Miriam Lense, PhD

Dr. Lense received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Vanderbilt University in 2014. She completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral training at the Marcus Autism Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine. Her research and clinical work focuses on infants, children, and adults with or at-risk for developmental disabilities, with a particular emphasis on autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome and Williams syndrome. She leads a program of research investigating the intersection of rhythm and music with social, emotional, and cognitive processes in these populations. Her work develops and advances music component frameworks, mechanistic processes, and clinical applications to enrich our understanding of, and impact on, health and development. Her current research examines the development of rhythmic entrainment in the first years of life, relationships between rhythm and social communication/engagement, musical engagement experiences in individuals with and without developmental disorders, and relationships between music experiences and positive parenting. She has designed or adapted multiple music-based intervention protocols including the Serenade Parent-Child Music Program, Mindfulness-Based Music and Songwriting (MBMS), and Music-enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training (meRIT).