UB Music‑que — Using Music to Better Your Quality of Life
Founded by Dominique Piqugard, a Certified Music Therapist (MTA) with over ten years of clinical practice, UB Music‑que delivers evidence‑based music‑therapy experiences for families navigating challenges such as declining health, grief-related challenges, developmental delays, and neurological conditions.
Our approach
Drawing on Dominique’s extensive background in ecological, trauma‑informed, and grief-informed, UB Music-que is grounded in Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s DIR/Floortime model of care, where healing is achieved through as a relationship built through shared musical explorations and creativity.
Our sessions:
Respect How Each Person Grows – We start where families are right now. We pay attention to what they see, feel, and how they relate to others before teaching new skills.
Build Real Connections – Making music together is fun and playful. It helps everyone focus on each other, share feelings, and talk back and forth. This is the main idea behind Dr. Greenspan’s DIR/Floortime method.
Help the Whole Family – Parents help plan each session. Shared rhythms boost confidence, improve how family members talk to each other, and make everyone feel part of a community, even when words are hard to use.
Help the Brain Grow – Music lights up many parts of the brain at once. This can create new pathways that make everyday tasks—like walking, eating, speaking, or hanging out with friends—easier.
Fit Into Daily Life – We think about the bigger picture—home, school, community, and culture—to design music activities that blend smoothly into daily routines and build on what families already do well.
Why Music Works
As humans, we are born with an innate ability to synchronize to rhythm. Music simultaneously engages motor, auditory, emotional, and cognitive pathways, offering a non‑verbal bridge for expression and connection. We feel especially thankful for how this natural capacity supports families like ours—three children, including a non‑verbal twin boy—who benefit each day from rhythmic play, melodic cueing, and shared musical rituals that deepen communication, trust, and belonging.