Kearsti-Rae (K-Rae) Knowles, is a Board-Certified Music Therapist with 10 years of Autism experience, including those with high sensory and emotional/behavioral needs.  She is also a Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, indicating advanced specialization in the application of music in the areas of memory, attention, motor control, emotions, perception, executive function, and language. 

K-Rae also has 10 years of experience with the IEP process in Illinois, including goal development and implementation, data collection and reporting, 3 year eligibility evaluation/re-evaluation, and interdisciplinary collaboration and treatment.  She has experience co-treating with certified occupational therapists/COTAs, social workers, speech-language pathologists, special educators (LBS1), and behavior specialists (BCBAs, BCaBAs, and RBTs).

With 3+ years of experience working in hospice care, K-Rae knows that the end of a loved one’s life is a trying time. Using research-based strategies, she works to apply music techniques to ease pain, reduce reliance on medications, lessen anxiety/agitation/restlessness, improve socialization, address anticipatory grief, prepare legacy projects, and overall help to create a respectful, calm, and loving environment for a Good Death.

K-Rae obtained her undergraduate degree from Illinois State University (Normal, IL), her board certification from the Certification Board for Music Therapists (certification number 11834), her NMT Fellowship from the Robert F. Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy (Toronto, Canada), and her Masters Degree in Music Therapy from Alverno College (Milwaukee, WI).