Free Video: Sandi Phoenix and Tasha Bretten on the Phoenix Cups and Boogie Mites

Sandi Phoenix is Phoenix Support for Educators’ founding company director and principal facilitator. Beginning in 1998, Sandi has spent her whole career blending psychological science and education, starting her career as an educator while she completed her first degree. Since 2009, Sandi’s leadership roles have encompassed in-service coaching, mentoring, conference speaking, teaching the Diploma of Early Childhood Education, resource development, and consulting as a subject matter expert. Her unique ability to merge theoretical knowledge with practical application led to the creation of The Phoenix Cups framework.

Tasha Bretten, from Boogie Mites. Tasha’s musical childhood supported her work as a Primary school teacher and was a factor for her to change to Early Years Music teaching after she attended Boogie Mites with her own children. She is passionate about her belief, founded on neuromusical evidence and experience, that regular opportunities for effective music making in the Early Years is the key to preparing children for Primary school, particularly providing strong foundations for literacy.

Sandi Phoenix and Tasha Bretten on the Phoenix Cups and Boogie Mites

In this fascinating collaboration, Sandi and Tasha bring together the Phoenix Cups framework and Boogie Mites’ music methodology to create a powerful approach to wellbeing for both children and educators. They explain how understanding our basic human needs through the cups analogy, combined with the neuroscience of music, can help fill everyone’s emotional cups and improve wellbeing across settings. The session reveals practical ways to implement these ideas through a new training package that benefits children, educators and parents alike.

In this episode you’ll:

• Discover how the Phoenix Cups framework uses five cups – safety, connection, freedom, mastery and fun – to explain human motivation and behaviour in a simple, practical way
• Learn about the ABCD music methodology from Boogie Mites and how neuroscience shows music acts as a “whole brain workout” that produces happy hormones
• Understand how music activities can specifically fill each emotional cup, enhancing wellbeing for both children and adults
• Explore the concerning post-COVID wellbeing statistics for early years professionals and discover practical solutions
• Get a preview of their online training package that includes seven self-paced modules, original songs and workshop plans

Watch this episode to learn how combining psychological understanding with active music making can fill everyone’s emotional cups and create nurturing early years environments where children and educators truly thrive.

This episode was originally aired on 18th April 2025.

Episode Links:

The product link for the Music and Wellbeing online course is:

https://www.boogiemites.co.uk/shop/music-wellbeing/

https://www.boogiemites.co.uk/

https://www.phoenix-support.com.au/professional-development

https://britishacademyofsoundtherapy.com/about-lyz/

https://britishacademyofsoundtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Deezer-Health-and-Wellbeing-research-short-.pdf

https://connectchildcare.com/blog/insights-on-early-years-staff-wellbeing/

wellbeing measure from Phoenix Cups

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e36g4ht9jj5us9486eb0f/Phoenix-Cups-Wellbeing-Measure_2024.pdf?rlkey=5c9h8ws8n2idt9fj929qtvffm&st=cqwqixi6&dl=0