Sonic Connections: Music-infused Mental Health Workshops

FACULTY AND STAFF

Music-powered experiences that strengthen the employees who make higher education possible.

We facilitate creative sessions where educators and administrators can gather to reconnect with the parts of their work that matter and build meaningful connections that help them flourish.

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The Creative Facilitation Organization
Using music & art as tools for change at 300+ schools and organizations.

How We Support Faculty and Staff

We partner with leaders investing in the well-being and development of their campus employees.

Faculty and staff juggle countless unspoken job expectations that lead to burnout and disengagement, resulting in increased rates of absenteeism, presenteeism, and attrition. Our immersive, arts-based approach serves as a steadying anchor, giving people a place to regroup and grow alongside colleagues in a focused and creative way.

Some of Our Common Faculty and Staff Partners

Human Resources Employee Wellness Directors Union Locals Faculty Senates Work-Life Offices Teaching & Learning Centers Department Chairs DEI & Well-being Committees Staff Councils Classified Employees PD & Flex Weeks and more!

Common faculty & staff topics we host experiential workshops around:

Balancing self-care with student-care through resilience and mindfulness.
Navigating institutional change, role ambiguity, and the expanding scope of responsibilities in academia.
Building cross-departmental relationships and breaking down silos.
Reconnecting with purpose and meaning amidst compassion fatigue and burnout.
Strengthening creative facilitation skills to design discussions and spaces people want to engage in.

CASE STUDY

Boston College’s Office of Employee Development

The Need

During a period of campus uncertainty and heightened emotional sensitivity, Boston College’s staff development team wanted an immersive experience for their annual faculty-staff retreat that would help participants (with tenures ranging from 4 months to 40 years) find common ground across generational divides and reconnect with their shared purpose of supporting students.

Solution

We designed a session for 120 administrative professionals to reflect on personal values and explored how they wanted to show up for colleagues and students. We engaged in guided music listening, practiced simple tools for emotional steadiness and resilience, and engaged in table-based dialogue across a wide range of ages, academic departments, and job functions.

Results

84% said the workshop fostered a meaningful sense of belonging and connection with others.
81% reported it equipped them with skills to nurture their personal and professional growth.
78% said they are now more likely to utilize resources to support their well-being.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR IMPACT

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September 30, 2025

Glendale Community College

Campus Nurse

“I’ll be honest, I was skeptical at first about how music would work for our group. But watching people light up when they made unexpected connections through the songs, seeing them actually talk with each other instead of at each other, that sold me completely. The Sonic Connections facilitation team read the room perfectly and adjusted on the fly to our environment. What really got me was how many people came up afterward saying they finally felt seen and heard. The whole experience felt genuine, not like another checkbox workshop. We’ve brought them back four times already because of the impact they’ve had.”

September 30, 2025

Glendale Community College

Mental Health Clinical Supervisor

“This was a powerful introduction to learn how to embrace the duality and complexities of situations, feelings, and thoughts that show up in group spaces.”

September 30, 2025

Diablo Valley College

Faculty Participant

“Thank you for the immersive experience. Psychology should be taught this way. Very exciting way to learn about the practicalities of navigating sensitive topics.”

September 30, 2025

San Diego State University

Faculty Participant

“The way physical activities were used to make abstract concepts concrete was brilliant. When participants can see and feel the concept through movement or interaction, the learning sticks in a way that discussion alone doesn’t achieve.”

September 30, 2025

Binghamton University

Staff Participant

“I felt very drawn to this because of my background in social work, so this was great to have in my toolbox.”

September 30, 2025

Merrimack College

Staff Participant

“I loved the exercises we did together. It really allowed me to think about my challenges and future in my work, and ways I can approach it.”

September 30, 2025

Stony Brook University

Staff Participant

“This helped my team feel way more confident in ourselves, acknowledge our issues, and become more willing to achieve our goals. I personally will have extra patience, especially for those I work with, even when I’m stressed or under a lot of pressure and time crunches.”

September 30, 2025

CUNY Graduate Center

Staff Psychologist

“The Sonic Connections music wellness program was phenomenal. The incorporation of music and mindfulness offered a space to slow down, to reflect, and connect with ourselves. I appreciated the collaboration process to bring this program to our students, in particular thinking about our graduate students’ needs and experiences. I truly recommend the program to anyone looking for a space to disconnect from daily stress and to find meaning and purpose in life.”

September 30, 2025

Fashion Institute of Technology

Staff Participant

“I absolutely loved this workshop. It helped me think about my unhelpful thoughts in a new way, and gave me PRACTICAL exercises to come away with.”

September 29, 2025

Los Medanos College

Staff Participant

“This was the first team retreat where I was actually replenished and provided with practical tools I can use.”

September 29, 2025

University of Michigan

Staff Participant

“During the workshop, I came up with the concept of ‘Be There’ as something I appreciated and wanted to practice more often. Since then, I’ve made a conscious effort to be more present with the people around me, and have seen a positive impact both in deepening my connections with people I already know and developing new connections.”

September 29, 2025

Sacred Heart University

Associate Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs

“I listen to music a lot, and there is untapped potential there in my leadership practice and reflection.”

