Therapist to speak on how music benefits the brain

Board-certified music therapist Mary Helen Ekstam will talk about how music benefits the brain in "Music and the Brain" from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1500 Brookdale Road, Naperville.

Ekstam is a life-learning advocate at JourneyCare, an organization that offers hospice and palliative care in Illinois, serving nearly 3,000 adult and pediatric patients and their families each day.

To her 30-plus years of experience in health care administration and outreach, Ekstam adds expertise in music therapy, neurological rehabilitation, hospice and palliative medicine.

She also has presented many programs at the regional and national levels, and has developed numerous workshops. Ekstam holds a bachelor's degree in voice and piano performance and counseling psychology from Augustana College, and pursued graduate studies in music therapy at the University of Kansas.

Reservations for the program are encouraged by Monday, Jan. 9, to ensure seating. Call Marge Coronado, religious education assistant at St. Thomas the Apostle, at (630) 355-8980, ext. 118, or write mcoronado@stapostle.org.

Freewill offerings at the door are welcomed.

"Music and the Brain" is part of St. Thomas' Wellspring series of programs co-sponsored by the Pastoral Care and Adult Faith Formation Departments. The series presents interactive educational experiences with the goal of promoting a wholistic way of life that includes body-mind-spirit integration and well-being.