Interview with Jaime about Harmony Garden’s past, present, and future
Harmony Garden Music Therapy Services is celebrating 20 years! Current music therapy interns Elyse and Halie interviewed Jaime regarding her journey with Harmony Garden and what she envisions for its future.
Q: Thinking of how far you have come from year one, what would Jaime from 2006 think of Jaime today?
A: I don’t think she expected 2026 Jamie to be what we are. I thought I was opening a practice just to create employment for myself. I did not expect, in 2006, to have a team of Music Therapists and to have as much reach as we do now so I think she’d be pretty proud of her.
Q: What were some of the doubts you had when you first started Harmony Garden and how did you end up rising above them?
A: Great question so some of the doubts that I have had were just based in like am I really the one that can make all these decisions. There was a lot of imposter syndrome especially in my early years. I was the only music therapist in Jackson and I was looking to my own self and then obviously outside to other professionals for supervision as well. But I think really just what helped me overcome all of that would be the forward momentum, the keep going, the keep challenging myself to keep learning, the keep growing, and realizing that I was the person with the most knowledge about music therapy in every room I walked into.
Q: What do you feel was the pivotal moment where Harmony Garden really started to grow?
A: I would say that that would be probably around 8 to 10 years ago when I had my girls I had my son a little bit before that and it required me to bring on some contractors and to think about how to cover music therapy in a way that was not just me running everything but when I had my girls it really changed everything at that point we switched to employees model here and it just kind of opened things that I wasn’t expecting and from there on out we’ve been growing.
Q: Over the past 20 years, what are you most proud of with your practice?
A: I am proud that music therapy is in my hometown. When I started out I was so excited about offering this thing to the community that didn’t really have it and just the fact that I’ve been able to keep it going and keep it growing and add more music therapists and add more access for people is what I’m the most proud of at this point.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to a new professional starting out and trying to grow their own business?
A: Keep going, remember that you probably are the smartest person about music therapy in the rooms you’re walking into and just keep going. Be confident. Be competent and show what music therapy is. Keep growing.
Q: Where do you see Harmony Gardens going from here in the next 5 years and 10 years?
A: In 5 years I hope that we are just as large as we are now if we grow I hope it’s because we’ve gotten some amazing dreamy contracts and the perfect new hire in place for that but really just the continuity and keeping Harmony Garden going as strong as it is right now at your 20 would be amazing for both 5 and 10.
Responses have been edited for clarity.
Harmony Garden Music Therapy Services will keep going to serve the beloved community of the greater Jackson Area.
