About the Therapists

Emily R. Wadhams, MT-BC, Owner

Emily (she/her) is a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC)

and has a certification in Hospice Palliative Care Music Therapy (HPMT)

I've been fortunate to work in a private practice setting since I completed my training in 2003.  I have provided treatment to a variety of patients, including individuals and groups: special education in classrooms, autism or cerebral palsy in living rooms, Alzheimer’s groups in nursing homes, and cancer patients in hospital rooms.

After completing my music therapy internship in Denton, TX and immediately passing my board certification exam, I was the sole music therapist in three school districts in the Dallas area for a number of years.  I worked with a wide range of ability levels and a variety of diagnoses present in special education.  In groups and individual sessions, I was responsible for assessment, treatment planning, consultation with staff, ongoing evaluation, implementing Individual Education Program (IEP) goals, writing goals and objectives, and discontinuing services when necessary.  In the evenings, I saw individual clients in their homes. 

In the summer of 2006, I relocated to San Jose, CA and began work for a hospice company.  As one of two music therapists at this company, it was my job to assess clients, implement treatment plans, consult with nursing staff, keep detailed documentation for each patient, consult with families, play at funerals, increase quality of life, counsel grieving families, assist families in interactions with patient, help clients with pain management (both physical and emotional), and discontinue services when appropriate.  I added on a few Alzheimer's groups and some individual clients, including one recovering from a stroke and a classroom full of energetic high school special education students.  In 2011, I completed my certification in Hospice Palliative Care Music Therapy (HPMT).

In the fall of 2012, my husband and I decided it was time to move back to the Omaha area.  Omaha Music Therapy LLC has served Omaha and the surrounding areas ever since.  In 2018, I welcomed Amanda Hawes to my team, Emily Bauer joined OMT following her internship in the summer of 2020, Kassidy joined the team in 2023, and we are thrilled that Amanda R became part of the OMT team in 2025.   We regularly host practicum students and interns.

For inquiries about services, please contact Emily.  

You can e-mail Emily directly at ewadhams@omahamusictherapy.com

Amanda Hawes, MME, MT-BC, RBT

Amanda  (she/her) is a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), 

a Registered Behavioral Therapist (RBT), 

and holds a Masters degree in Music Education (MME).

I graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelors in Psychology and minor in music in 2010. After graduation, I worked with adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities in the community. My music therapy journey began in 2012 when I started the master’s equivalency program for music therapy at the University of Kansas. While there, I worked in memory care, language acquisition preschools, and with clients with intellectual disabilities and adolescents with mental health needs. Following course work, I completed an internship at Marillac Children’s Psych hospital where I worked with children and adolescents with mental health needs in both long and short term care. I worked with groups as well as individuals, providing music therapy to help reach their treatment goals.

After internship, I passed my music therapy boards exam and began work immediately in Northwest Indiana. I worked as a music therapist in a behavior therapy clinic. My clients were primarily those diagnosed with intellectual disabilities, and ranged in ages, diagnoses and needs. I provided assessments, weekly sessions and programming, attended team meetings, and completed quarterly reports.  During our time in Indiana, my husband and I started our family. We loved the area and my job, but knew we wanted to get back to our family in Nebraska. 

My family moved to Omaha in the fall of 2017. During this time, I had been working at Munroe-Meyer Institute, providing ABA therapy in early intervention to children diagnosed with autism. I assisted with goal and program writing, with intakes and assessments, provided daily programming and weekly supervision meetings with teams and families. I am so pleased to be able to return to music therapy, and am adding so much more knowledge thanks to my year at MMI. I am looking forward to getting to know better the community that is now my home! 

Emily Ann Bauer, MT-BC

Emily  (she/her) is a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC)

I am originally from Fairbank, Iowa and, like most music therapists, I’ve been learning, training, and passionate about music ever since I can remember. Once I researched and found out more about music therapy, there was no question that I wanted to be a music therapist. I graduated with my associates in music at NIACC in Mason City, Iowa in 2017, and then graduated from Augsburg University in 2019 with a bachelor’s in music therapy. 

My (now) husband and I moved to Omaha to complete my internship degree requirement with Omaha Music Therapy, LLC and to start our new adventure. I finished my internship in 2020 where I worked with a variety of different clients. After training and facilitating music therapy sessions in the field over the last 3 years, I have experience with the following populations: typically developing children in schools, special education, hospice, developmental disabilities in children and adults, burn patients, LGBTQIA+, TBI patients, and survivors of trauma.

In the fall of 2020, I moved to Denver, CO to begin working in an elder care facility as a Vitality Coordinator.  The experience of working in this role has been invaluable.  However, after missing Omaha for almost a year, we decided to move back to build our life there.  I’m extremely excited to continue with Omaha Music Therapy LLC and grow with this authentic, passionate company doing what I love. 

Kassidy Michaelis, MT-BC

Kassidy  (she/her) is a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC)

I recently finished my coursework for music therapy in May of 2023 at the University of Kansas.  I was able to work with a variety of populations during my undergraduate and found that I enjoy and am passionate about helping everyone I can!  My primary instrument is piano, but I also love using percussion, guitar, voice and ukulele in sessions.  I completed my internship in the spring of 2024.  

Amanda Rosado, MMT, LPMT, MT-BC

Amanda  (she/they) is a Nationally Board-Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC),

is a Licensed Professional Music Therapist in the state of Maryland (LPMT),

and holds a Master's degree in Music Therapy (MMT), 

I am a Nebraska transplant by way of Maryland and DC and excited to be here! I received my Bachelor's of Music Therapy at Shenandoah University in 2009 and Master's of Music Therapy, also at Shenandoah, in 2018. 

I provide person-centered, trauma-informed, and liberatory-informed support for teens, adults, and older adults in mental health, community care, dementia care, and end-of-life partnership. I have clinical experience in a variety of settings such as: group and individual sessions (for virtual, clinical, facility-based and community based settings), cancer support, assisted living, skilled nursing, home visits, and inpatient/outpatient mental health. I additionally have published a peer-reviewed study in Music Therapy Perspectives (Adolescents' Experiences of Music Therapy In an Inpatient Crisis Stabilization Unit) in 2019 and co-authored a chapter (Psychosocial Aspects of Music Therapy) in 2024 for Music Therapy and Music-Based Interventions for Neurology. 

I enjoy being in nature, traveling, reading, trying to gain some fluency in Spanish (I welcome any and all practice), art making in all forms, and spending time with others. Looking forward to getting to know Nebraska further and making meaningful connections with the community!

Hayley McKain, M.Ed

Hayley  (she/her) is a Music Therapy Intern

and holds a Master's Degree in Special Education

I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. I earned my bachelor's degree in music from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2019. Following that, I taught at a special education school in Maryland while earning my master’s in special education from George Mason University. It was there that I realized how music can be such a powerful tool for individuals in the special education setting. After moving home and teaching in Nebraska for two more years, I began my music therapy coursework at St. Mary-of-the-Woods college. During my time in school, I have been able to work with individuals with a variety of diagnoses including: adults with disabilities, school-aged children, dementia, and hospice care. 

My husband and I reside in Lincoln with our three pets! My primary instrument is voice, but I enjoy utilizing percussion, guitar, and ukulele in sessions as well!