September 29, 2025

University of Maryland

Staff participant

“I really appreciated something the facilitator said at the beginning of the workshop, which was ‘We notice the things that matter to us when we have the chance to pause.’ I was so happy with the time we had to reflect during the workshop. And of course that this reflection was accompanied by music that made me tap into everything.”

September 29, 2025

Princeton University

Faculty participant

“This helped me be self-aware, I will be considerate of people on my team that might be having a tough day and be aware of it.”

September 29, 2025

Boston College

Staff Participant

“It finally gave me a moment to put my thoughts and feelings into understandable and actionable words.”

September 29, 2025

Boston College

Staff Participant

“I took away the importance and benefits of interrupting the destructive thinking spiral. Embracing/living with negative stuff in your life – being mindful of it so that we can show up and be our best for ourselves and others everyday.”

September 29, 2025

SUNY Fredonia

Staff Participant

“Music helped me dig down and actually relieve stress instead of just powering through it. It brought up memories that helped me understand my reactions and decision patterns better. The session gave me real clarity and reminded me that what I’m thinking and experiencing is worth paying attention to. That awareness makes me a more effective leader.”

September 28, 2025

Boston College

Faculty Participant

“I’ve been in this field for 25 years and I’ve never seen a room of professionals drop their guard so fast. Sonic cracked something open in us. There was laughter, reflection, lightbulb moments. Weeks later, our team is still referencing moments from the session. Whatever facilitation magic you’re working, it’s real.”

September 26, 2025

Siena College

Senior Director of the Women’s Center

“This program is life-changing. You actually walk out of the room with tools you can immediately apply in your life and career. It created a powerful insight that I can choose to focus on my values and not allow the heavy stuff to get in my way.”

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We’re here to amplify your faculty & staff development initiatives

Whether you’re planning new faculty orientation, leadership retreats, or Professional Development Days, we customize our music-infused experiences to academic environments through our three focus areas:

🌱
Wellness, Resilience, and Inclusion

Helping your community thrive

We create music-powered workshops that address mounting burnout, isolation, and stress. Participants cultivate self-care tools for recharging while fostering genuine belonging that goes beyond buzzwords.

Who We Partner With

Anyone actively planning mental health, well-being, resilience, or DEI&B initiatives.

Learn More »

🔥
Team Building and Leadership Development

Propelling your people forward

We amplify retreats, offsites, summits, and professional development initiatives where leaders and teams make breakthrough decisions, strengthen psychological safety, and build authentic community.

Who We Partner With

Anyone responsible for bringing groups of people together to unlock collective potential.

Learn More »

🛠️
Creative Facilitation Training

Leveling up your group skills

We teach our arts-based facilitation techniques that transform ordinary gatherings into immersive experiences. Master how to unlock participation and lead creative sessions people never forget.

Who We Partner With

Anyone who facilitates groups, events, gatherings, or meetings and wants to deepen engagement.

Learn More »

Approach

Explore our arts-based facilitation methods, inclusive practices, impact data, and testimonials.

Learn more

Meet the Team

Meet our dedicated artist-facilitators who bring decades of experience creating immersive spaces.

Learn more

Toolkit

Access practical resources to enhance your wellbeing, team/leadership effectiveness, and facilitation skills.

Learn more

Ready to create immersive experiences that stick?

Get in touch to talk through your goals and how we can reach them together.

Schedule a brainstorm Email us

Music-powered experiences that strengthen the employees who make higher education possible.

We facilitate creative sessions where educators and administrators can gather to reconnect with the parts of their work that matter and build meaningful connections that help them flourish.

How We Support Faculty and Staff

We partner with leaders investing in the well-being and development of their campus employees.

Some of Our Common Faculty and Staff Partners

Common faculty & staff topics we host experiential workshops around:

Boston College’s Office of Employee Development

The Need

Solution

Results

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Glendale Community College

Campus Nurse

Glendale Community College

Mental Health Clinical Supervisor

Diablo Valley College

Faculty Participant

San Diego State University

Faculty Participant

Binghamton University

Staff Participant

Merrimack College

Staff Participant

Stony Brook University

Staff Participant

CUNY Graduate Center

Staff Psychologist

Fashion Institute of Technology

Staff Participant

Los Medanos College

Staff Participant

University of Michigan

Staff Participant

Sacred Heart University

Associate Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs

University of Maryland

Staff participant

Princeton University

Faculty participant

Boston College

Staff Participant

Boston College

Staff Participant

SUNY Fredonia

Staff Participant

Boston College

Faculty Participant

Siena College

Senior Director of the Women’s Center

We’re here to amplify your faculty & staff development initiatives

Whether you’re planning new faculty orientation, leadership retreats, or Professional Development Days, we customize our music-infused experiences to academic environments through our three focus areas:

🌱Wellness, Resilience, and Inclusion

Helping your community thrive

Who We Partner With

🔥Team Building and Leadership Development

Propelling your people forward

Who We Partner With

🛠️Creative Facilitation Training

Leveling up your group skills

Who We Partner With

Discover More

Approach

Meet the Team

Toolkit

Ready to create immersive experiences that stick?

Community

Thank you!

Offerings

About

🌱
Wellness, Resilience, and Inclusion

🔥
Team Building and Leadership Development

🛠️
Creative Facilitation Training