Dr. Krystal Demaine, Ph.D. grew up in the small coastal community of Rockport, Massachusetts, USA with her mother, father, and two sisters. As a young girl she was inspired by her creative surroundings; with her parents as owners of the iconic Bearskin Neck Country Store and her father an accomplished bass player; she was drawn to creative pursuits with music and art which became her life’s passion. Her roots of training in music therapy, neuroscience, creative writing, photography, expressive arts, and yoga led her to 20 years of private practice working across the lifespan with neurodiverse populations, mental health, and grief support. She earned a B.M. in Music Therapy from Berklee College of Music, M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College, and a Ph.D. in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University.
Dr. Krystal Demaine has over 20 years of experience in the field of Expressive Therapies and a lifelong journey in the Expressive Arts. She is a Board-Certified Music Therapist, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, and Registered Yoga teacher. She holds advanced training in Neurologic Music Therapy, Performance Wellness, Integrative Medicine for Mental Health, and Trauma Sensitive HeartMath, she is a Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist in Clinical Application (CTRS-C), and is a Listening Hour Practitioner. She has written numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and presented her work across the globe. She is currently Professor of Expressive Therapies at Endicott College in Beverly, MA teaching Art Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy undergraduate degree programs and coordinating the biennial Endicott College Expressive Therapies Symposium. She serves on the undergraduate education committee of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) and the Professional development committee of the Northeast Chapter of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA).
Her most recent book, “The Roots and Rhythm of the Heart” shares her journey through grief, music, and HEARTful healing. Dr. Demaine is available for talks, workshops, and writing projects - please connect!
Education
2009-2012 Ph.D. in Expressive Therapies, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA
Dissertation: Musical Echolalia & Non-Verbal Children with Autism
2003-2004 M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology, Cambridge College, Cambridge, MA
Thesis: Integrated Arts Approach for Adolescents with Depression
1996-2000 B.M in Music Therapy, Berklee College of Music, Boston MA
Certifications
2022 The Resilient Heart™: Trauma-Sensitive Certified Practitioner
2024 Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider
2023 Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist Clinical Application (CTRS-C)
2022 Listening Hour Certified Practitioner
2014 Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, REAT #205
