Sparkles and Sunshine is a podcast about finding joy, resilience, and connection in the beautifully messy experience of being human. Hosted by two music therapists, the show blends honest conversations about parenting, professional life, personal growth, and the tools that help us navigate life's challenges—with plenty of laughter along the way.
Sparkles and Sunshine Episode 10- Chelsea and the Yuck Free Zone!
Send us Fan Mail ☀️✨ EPISODE 10 IS HERE! Big Personality, Fun-Sized Package, and a Whole Lot of SPARKLE! 🎙️💖 What do music therapy, DEI, professional burnout, Animal Crossing, a former homecoming queen, and garlic Parmesan pretzels have in common? CHELSEA! 👑✨ This week on Sparkles & Sunshine: A Music Therapy Podcast, Rachael and Ericha welcome Chelsea Mabes—music therapist, educator, clinical supervisor, doctoral candidate, and self-proclaimed fun-sized human with a SIX-FOOT personality! ...
27 Oct 2026
Sparkles and Sunshine Episode 9- Jim aka Mr. Toad
Send us Fan Mail ☀️✨ EPISODE 9 IS HERE! Grab the tissues… and prepare to meet Mr. Toad! 🐸💛🎙️ What do dementia, 49 years of marriage, a man nicknamed "Toad," questionable smartphone skills, The Temptations, and a whole lot of love have in common? JIM! 💛 This week on Sparkles & Sunshine: A Music Therapy Podcast, Rachael and Ericha welcome Jim, affectionately known as Mr. Toad, for a conversation that had us laughing one minute and fighting back tears the next. After spending 17 years as a c...
20 Oct 2026
Sparkles and Sunshine Episode 8- Todd "Your presence matters"
Send us Fan Mail ☀️✨ EPISODE 8 IS HERE! And the Force is STRONG with this one! 🌈🎙️ What do music therapy, legislative advocacy, autism, Star Wars, The Legend of Zelda, and a whole lot of laughter have in common? TODD SCHWARTZBERG! 🎉 This week on Sparkles & Sunshine: A Music Therapy Podcast, Rachael and Ericha welcome the incredible Todd Schwartzberg—music therapist, assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, researcher, passionate advocate, and longtime friend! With 28 years in t...
22 Sept 2026
Sparkles and Sunshine Episode 7- Ava and April "Sometimes you have to make a choice that just joy."
Send us Fan Mail ✨ EPISODE 7 IS HERE! ✨ What do punk music, music therapy, birthday-stealing seagulls, chaotic cats, social media detoxes, burnout, Italian ice, and a whole lot of honest conversation have in common? Apparently… Episode 7 of Sparkles & Sunshine. 😂🎸☀️ This week, we’re joined by Ava Marvin and April Hickey—music therapists, educators, entrepreneurs, community-builders, members of Pink Squeeze, AND the incredibly talented humans behind the Sparkles & Sunshine theme song. ...
9 Sept 2026
Sparkles and Sunshine Episde 6 with Heather
Send us Fan Mail ✨ EPISODE 6 IS HERE! ✨ What do rainbow heart-shaped glasses, truffle potato chips, broken dreams hiding in your hair, parenting fails, imposter phenomenon, glitter bombs, and the Tooth Fairy have in common? Apparently… Episode 6 of Sparkles & Sunshine. 😂🌈✨ This week, we’re joined by Heather—aka “Rainbow”—an entrepreneur, mom, professional problem-solver, mobile notary, wedding officiant, and all-around wonderfully colorful human who has fully embraced bringing brightne...
1 Sept 2026
Sparkles and Sunshine After Dark 1
Send us Fan Mail Every five episodes, the lights go down and the conversation gets a little more candid. Welcome to Sparkles & Sunshine After Dark—a recurring bonus series where Rachael and Ericha talk about the parts of music therapy that rarely make it into textbooks, treatment plans, conference presentations, or perfectly polished professional bios. For the very first After Dark episode, there is no guest—and absolutely no shortage of stories. Rachael and Ericha revisit the awkward, hi...
25 Aug 2026
Episode 5: Connection over Perfection with Becca
Send us Fan Mail This week on the Sparkles and Sunshine Podcast, we welcome Rebecca “Becca” Barnard—a professor, clinician, mom, and music therapist whose 21-year career has taken her from the NICU to hospice—for a heartfelt and hilarious conversation about giving ourselves grace, finding humor in difficult moments, and choosing connection over perfection. ☀️🎙️ Together, we explore: 💛 Why we don’t have to have all the answers 🎵 The power of authentic connection in music therapy and ever...
11 Aug 2026
Episode 4- Saying "no" with Danielle
Send us Fan Mail In this week’s dose of Sparkles and Sunshine Podcast, we welcome Danielle—an 18-year nonprofit healthcare professional and hospice volunteer coordinator—for an honest, heartwarming, and laugh-filled conversation about recovering from people-pleasing, setting boundaries, preventing burnout, and finding joy in everyday moments. ☀️🎙️ Together, we explore: 💛 Why saying “no” can be an act of kindness ✨ Making peace with doing your best—even when it isn’t perfect 😂 Midn...
28 Jul 2026
Episode 3: Slowing Your Roll with Vanessa & Rory
Send us Fan Mail Some conversations have a way of gently reminding us to pause, breathe, and embrace what truly matters. This episode is one of them. Join Rachael and Ericha as they sit down with Vanessa and her incredible 11-year-old granddaughter, Rory, whose wisdom and perspective are far beyond her years. Together, they share stories of family, purpose, resilience, and the journey that has shaped Vanessa into the woman she is today. As the founder of an inspiring Alzheimer's Choir, Vaness...
14 Jul 2026
Episode 2: Meet Jennifer Gastineau | Business Wins, Parenting Fails & Everything In Between
Send us Fan Mail What do you get when you mix entrepreneurship, music therapy, parenting, a healthy dose of humor, and the willingness to laugh at yourself? Jennifer Gastineau. In Episode 2 of Sparkles & Sunshine, Jennifer joins Rachael and Ericha for an honest, funny, and heartfelt conversation about the realities of building a business while raising a family and trying to keep all the plates spinning. From celebrating professional victories to admitting those all-too-relatable parenting...
30 Jun 2026
Sparkles and Sunshine Episode 1
Send us Fan Mail What happens when two music therapists, moms, entrepreneurs, and lifelong learners sit down to have honest conversations about the beautifully messy experience of being human? Welcome to the very first episode of Sparkles & Sunshine! Meet your hosts, Rachael and Ericha, as they share who they are, how they found music therapy, what inspired them to launch this podcast, and why they're passionate about creating a space where joy, vulnerability, laughter, and real-life conv...
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