Kirsten Peterson: A Board-Certified Music Therapist since 1999 and a creative, healing spirit at heart. Kirsten’s experience lies primarily in working with adults diagnosed with mental illness and/or substance abuse issues.

Kirsten Peterson is a Board-Certified Music Therapist and drum circle facilitator. Kirsten began her music career at a young age and graduated from The Zion Conservatory of Music with Piano Principle in 1994. She went on to graduate with her Bachelor’s of Music in Music Therapy from The Florida State University in 1998 where she studied under three top professionals in the field: Dr. Jayne Standley, Dr. Clifford Madsen, and Diane Gregory. While finished her internship at Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee, FL, she experienced her first drum circle at the 1998 American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) conference led by Christine Stevens and Arthur Hull. From that moment on, she was hooked.

Kirsten’s professional world has centered in the psychiatric realm. She has worked with adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients, patients with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as clients with substance abuse issues in a variety of settings (long and short term psychiatric facilities, state hospitals, outpatient programs, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities). In all of these populations and settings, drumming was her preferred intervention.

Since her initial introduction to the drumming world, Kirsten has honed her skills with Barry Bernstein, Randy Crofton, Ubaka Hill, Arthur Hull, Leon Mobley, Bob Bloom, Mickey Hart, and Christine Stevens. She has been blessed to attend two Unity with a Beat Retreats (Lenexa, KS – October 2000 & Boulder, CO – 2001) as well as the REMO HealthRHYTHMS training (San Diego, CA – March 2003), and the Hawaii Facilitator’s Playshop (Camp Mokuleia, Haleiwa, Hawaii – August 2004).

Kirsten received her Master’s of Business Administration in Health Care Management January 2004 and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s of Art in Graphic Design at Collins College.

Kirsten is also a contributing author to the AMTA publication, writing the section on utilizing drumming as a Music Therapy intervention with the psychiatric adult. Her success as a drum circle facilitator comes from her intrinsic belief that music should be a part of every person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness

Kirsten is also one of the main facilitators in the AZRC Performance Troupe. Her ability to spark a crowd and get the energy going is simply the best.