Happy New Year!  It’s a refrain often repeated during this time of year, but it’s also a time of reflection over the past year. Sparks for Success has many things to be grateful for from 2024. Here are some of the highlights: January: Sparks announced having received a grant from WoodNext! February: Spring music therapy sessions got underway. March: Several …

The holiday season is upon us! For those of us preparing to spend time with loved ones this month, let’s consider how our bonds with them were formed in the first place. The field of psychology has long established that people develop certain ways of relating to others, especially significant people, in their lives. These ways of relating are known …

As we near the holiday season, and with Thanksgiving happening this month, thoughts of being with loved ones and sharing a meal in someone’s home may begin to occupy our thoughts. However, what happens for those who don’t have a place to call home? What is the McKinney-Vento Act? The McKinney-Vento Act is a piece of legislation that was passed …

The expression “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is one of the greatest misnomers in existence.  Not only does domestic violence leave physical marks, but it also leaves emotional scars far beyond the healing of physical wounds.  And domestic violence is not limited to physical abuse. According to the National Institutes of Health …

**Trigger warning: Discussion of suicide mentioned in the article below. Life can be very hard. But for those dealing with circumstances that are too overwhelming or who face challenging mental illness, things can seem especially bleak. In those situations, it can be easy for anyone to feel so hopeless they want to end the pain, including dying by suicide. According …

Grief.  It’s a topic that we often avoid discussing and dread experiencing. But it’s one we are all familiar with at some level throughout our lives.  While there are many different types of grief, one type that is often overlooked is “disenfranchised grief”. The American Psychological Association defines it this way: “Grief that society (or some element of it) limits, …

Sparks for Success is excited to announce the 2023-2024 music therapy student progress results!  This year, Sparks was able to provide 93 students in 15 schools across Austin, Manor, Elgin, and San Marcos school districts with weekly music therapy sessions. Therapist Progress Reports Sparks’ primary goal was for 75% of students who attended at 4 music therapy sessions to demonstrate …

July is a time for barbecue, fireworks, and celebrating the last of summer before school begins. However, the summer can be extra stressful for many children of inmates. While out of school, they are regularly surrounded by difficult home environments and lack the structure of the school day and positive influences like music therapy. Why Minority Mental Health Month? July …

Music has long been considered a “universal language”, so it may come as no surprise that World Music Day celebrates musical contributions from all cultures throughout time, from prehistoric peoples to present-day performers. Despite music’s long history, World Music Day was founded relatively recently, in 1982, by the French Minister of Culture Jack Lang, and French composer and radio producer …

What is Black Music Month? From hip-hop to jazz to soul to funk and blues, Black musicians and artists have created and expanded a variety of musical genres and popular songs that people across America have been inspired by for centuries. In recognition of the outstanding and creative contributions of Black and African American musicians, Black Music Month (also known …