Sarah Helander

Background

About Sarah Helander

I am an integrative music psychotherapist with intercultural clinical and research experience, particularly in hospital settings and humanitarian contexts. I hold a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Music Psychotherapy from Aalborg University in Denmark, with additional specializations as a Certified Neonatal Intensive Care Music Therapist (NICU-MT), Clinical Trauma Specialist, and in trauma-informed Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (CB MHPSS). I have completed a music therapy research fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, USA. I am a member of the Music and Medicine Editorial Board and the International Association for Music and Medicine (IAMM) Special Interest Group. I have published and presented my work internationally. I work in the humanitarian sector with NGOs to design and implement CB MHPSS and support front-line staff. My clinical expertise includes working with persons with lived experiences of forced displacement, substance use disorders, special needs and on the autistic spectrum, and within the somatic and psychiatric fields throughout the lifespan. I work with a holistic and person-centered approach, grounded in cultural humility and identity-informed practice.