Somatic Therapist & Music Therapist | Online in Maryland & Vermont
for Creatives, Performers, and Healers
Reconnect with creativity. Recover from relational trauma. Feel more grounded, authentic, and fully yourself.
Maybe this sounds familiar…
You walk into rooms wondering if you really belong there… even the ones you’ve worked so hard to be in.
You feel the pull between who you are inside and who you’ve learned to be for everyone else, and you’re tired of holding both.
You miss the version of you who used to lose track of time creating. The joy, play, curiosity, and imagination that once made you feel most alive feel a little farther away these days.
You’ve given so much of yourself to the people in your life (family, friends, the people you work for)… and you quietly wonder when there will be room for your needs too.
You often find yourself…
Holding everyone else’s feelings, because you feel things so deeply
Worried that your needs might make you a burden, a disappointment, or “too much”
Longing to feel connected to your creativity and spirit again
Living mostly in your head, turning every decision and conversation over from every angle
Running in overdrive: always giving your best and still wondering if it’s enough
You’ve carried experiences that taught you to question your worth and your place in the world like:
Growing up in a family where your feelings didn’t always have room
Working in spaces where you had to shrink to stay afloat
Relationships where you learned to put yourself last
None of this means something is wrong with you. These are the ways you learned to stay safe, to stay connected, to keep going… and they make so much sense.
Somewhere along the way, it got harder to hear your own voice. But it’s still there… waiting for you to listen.
You've done so much to care for yourself - talk therapy, yoga, the books and podcasts. They've helped you understand yourself more deeply. And yet, something still feels heavy… because what you're carrying doesn't only live in your mind. It lives in your body.
Somatic, music-assisted therapy can help.
The truth is, trauma and anxiety live in the body - which is why talk therapy alone does not heal it.
Meanwhile, music speaks the same language as our emotions and nervous system. The imagery and memories it evokes act as a mirror, reflecting back our truth.
In our sessions, we’ll let music and imagery carry you to places you’ve needed to go. We’ll move past the thinking mind, and listen deeply to the body.
This approach allows us to access emotional, physical, and spiritual healing that goes beyond words… and leads to deep, lasting, and meaningful change.
LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor), LCMHC, & Nationally Board-Certified Music Therapist | she/her
Hi there.
I’m Alison Dagger, a therapist for creatives, performers, and healers in Maryland and Vermont.
I believe that recovery from complex trauma, chronic anxiety, and imposter syndrome is possible - and that you are not defined by what happened to you, but by who you are.
I know this path from the inside. As a classical flutist, I spent years chasing perfection and measuring my worth by how I performed… until I burned out completely. Music, and learning to listen to my body, is what brought me back home to myself.
I want to help you make peace with experiences of the past, reconnect with creativity, and feel more grounded, authentic, and fully yourself.
All identities are welcome here, including LGBTQ+ and BIPOC creatives.
If you seek a calming, genuine, and kind presence to guide you on your healing journey, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome.
If you’re wondering, do I have trauma?…
here’s what I want you to know.
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Trauma isn’t always a big event (though it can be). Sometimes, trauma shows up as a series of invalidating, overwhelming, or distressing experiences across time.
Trauma can show up in patterns that once helped you cope - like people-pleasing, overthinking, and perfectionism. It can feel like losing trust in yourself; or a deep sense of loneliness or unease.
Trauma is felt in the body. You don’t have to remember or know exactly what happened, in order to be impacted by it.
Trauma can stem from personal, historical, and intergenerational experiences.
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Talking about the past may help you understand it better - but we need a mind and body approach in order to truly heal.
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I offer a somatic, music-assisted approach to therapy because I’ve seen what is possible when we bring music, creative expression, and embodied awareness into the healing process. You have what you need to heal, already inside of you - this work helps to unlock it.
In our sessions, the power of music, imagery, and somatic awareness allows you to:
Listen deeply within and build a supportive relationship with yourself
Nurture your mind, body, and spirit
Learn how to trust yourself and make choices that align with your wants and needs
Build a sense of confidence and worthiness from within
Find healthy ways to express your emotions, so that you feel less reactive in difficult situations and more confident and connected
Expand your capacity to be with it all - the good and the hard parts of life - with curiosity, letting go of shame and self-judgment
Access joy, play, creativity, and imagination, bringing healing to your inner child
My clients are:
Artists | Musicians | Poets
Writers | Dancers | Singers
Therapists | Psychologists | Nurses
Theatre Performers | Actors
Creative Humans of ALL WALKS OF LIFE
Learn more about my work with performing artists and with survivors of sexual trauma.
Therapy Services in Maryland & Vermont
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Somatic Therapy for PTSD & Complex Trauma
A bottom-up approach to healing that integrates mind & body. Because when trauma lives in the body, you need embodied awareness - not just cognitive understanding - in order to heal. Learn about somatic therapy →
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Music Therapy
An evidence-based approach that centers music as the source of change and healing. Through a technique called Resource-Oriented Guided Imagery & Music, we’ll weave together music and visual art creation to help you attune inwardly, reframe beliefs, and connect to inner resources. Learn about somatic music therapy →
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Brainspotting Therapy
A neuro-experiential, brain-body approach that bypasses the thinking mind and works with deep, subconscious parts of the brain. Learn about Brainspotting →
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Inner Child Work
A therapeutic process that helps you connect with & heal younger, vulnerable parts of the subconscious; explore unprocessed childhood emotions; and become the parent you never had, but needed. Learn about inner child & parts work →
Ready to come home to yourself?
1) Click here to view my availability & book your first session. A brief screener will help me begin getting to know you.
2) Once I approve your request, I’ll reach out via email to introduce myself and see if you have any questions. You will receive paperwork, to be completed at least 24 hours before the session.
If needed, I am happy to hop on a brief call to answer any questions.
3) We’ll meet for your first session. I’ll introduce myself, explain my approach, and ask you questions. We will build a care plan that reflects your top priorities.
Moving forward, both of us will commit to a consistent schedule with intention and purpose.