Mind+Melody GenBeats

2023 - Present

In 2023 during my time as Program Director with Mind&Melody, a team member had an amazing inspiration to design a music program for siblings/families of children with developmental disabilities. At the time we were also training on a practice called HEALTHrhythms by REMO. We decided to take the concepts from HEALTHrhythms, a drumming based intervention to relieve stress, and fuse it with elements of Mind&Melody’s method to serve this population.

I developed a program that used the drum as a device for connection through meditation, positive affirmations, open conversation, and peer support; leading participants through structured and open drumming activities to inspire connection. Our initial sessions in 2023 showed that the simple drumming and conversation exercises helped people feel comfortable and safe, leading to sharing and openness to meditate and stress relief.

In support of this program I drafted a grant application to the Next50 Foundation, we received $12,200 in funding to serve immigrant caregivers at the same facilities where Mind&Melody serves seniors with cognitive impairments in 2024. My goal with this funding was to design a program that provides stress relief and teaches positive coping mechanisms to aid against burnout and compassion fatigue amongst the caregivers and loved ones who care for individuals with cognitive or developmental disabilities.