Hayes School of Music

Dr. Leist is the Interim Associate Dean for Student and Faculty Success in the Hayes School of Music. She also teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including Music, the Brain, and Neurological Disorders; Music in Special Education; Music Therapy in Health Care; Supervision in Music Therapy; Clinical Research Project, Advanced Practicum, and Graduate Clinical Paper. Additionally, she serves on graduate thesis committees for students in the Master of Music Therapy degree program.

Dr. Leist holds a Ph.D. in Music Education with a Music Therapy Cognate from Michigan State University (2011), a Master of Music in Music Therapy from the University of Miami (1997), and a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from The Florida State University (1992). Dr. Leist has completed additional training in Orff-Schulwerk, Neurologic Music Therapy, and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. She has presented at state, regional, and national music therapy conferences on uses of technology in teaching, self-care for the professional, music of the Appalachian region, music therapy in health-care settings, functional guitar techniques, and college teaching.

Having provided clinical music therapy services primarily for adult and older adult medical populations, Leist has supervised pre-internship students across a wide variety of ages and populations. Her research interests include music therapy applications in neurorehabilitation and health-care settings. Her research has focused on active and receptive music therapy interventions for adults with heart disease, music-assisted relaxation for women self-referred for stress management, and music therapy for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. 

Currently serving on the advisory board of the North Carolina State Recognition Committee, she has served as  Co-Chair of the AMTA Academic Program Approval Committee, Past President, President, President -Elect and First Vice President of the Southeastern Region of AMTA, Editor for the Music Therapy Association of North Carolina, Chair of the Southeastern Region of the AMTA Membership Committee, Regional Representative to the AMTA Membership Committee and Standards of Clinical Practice Committee. Additionally, she served as a reviewer for both the Edwina Eustis Dick Scholarship and the E. Thayer Gaston Writing Award both offered by the American Music Therapy Association. At Appalachian, Leist served as the Program Director of the undergraduate program in music therapy, Chair of the Hayes School of Music Promotion and Tenure committee and served as the Hayes School of Music representative of the University Research Council, the Wilson Scholars Selection Committee, and the State Employees' Combined Campaign (SECC) Advisory Board. 

Education:

• 2011, Ph.D. in Music Education with Music Therapy Cognate ,Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
• 2005, Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), Center for Biomedical Research in Music, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
• 2001, Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM), Level I, Therapeutic Arts Institute, Pasadena, CA
• 1997, Master of Music in Music Therapy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
• 1992, Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy with minor in Psychology, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

Professional Affiliations & Honors:

• Music Therapist – Board Certified. Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). 1993 - present
• Awardee, NC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award, Appalachian State University, 2021
• Recognized by the Office of Student Success as one of several "Most Helpful" faculty members in the Hayes School of Music, 2020
• Participant, Academic Leadership Development Program, Appalachian State University, 2019-2020
• Recognized by the Office of the Secretary of Defense of the United States through the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Program, 2018
• Awardee, Excellence in Teaching Award, Hayes School of Music, ASU. April 29, 2016
• Recipient, Graduate Research Associate Mentorship Program (GRAM), Appalachian State University
• Recognized by ASU CollegeSTAR program for teaching practices that support students with learning differences. Link to website: https://www.collegestar.org/modules/wln/introduction
• Recipient, Impact Project Grant, Sigma Alpha Iota
• Recipient, Research Enhancement Grant, Michigan State University
• Member, Pi Kappa Lambda
• Member, Sigma Alpha Iota

Publications and Presentations:

Publications

• Leist, C. P. (2015). A guide to selected alternate tunings for music therapists. Music Therapy Perspectives.
  Link to digital article - http://mtp.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/02/16/mtp.miu041.full
• Leist, C.P. (2013). Cardiac care. In J. Allen (Ed.), Guidelines for music therapy practice (pp. 84-113). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona.
• Leist, C.P. (2011). A music therapy support group to ameliorate psychological distress in adults with coronary heart disease in a rural community. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI.
• Leist, C.P. (2007). A response to Kristen Fink-Jensen, "attunement and bodily dialogues in music education". Philosophy of Music Education Review, 15(1), 76 – 80.
• Pollard Rudolph, C.L. (1997). An evaluation of practicum skills acquisition in undergraduate music therapy students. Unpublished master's thesis, University of Miami, Miami, Fla.

