Hello Jackson, Michigan Families!
I’ve committed to reintroducing Harmony Garden Music Therapy Services to the local community of Jackson, Michigan for the remainder of 2023. This is the kickstart of a new project and as a way for me to heal and grow myself professionally (and let’s face it, personally).
I’ve realized through conversations with the music therapists at Harmony Garden, that this means I also have to reintroduce myself as well. So, here I am, working through exactly that. Reigniting our blog and committing to a new Community Healing Project as I go!
It’s been a weird last three years hasn’t it?!
You may have found yourself using any of the following terms to describe recent years.
- 2020: unprecedented, chaotic, isolating, uncertain, resilient, zoomy
- 2021: transformative, hopeful, progressive, rebuilding, optimistic, emerging
- 2022: evolving, stabilizing, recovering, adjusting, questioning, reimagining
- Overwhelmingly: unforgiving, stressful, difficult, hard, unpredictable, scary, and well deserving of change
Harmony Garden could not continue to exist if I didn’t make some significant self-change. Life has been challenging. I’m 100% positive that you understand… How do I know this? Because collectively we all experienced something traumatic and transformative together – as a world of people.
Being an entrepreneur in 2023 is WILDLY different than when I started in 2006.
It’s time for me to talk about this.
The Harmony Gardeners was a project that was born out of the need to reach Jackson, Michigan families and children in the summer of 2020. To provide a space where – for one hour – the focus was play, laughter, dancing, singing, and togetherness. One evening after a Tuesday Concert at the Park, local musician, Victor McDermott and I were processing the event and he jokingly threw out that we should call the project, the “Harmony Gardeners”.
I loved it and for four years now, have been trying to decide just WHAT the Harmony Gardeners mission was. Well, I have figured it out.
The Harmony Gardeners is a Community Healing Project.
In the two decades as a music therapist, I have been planting seeds and watering connections within this community. I am a professional musician – born, raised, and returned to Jackson – with interest in music and arts programming for families. It’s time for me to transplant that wildly growing, uncultivated root system, into a much bigger plot of land. We can then all connect our roots musically in a beautiful community garden.
How will the Harmony Gardeners Community Healing Project have an impact?
Great question!
Our plan is to create intentional music connections every time we provide music in the community. Here is the impact I see coming…
- Music is impactful and has the power to change lives
- Our focus is community – creating program connections that focus on equatable and accessible options for Jackson, Michigan families
- Partnerships are powerful when real connections are made – so this is where I plan to spend a lot of my time. Creating partnerships in Jackson, Michigan.
Follow us to find out. I’ve never been a words person – so this blog is already a little uncomfortable… But, when something FEELS right, I know I’m heading in the right direction. I have a feeling I’m on to something big. So, I’m going to chase it and see where this goes.
You can find more information about our EcoSphere scholarship fund, music therapy services, Harmony Garden Sprouts early childhood music classes, and community programs on our website. We encourage you to also read more in detail about the Harmony Gardeners project and to join our email list.
I see how music programs are struggling – I own one.
I see how moms (and dads) are struggling – I’m one of them.
I see how kids are struggling – I have some of my own.
I see how families need more authentic time of connection – We have difficulty with this.
As a board certified music therapist with a vision for a large scale community music therapy and community healing project that will be working on exactly those four items above. Music is transformative and music is for everyone. I’m excited to dive in deeper on how I have been healing myself and how I plan to incorporate my voice into this project.
