Caitlin Kraus, MT-BC, LPC completed her graduate and undergraduate degrees at Ohio University. She holds a Masters and Bachelor of Music Therapy degree (2020, 2011) as well as a Masters of Counselor Education degree (2019). She joined Ohio University faculty as an Adjunct Professor of Music Therapy in Fall 2019 to teach the graduate-level Seminar in Music Therapy course and will continue teaching this course in Fall 2020. She also works full-time as a Licensed Professional Counselor for the adult outpatient team at Hopewell Health Centers and facilitates group music therapy at My Sister’s Place in Athens, OH, which will resume after pandemic risks decrease, along with individual telehealth work with their community outreach clients.

Caitlin’s clinical experience includes working with adults and adolescents in acute, forensic, inpatient, outpatient, and rehabilitative mental health settings, including populations with trauma and/or co-occurring substance abuse. After completing her internship at Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare (2011) in Columbus, OH, she moved to Austin, TX where she provided music therapy services to at-risk youth through Blue Sky Abilities and eventually became a full-time music therapist at Seton Shoal Creek Hospital (2012) where she worked with adults, adolescents, and children navigating various mental health needs. She has also worked as a music therapist at Central Ohio Music Therapy (2018) and as a counselor trainee at Rural Women’s Recovery Program (2017) in Athens, OH.

Caitlin’s primary clinical and research interests have included working with women with co-occurring trauma and addictions. From 2019 to 2020, Caitlin applied this to her graduate clinical project “Music Therapy for Women with Trauma: Program Development and Evaluation” through which she sought to gain deeper understanding into how music therapy can contribute to the wellbeing of women with trauma at a domestic violence shelter in Southeast Ohio. During her work on this project, she also aimed to create a sustainable program at My Sister's Place that may serve as a paradigm for other organizations providing services to women with trauma and related mental health needs. 

In addition to her ongoing clinical utilization of feminist therapy, narrative therapy, and community music therapy, Caitlin is an advocate for integrated and collaborative partnership between music therapists and related healthcare professionals. In connection to this topic, she has facilitated experiential and educational presentations, including “A Different Key: Music in Mental Health Counseling” at the 2018 Ohio Counselor’s Association Conference and “Music and Mindfulness in Counseling” at the 2019 All Ohio Counselors Conference. She also co-led a presentation entitled “Culturally Relevant Strategies for Treating Opioid Use Disorder Using Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)” with presenters Yegan Pillay, Ph.D. and Daniel Amparbeng, LPC at the 2019 All Ohio Counselors Conference.

During her graduate work from 2016 to 2019, Caitlin served as a Graduate Assistant for Ohio University’s Music Therapy Department. In this role, she helped teach coursework and supervised undergraduate and graduate equivalency students during their practicum experiences in a variety of settings. In the past, she also served as a Senior Resident Assistant and Administrative Resident Assistant for Ohio University Residence Life throughout her undergraduate years.

When not working as a counselor and music therapist, Caitlin enjoys writing and performing her own music as well as playing old-time Appalachian tunes with musicians in the Athens, OH community. As in her professional work, she strives to use music as a vehicle for connection to self and others. She also enjoys drawing, making collages, reading, hiking, and spending time with her dog Leonard.

Education:

• M.M., Music Therapy, Ohio University
• M.Ed., Counselor Education, Ohio University
• B.M., Music Therapy, Ohio University

Currently teaching:

• MUS 5850 Seminar in Music Therapy