Teacher Profile: Karrie Hardin

About Karrie Hardin

Karrie is a tenth generation Texan who dreamed of living in Colorado for most of her life. Music was an important part of her life from an early age. She sang in church choirs from childhood into middle school, began piano studies in second grade, and played several brass instruments in school band from grade six to twelve. She received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Texas at Tyler, Texas where she began teaching as a student. One of her first piano students lives with Autism, which led Karrie to the field of special education, and eventually back to music therapy. She received her alternative teaching certification in Houston, Texas and taught special education for seven years in Houston, Dallas, and Austin metro areas.

MT-BC- Music Therapy: After teaching public school for seven years, Karrie decided to make two of her dreams come true by returning to school to become a music therapist and moving to Colorado. She began teaching herself to play guitar in 2014, and received a Bachelor Equivalency Certificate from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, Terre Haute, Indiana in August 2019. Her research emphasis is in the neurological implications of trauma, including but not limited to PTSD related to war and violence, traumatic brain injury, domestic violence, childhood trauma, and the diverse avenues that promote healing, healthy attachments, and safety. She will be part of a research team at CU School of Medicine Department of Neurology beginning in the Fall/Winter of 2019.

It is Karrie's goal for each of her students to be lifelong players, whether or not they consider themselves performers. Playing music is something we give ourselves, first.

In her spare time, Karrie plays at local open mics with friends, attends concerts, studies music and the brain, and hikes some local trails with her 11 year old dog, Otis.