Meet Alumna Dannielle Caldwell

Advocating for the Power of Music Therapy

2021 Alumna Dannielle Caldwell’s journey into music therapy began with a simple realization: her love for music didn’t have to be confined to performance. It could be a tool for healing. During her time at Belmont, her path shifted, leading her to a fulfilling career where she combines her musical talents with her passion for helping others. 

Finding her Rhythm 

Caldwell began as a Commercial Voice major at Belmont but quickly realized that the best way for her to explore her passion for music was not through performance, but through music therapy. “I loved music, and I loved helping people,” Caldwell recalled, “I just didn’t know I could do both.”

Now a licensed music therapist currently working in Jacksonville, Florida, Caldwell said music therapy marries the two very things it is named after. “It is music and it is therapy,” she explained. “It is an evidence-based practice that uses music to meet non-musical goals.”  

“It’s very different from client to client. These can be cognitive goals, emotional goals, physical goals or spiritual goals,” Caldwell continued. “There is a lot of research in how music impacts the mind and body through specific interventions like songwriting, music listening, instrument play ...  all kinds of things!” 

Podcasting for a Purpose 

After finishing her six-month internship in Texas and graduating in August of 2021, Danielle accepted a job at a pediatric hospital in Jacksonville to work alongside fellow Belmont alumna Morgan Maxwell. Caldwell and Maxwell had become friends through Belmont’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity for women. While working together, they created a podcast titled “Music Till Proven Therapy.” The podcast is now in its second season and can be found on their website, Spotify and Apple Music. 

“We decided to create a podcast to support new professionals and students in their journeys as well as educate on what music therapy is,” remarked Caldwell. “I love advocacy, so the content creation side allows me to advocate in creative ways.” Since beginning the podcast, Caldwell has worked at a private practice and created social media content for them.  

Paying it Forward 

Caldwell is also the owner of “Music Therapy Now,” a small business that sprouted from her passion for helping new students transition into their careers and find community. Music Therapy Now provides mental health and wellness resources to young professionals and will host their first wellness retreat this fall. “It is a space dedicated to increasing retention and decreasing burnout in new professionals,” she said.  

Caldwell is giving back to her professional community in the same way that she felt cared for and mentored by her professors at Belmont. “I think Belmont’s music programs are just so strong that their music therapists are extremely strong musicians,” explained Caldwell. “Whenever you have the musician part handled, you can focus on the therapy part so much more in your training, and it gives you a jumpstart on being a strong clinician.” 

Belmont laid the foundation for Caldwell’s passions. “When I heard about Belmont, I toured, and I absolutely fell in love. I knew that’s exactly where I wanted to go,” she reflected. “I applied, auditioned, got in and never looked back.” 

From a first-year student at Belmont with a love for music to a licensed therapist and small business owner, Caldwell’s journey is a testament to following your passion. Her work is not only transforming lives but also paving the way for the next generation of music therapists to make an impact.