Mikayla Austin was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. She grew up performing in musicals, singing, and even writing original compositions. When Mikayla heard about music therapy, she knew it was the right pathway and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy at Loyola University in New Orleans. There, she tackled not only that degree, but also earned a Bachelor’s in Music Education, graduating summa cum laude in May of 2021. Since then, she has worked with a variety of populations including children with autism, low resource teens, and older adults with dementia. She has also many experiences in teaching voice, piano, and guitar lessons to various ages.

Mikayla always knew that working with children was her passion and is incredibly excited to be welcomed to the Hug Music family. Her clinical approach is person-centered and involves aspects from both music therapy and music education. In sessions, Mikayla believes in highlighting the skills, both musical and nonmusical, of the individuals. Mikayla is motivated in continuously developing her skills as a music therapist and educator.