About The Groovy Garfoose
The Groovy Garfoose is a music therapy private practice based in Summit County, Ohio owned and operated by Bonnie Hayhurst, LPMT, MT-BC. GG was established in 2009 and currently employs a team of three board-certified music therapists. GG music therapists serve a variety of clientele in Cuyahoga, Summit and Portage County, Ohio. GG provides direct music therapy services to a variety of organizations including preschools, schools, after school programs, adult programs, and community based programs. In addition, GG provides individual music therapy services to clients and their families in Summit County, Ohio. Music Therapy Services at the Groovy Garfoose are funded through private pay, waivers and grants and various scholarship programs through the Ohio Department of Education.
Who will I get to support during my internship?
At GG, we primarily support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities ages 0-30 in the school setting, community setting both individually and in groups. We support people living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), PDDNOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Other Specified), Asperger’s Syndrome, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), William Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Cerebral Palsy (CP), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), seizure disorders, depression, anxiety, vision impairments, hearing impairments, general medical conditions, and other diagnoses.
What will I be provided as an intern?
Liability Coverage: provided by The Groovy Garfoose
Supervision: Interns will get the opportunity to observe, work alongside and receive supervision from our team of veteran music therapists that have over 50 years of experience combined. This will not only deepen your experience as a developing clinician, but it will help you in establishing important routines (like self care, healthy boundaries and work ethic) and rapport (with coworkers, clients and their families) that will be crucial to your career.
Equipment: The Groovy Garfoose will provide access to a variety of musical instruments, props, visual aids, music books and resources and all office supplies needed to successfully plan, treat and document clinical work. The intern will be provided access to a computer at the clinic and a temporary Groovy Garfoose email with HIPAA compliance for the duration of the internship. Interns should have their own guitar and piano/keyboard for practice at home.
Transportation: interns are required to have a car or reliable transportation
What will my schedule look like as an intern?
GG Interns are expected to work Monday-Friday for 30-40 hours per week to complete the necessary clinical training hours in six-eight months. On occasion, there may be a weekend commitment geared towards giving back to the community or the wellness of our team. A typical week in the life of a GG intern will include 15-20 clinical hours per week with the remaining hours for travel, planning, documenting and supervision. Interns can expect their schedule to stay fairly consistent from week to week as they working alongside a different GG music therapist each day.
Will I get supervision during the internship?
Yes! At GG, interns will receive clinical supervision from our team our board-certified music therapists every week. At supervision, an intern can expect to receive clinical feedback, support, action steps for growth, strategies for establishing a weekly practice of self-care and much more.
Will I be required to complete projects during the internship?
Yes! Every intern is required to complete projects like:
- Music Therapy Assessment
- Music Therapy Case Study
- Songwriting Project
- Blog Posts
- Self-Care Project
How do I apply for the GG internship?
Before applying for our internship, we require students to set up an observation (or two!) with our team to see us in action in the community before applying for our internship. This observation allows you to get to know us and ask questions and can help you determine if private practice internship is the right fit for you. Email sarah.chappell@groovygarfoose.com to schedule an observation.
We are currently accepting internship applications for the September 2026 – March/April 2027 internship. All applications must be complete and received no later than November 1, 2025 to be considered for the position. Completed applications should include:
- Groovy Garfoose Internship Application
- Eligibility letter signed by your academic advisor
- Official copy of your transcript
- 3 Letters of recommendation (1 from music therapy faculty, 1 from practicum advisor, 1 from employment reference)
- Professional resume including clinical experience and work experience
- 2 documentation examples (1 redacted assessment report and 1 session plan including goals and objectives)
Completed applications (including all items listed) should be emailed to our internship director sarah.chappell@groovygarfoose.com