The boring bit that you are likely to skip over...
In 2022, following a near-fatal car accident, Tian Ip was inspired to dedicate her talents to aiding others. She relocated from Vancouver to Waterloo, Ontario, to pursue a Master’s degree in Music Psychotherapy at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) and became a registered psychotherapist and music therapist. During her studies, she was honored with several awards, including the Graduate Entrance Scholarship, the Lois and Charles MacDonald Music Award, the MICAS Accelerate Graduate Scholarship, and the Manfred and Penny Conrad Graduate Award of Distinction. Tian graduated in 2024, receiving the Medal for Academic Excellence. Currently, Tian continues her research at WLU, focusing on music therapy interventions for Parkinson's disease, with initial sponsorship from Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario. She contributes to academic journals and delivers presentations and webinars at conferences and Parkinson's support groups. She will embark on her PhD in music psychotherapy journey September 2025. Beyond her research, Tian practices as a clinical music psychotherapist and founded Vivo PD, a comprehensive music psychotherapy program designed to address motor, cognitive, speech, and psychological symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. Her previous work includes long term care, paediatric palliative care, hospice work, and individual and family therapy navigating stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, eating disorder, panic attacks, nervous system dysregulation, grieving, early childhood trauma, attachment styles, and relationship issues.
What I really strive for...
Helping others is a life goal of mine. I am dedicated to helping my clients overcome life’s hurdles to achieve autonomic wellness - not dependent on a therapist. My goal as a therapist is to provide my clients with the skills they need to get them out my door and striving again. (Not the greatest business model, I know lol). I fiddled with the pricing a lot when I was building this website, by a lot I meant, like months, thinking each dollar more would provide a better future for me. Through some adversities that happened also during that time, I realized that I was blinded with profit and lost sight of what gives purpose to my life. Helping others in need gives me meanings that nothing else can compared to. That's when I know I have to offer pro bono and reduced rate services. So I decided to humble myself and lean on my Christian faith for God's plans and providence.
Continuous learning and personal betterment is another life goal. So after my Master’s in Music Psychotherapy from Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU), I received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and a trauma-informed approach. I passionately embrace the mind-body-soul connection. I love to read books on philosophy, social issues, wisdom, and health. I practice Keto not for weight loss, but more as my chosen life-style. I meditate on the words of God to closely align myself with His will and His path for me.
Combining the two life goals above, I am always working on different personal and professional projects aside from serving my clients: work with Christian groups, helping other therapists to learn about their legal rights, offering web seminars to raise awareness of certain mental illnesses, posting short mental health tips on TikTok and IG, doing research on relationship between diet and mental health, and more.
If who I am resonate with you, I'd love to chat more with you. Whether you are going through difficult times or not sure exactly what you're going through, have similar interests and want to explore opportunities for collaboration, or you have a group that can perhaps benefit from talks on mental health and mind-body-spirit connection, let me know! I'm also happy to learn more.