Presentations

• Rowan, N. L., Sardina, A. L., Newsham, T., Pond, R. S., Chen-Edinboro, L. P., Leist, C. P., Johnson, D., Erich, M. (2022, November). A meta-analysis of music therapy and sleep quality: Trends and implication for older adults. The Gerontological Society of America, Indianapolis, IN, United States.

• Chen-Edinboro, L, Erich, M., Johnson, D., Leist, C. P., Pond, R., Quinlan-Colwell, A. (2022, April). Music therapy: A cultural means to foster physical and mental health, part two - A panel discussion of the health benefits of music therapy. The University of North Carolina Wilmington, United States.
• Leist, C. P. (2022, March). Selected music therapy applications in medical settings. Wingate University, School of Pharmacy, Levine College of Health Sciences. Virtual Presentation. United States.
• Chen-Edinboro, L., Pond, R. S., Leist, C. P., Johnson, D. C., Erich, M., Sardina, A. L., Rowan, N. L. & Newsham, T. M. K. (2022, March). The role of music therapists and music interventions on sleep outcomes [Research poster]. Society for Public Health Education, Virtual Conference, United States.
• Leist, C. P. (2022, January). Selected music therapy applications in medical settings. Wingate University, School of Pharmacy, Levine College of Health Sciences. Virtual Presentation. United States.
• Leist, C. P. (2021, April). Medical music therapy and the nursing profession: Creative collaborations. University of North Carolina - Wilmington, Department of Music, College of Arts and Sciences. 
• Leist, C. P. (2020, September). Selected music therapy applications in medical settings. Wingate University, School of Pharmacy, Levine College of Health Sciences. 
• Bullard, M., Leist, C. P., Quick, R. D., Smith, W. L., & Stephenson, C. (2020, June). North Carolina music therapy state recognition and virtual training. 
• Leist, C. P., & Kyber, J. (2020, March). Guitar jazz chords 101: Beginning instruction for intermediate guitarists [Conference session]. Southeaster Region of the American Music Therapy Association, LaGrange, GA, United States. 
• Solberg, S. S., & Leist, C. P. (2019, November). Neurologic music therapy to improve speaking voice in individuals with Parkinson's disease [Conference session]. American Music Therapy Association, Minneapolis, MN, United States. 
• Basel, S. Hornback, E., Leist, C. P., McElrath, P., & Rosenberg, E. (2019, September). Music and memory community event [Roundtable participant]. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, United States. 
• Leist, C. P., Keller, J. M., & Neeb, R. E. (2019, April). Music therapy for caregiver wellness. Presentation at the regional meeting of the Area Agency on Aging. Lenoir, NC.
• Weaver, B., Benner, G., Delia, A., Leist, C. P., & Lever, L. (2019, April). Insight into the music therapy profession: A panel presentation for high school students interested in a career in music therapy. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Columbia, SC
• Keller, J. M., & Leist, C. P. (2019, April). Becoming trees: Multicultural music therapy in palliative care with an older adult of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Columbia, SC
• Leist, C. P., & Cooke, C. (2019, March). Applications of medical music therapy across the lifespan. Presentation at the 23^rd annual Louis A. Cancellero Primary Care Conference, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.
• Leist, C. P. (2018, July). Motivation and management in music education classrooms. Presentation at the ORFF Level II Teacher Education Course. Boone, NC.
• McKinney, C. H., & Leist, C. P. (2018, April). Gathering for a common purpose: The AMTA Assembly of Delegates. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association, Chattanooga, TN. 
• Leist, C. P., Lingafelt, H. H., & Keller, J. M. (2017, March). Heavy metal to hip hop: Sounding authentic within your guitar skill set. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Chapel Hill, NC. 
• Leist, C. P., & Spence, C. A. (2016, March). Unlock your guitar skills: Exploring the CAGED method. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Macon, GA.
• Leist, C. P., & Spence, C. A. (2015, March). Getting in tune with alternate guitar tunings. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Columbia, SC.
• Leist, C. P., & Lingafelt, H. H. (2014, November). Music therapy for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Presentation at the meeting of the Parkinson's Support Group. Boone, NC.
