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 …

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 …

June is PTSD Awareness Month. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects the approximately 2.7 million children of inmates in the U.S. at a higher rate than their peers who do not have an incarcerated parent. Many children of inmates have witnessed acts of violence or experienced neglect as the result of parental confinement and separation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and …

The WoodNext Foundation has awarded Sparks for Success with a generous grant to provide Music Therapy sessions to more children in 2024. The WoodNext Foundation prioritizes the areas of mental health and homelessness that Sparks addresses as we work with our students. All of us at Sparks for Success are grateful to The WoodNext Foundation for their continued support of …

Huge thanks to everyone who joined us for Chipotle Night! One of the attendees mentioned, “This is so much fun – we should do it again!” Another said they didn’t expect so many people to show up. Not only that, but several attendees stayed for nearly 2 hours. As a result, Sparks reached its goal; because of YOUR support, we …

Sparks for Success recently teamed up with UT Austin’s Hogg Foundation for Mental Health to discuss the traumas experienced by children of inmates and how Sparks For Success is helping them build their resilience. Check out the podcast episode here. Sparks’ introduction begins at 3:20.