April is a busy time of the year, which can often lead to stress! It also happens to be Stress Awareness Month. How stressed are you? Take the Perceived Stress Quiz Here According to the World Health Organization, stress can be defined as, “…a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation…that prompts us to address challenges …
World Music Therapy Week
It’s one of our favorite times of the year at Sparks! April is World Music Therapy Week, and we are so excited to highlight the music therapists who are devoted to our students’ success. Each therapist goes through a rigorous training program, including at least 80 hours of academic coursework and 1,200 hours of supervised clinical work. Sparks’ therapists are …
March is National Music Month
March is a musical month! Not only is National Music Month celebrated in the United States, but it is Music Therapy Month in Canada. With this theme of music in the air (or at least in North America 😉), Sparks wants to highlight some of the distinctions between music therapy and music, as well as aspects of music therapy that …
Black History Month
It’s Black History Month, a time of reflection on the many contributions of the Black community and culture to the rich diversity of our nation. Did you know that 2026 will mark 100 years since Black History Month was founded? In 1915, a Black man named Carter G. Woodson realized that many educational materials available at the time did not …
Sparks Receives Another Grant!
The WoodNext Foundation, a component fund administered by Greater Houston Community Foundation, has awarded Sparks for Success with a generous grant to provide music therapy sessions to more children during this school year. The WoodNext Foundation prioritizes the areas of mental health and homelessness that Sparks addresses as we work with our students. All of us are grateful to The …
A Look Back at 2024
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 …
To Attach, Or Not to Attach?
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 …
What is the McKinney-Vento Act?
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 …
Home Should Be Safe: National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
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 …
World Suicide Prevention Day
**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 …