• Leist, C. P., & Dorris, A. K. (2014, November). Verbal techniques for facilitating music-assisted relaxation. Presentation at the meeting of the American Music Therapy Association. Louisville, KY.
• Leist, C. P., & Dorris, A. K. (2014, March). Promoting women's health and wellness: Music-assisted relaxation and self-regulation. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Mobile, AL.
• Leist, C. P., & Dorris, A. K. (2013, November). Adrift in a sea of choices: Selecting music for music-assisted relaxation. Presentation at the meeting of the American Music Therapy Association. Jacksonville, FL.
• Leist, C. P., & Dorris, A. K. (2013, April). Selecting music for music-assisted relaxation. Presentation at the meeting of the Music Therapy Association of North Carolina. Boone, NC
• Leist, C.P . (2013, March). Guitar accompaniment techniques for music therapists: Fingerstyles. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Chattanooga, TN.
• Harms, M., Adler, R. S., Draper, E., Meyer, P., Miller, B., Leist, C. P., Whitehead-Pleaux, A., & Willenbrink, J. (2012, October). Teaching the rudiments of improvisation: Integrating the standards throughout the curriculum. Presentation at the meeting of the American Music Therapy Association. St. Charles, IL.
• Harms, M., Adler, R. S., Draper, E., Meyer, P., Miller, B., Leist, C. P., Whitehead-Pleaux, A., & Willenbrink, J. (2012, October). Jammin' with the AMTA Standards of Clinical Practice: Structured tunes and improvisation. Presentation at the meeting of the American Music Therapy Association. St. Charles, IL.
• Leist, C. P. (2012, March). A music therapy support group to ameliorate psychological distress in adults with coronary heart disease in a rural community. Poster presented at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Charlotte, NC.
• Leist, C. P., & Reisman, U. S. (2012, March). Beyond the 12-bar blues: Guitar embellishments in blues style. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Charlotte, NC
• Leist, C. P. (2011, November). Walking the line: Music therapy for adults with heart disease. Presentation at the meeting of the American Music Therapy Association. Atlanta, GA.
• Janowiak, J., & Leist, C. P. (2010, November). Managing stress. Presentation at the meeting of the North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (NCAAHPERD). Winston-Salem, NC.
• Leist, C. P., & Teague, A. K. (2007, March). Journey toward a creative self-care plan. Presentation at the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association Conference, Memphis, TN.
• Benze, C. & Pollard, C. L. (2006, March). Sounds of Appalachia: Instrumental petting zoo. Presentation at the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association Conference, Louisville, KY.
• Lane, D., Nelson, K., Nelson, J. J., Pollard, C. L., Steele, A. L., & Tims, F. C., (2005, November). Technologically enhanced education, training, and clinical practice. Institute presented at the American Music Therapy Association Conference, Orlando, FL.
• Pollard, C. L. (2005, May). Applications of attunement and bodily dialogues in music therapy. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Symposium of the Philosophy of Music Education, Hamburg, Germany.
• Madden, A. V., & Pollard, C. L. (2005, March). Music therapy and music-based strategies for special learners. Presentation for the Student Michigan Education Association at Michigan State University, Lansing, MI.
• Pollard, C. L., & Tims, F. C. (2005, March). Was music psychology your least favorite course? Presentation at the Great Lakes Region of the American Music Therapy Association Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
• Pollard, C. L. (2005, March). Musical, social, and media factors in the development of rap music. Presentation at the Great Lakes Region of the American Music Therapy Association Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
• Pollard, C. L., & Embler, K. (1997, October). Including students with varying exceptionalities in the regular music education classroom. Workshop for music educators of the Dorchester II School District, Summerville, SC.
• Pollard, C. L. (1993, April). Harmonic motion: A transdisciplinary approach to gait disorders. Poster presented at conference of the Southeastern Chapter of the National Association for Music Therapy, Greenville, NC.