By Jack Reaney ASSOCIATE EDITOR
In her short time here, Shea Boyd has figured something out about Big Sky: if it’s missing, create it—the community will support you.
Boyd moved here in October 2022, and saw that Big Sky needed more options for music therapy and lessons. At the end of 2023, she became a board-certified music therapist and began forming Lone Mountain Melodies.
“I reached out to a lot of local organizations, and they kind of helped me find my way and the connections I needed,” Boyd told EBS, crediting John Zirkle, executive director of the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, and Ruthi Solari, director of community impact for the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation.
She conducts her practice of music therapy as an onsite partner of Wellness in Action, teaches guitar, piano and voice lessons at students’ homes or at WIA, and hosts group enrichment sessions for young children at Big Sky Chapel.
Boyd describes music therapy as using the power of music to accomplish non-musical goals across social, physical, emotional and cognitive needs. Sessions may include playing instruments or drums, writing songs or discussing lyrics, guided relaxation including music, or any musical application that fits the client’s goals in therapy. She offers services to clients of just about any age with any level of musical ability, or none, as she believes humans are inherently musical.
As a Wellness in Action partner, Lone Mountain Melodies offers music therapy and charges based on WIA’s sliding scale for those who work, live or learn in Big Sky.
“Just due to the increasing needs in Big Sky, Wellness in Action wants to be the chief provider of services to give the community what they need in order to thrive,” Allison Bradac, WIA’s executive director, told EBS in a phone call. Formerly Women in Action, founded in 2005, Bradac said the nonprofit narrowed its focus six years ago toward providing mental and behavioral health resources at a discount based on reported income.
Boyd’s expertise offers an alternative for care to meet the expanding community need, Bradac said. In the past year, 250 people received support from WIA, and the organization saw a 240% rise in demand for services between June 2022 and June 2023. Bradac sees a “paradise paradox” of living in Big Sky, with mountain town challenges contributing to increasing rates of depression, anxiety and substance abuse.
Bradac said her team has been delighted to add Boyd’s services—Boyd said it’s been amazing working with WIA.
“I think that they are crucial to Big Sky, because they provide a space that’s safe and accessible. And they also, through their sliding scale, make therapy available to locals,” Boyd said.
Music groups for toddlers
For those aiming for musical progression, Boyd also teaches piano, guitar and voice lessons. She’s best with beginners of any age.
In Lone Mountain Melodies’ enrichment classes for children aged zero to five, “we’re using music as a way to enhance our skills and develop a little bit,” Boyd said. Songs include numbers and counting, the alphabet, audible cues. “It’s helping them focus on motor control and listening skills.”
Group sessions follow an arc, with certain elements of repetition so kids know what to expect. Every session begins with a hello song, followed by interactive songs—including peek-a-boo, scarves, bells or shakers—and active songs.
“[We’re] currently using a dinosaur song,” Boyd said. “So we’re marching around like dinosaurs, we’re roaring, we’re just getting involved and that helps with a lot of the social skills as well.”
And as a parent-friendly move, the session arc finishes by winding down—a few more small songs and a goodbye song.
Boyd said it’s important that Big Sky’s youngest can take advantage of music enrichment, which was not widely available at the time she began offering it. She launched her enrichment classes in the past month or two.
Lone Mountain Melodies is starting a six-week program on Tuesdays, and hopes to add a Friday class, seeing that Morningstar Learning Center is not open on Fridays.
Those interested in therapy, music lessons or more information about programs can email Boyd or submit a contact form through her website. She encourages community members to follow Lone Mountain melodies on Instagram and Facebook.
Therapy typically begins with a consultation to assess needs and challenges and assess a client’s personality and style. Boyd creates a treatment plan—usually about eight or 12 weeks—with goals.
Boyd is also looking into offering group therapy, support networks for various common challenges such as seasonal depression and other sources of stress and anxiety. She envisions drumming experiences and relaxation activities among others. Bradac said group offerings would help keep up with WIA’s increasing demand. For all Boyd’s therapy and enrichment programs, she emphasizes that it’s not about changing behavior or personality.
“You don’t have to act a certain way or be a certain way,” Boyd said. “The purpose of the therapy is to come as you are.”
