Moggs

Music Therapist and Founder of Sounds That Grow

MA (Music Therapy) Distinction, BA (Hons)

HCPC Registration number: AS16485

Who I Am
Sounds that Grow is the trading name for me, Margaret Nicholson (known as Moggs). I am an HCPC-registered Music Therapist with extensive experience and a genuine passion for supporting people with learning disabilities through creative, person-centred music therapy.

My Journey to Music Therapy
My journey to music therapy began as a child, watching my sister — who has learning disabilities — benefit from music therapy. Seeing her connection to music made a lasting impression on me, and growing up with her has given me a first-hand understanding of what living with learning disability truly means, both practically and emotionally.

At 13, I joined the Purcell School of Music, learning trumpet, piano, and singing. I went on to read Music at Durham University where I was a choral scholar and was awarded a first in my final year soprano recital. I still enjoy choral singing and am a member of The Renaissance Singers, London.

After university, I enjoyed a brief career in recruitment before retraining as a music therapist at Roehampton University, completing the course part-time while raising young children and qualifying with first-class distinction in 2018.

Professional Experience

Since qualifying in 2018, I’ve worked in a variety of settings — schools, hospitals, community centres, day centres, charity settings, and private homes — supporting a wide range of people. These have included:

Children and adults with learning disabilities or neurodevelopmental conditions
Children experiencing social, emotional, or mental health needs (SEMH)
Adults living with neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s, MND, and dementia
Pre-school children with speech, language, and communication needs
Children with life-limiting conditions, including cancer

In recent years, I have worked at Otakar Kraus Music Trust delivering Music Therapy projects in collaboration with large charities, non-profits and children's services partnerships. I have enjoyed working with experienced staff and volunteers, as well as speech and language, physio and occupational therapists onsite.

Through the trust, I deliver music therapy for a national organisation supporting people with learning disabilities. This music therapy group focuses on enhancing communication, musical and social engagement, confidence, self-awareness, and emotional wellbeing.

Over the years, the group has grown and evolved in its creative content, guided by what works best for the clients. It has become a space where participants and staff feel supported, understood, and creatively free.

What my colleagues and clients say:

"I've worked with Moggs for 3 years and seen her support many people with many different needs, ranging from those who are non-verbal, those who need 2:1 support to those who are able to live independently and work. She always provides a space in which no matter anyone's needs, the people she supports are able to not only be heard, but experience enjoyment through music in their own individual way.

Because Mogg's approach is tailored to each person she works with, there never fails to be a truly meaningful connection between each of our members and Moggs."

- Owen, Staff Member and Group Facilitator

"The music group is a great, relaxed and enjoyable place. My son attends with 2:1 or 1:1 support and has multiple additional needs. He is a wheelchair user through anxiety and he feels secure enough to walk around freely which is a huge rarity for him and Moggs makes that happen. That shows how much he loves attending as he is nonverbal visual cues are all we have. Moggs picks up on his facial gestures and that is unusual in my experience. My son really enjoys attending and all the different musical instruments, making noise and that is lovely to see."

- Nicky

Launching

Launching Sounds the Grow in 2025 stems from my passion for working with people with learning disabilities—the client group my sister belongs to, and the one that first introduced me to music therapy.

Since qualifying in 2018, I have worked with many children and adults with learning disabilities, neurodevelopmental conditions, learning difficulties, and profound and multiple learning disabilities. Getting to know them, and observing how they respond in music therapy sessions, has been inspiring.

I have seen first hand how music therapy can unlock expression, creativity, and connection, and I am committed to working collaboratively with families, carers, and other professionals to achieve meaningful outcomes through music therapy.

Starting Sounds that Grow allows me to focus exclusively on the client group closest to my heart. By combining my personal and professional experience, I strive to deliver music therapy that is inclusive, creative, and empowering in every session.

Music Therapy Services

Get in touch

​​Who I Am Sounds that Grow is the trading name for me, Margaret Nicholson (known as Moggs). I am an HCPC-registered Music Therapist with extensive experience and a genuine passion for supporting people with learning disabilities through creative, person-centred music therapy.

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At 13, I joined the Purcell School of Music, learning trumpet, piano, and singing. I went on to read Music at Durham University where I was a choral scholar and was awarded a first in my final year soprano recital. I still enjoy choral singing and am a member of The Renaissance Singers, London.

After university, I enjoyed a brief career in recruitment before retraining as a music therapist at Roehampton University, completing the course part-time while raising young children and qualifying with first-class distinction in 2018.

​

Launching

Who I Am
Sounds that Grow is the trading name for me, Margaret Nicholson (known as Moggs). I am an HCPC-registered Music Therapist with extensive experience and a genuine passion for supporting people with learning disabilities through creative, person-centred music therapy.