soundtrack to the gates of hell opening up.
4. I have auditory synaesthesia where I see colors when listening to music.
5. I co-host a podcast called "Forget Dis!" that aims to spread awareness on how able people with disabilities are.
6. I have a dog named Poppy (pictured above) who is glued to my hip and likes to adventure around the mountains with me.

Bitcoin certainly sparked my interest back in 2010 but alas, I did not act on it and am now kicking myself. With a renewed interest in cryptocurrency and it's community I find myself here on Steemit excited that such a platform exists and feeling fortunate that I get to be a part of a bigger movement in this zeitgeist. I would like to take the opportunity to use this platform for the following:

• Storytelling marrying science! This might be the nerdiest thing you've heard all day but I love reading research journals. I want to synthesize the most up to date scientific research and literature on music and neuroscience and weaving in my personal and professional experiences and stories. Believe me when I say that there is so much untapped knowledge on these subjects and still so much more to discover. Academia schmacademia; music and science are for the masses!
• Saucy, in-depth music theory discussion and how to analyze your favorite music and think about it from new perspectives.
• Articles on music and culture, science, therapy, cognition, and psychology.
• Supporting each other's creative endeavors! I realize this is a major cornerstone of the Steemit community and am so excited to contribute what I can.