These days it feels for many of us like the world is changing faster than we can keep up with. The political landscape of our country is shifting in ways no one can predict. Our American institutions feel unstable at best. Meanwhile, modern technology keeps the news cycle churning every second of every day, with endless “op ed” responses circulating through our social media feeds. And then there’s the dawning of Artificial Intelligence, which turns longstanding human processes into instantaneous calculations. The feeling of burnout is at an all time high and it’s no wonder- our hearts, minds, and souls are not conditioned to process the sheer amount of information we’re inundated with on a daily basis.
So what do we do? Where do we turn? How can we ground ourselves on something dependable? I’ve been thinking about how important it is to remember that for every institution that comes and goes, there is a local organization that proves itself dependable. For every politician that rises and falls, there is a community leader that demonstrates consistency of care.
As we enter our 6th year as a nonprofit in Greater Cleveland, the novelty of In Harmony Therapeutic Services and our mission of making music therapy services accessible in our community has faded. However, I find that the newness has been replaced by steadfastness. Our name has become synonymous with high quality music therapy services, even as individual providers shift in and out. We have established our organization as being reliably committed to anti-oppressive work, both in our community and in the field of music therapy. Most notably, is our insistence on finding funding opportunities for both individuals and other organizations to access the services we provide.
Our success and longevity are largely due to the support of our donors, who invest in the wellness of their neighbors through us. Thank you to all of you who give of your time, talents, and treasure to strengthen our mission. Your consistency allows music therapy to nurture tremendous power inside the individuals it touches.
On behalf of the entire board of directors at In Harmony, we pledge to continue to show up for this mission, with consistency and care. We pledge to be dependable community leaders in this space. Thank you for grounding yourself next to us through our shared values of strength, creativity, and self actualization for all.
Be well, friends. We’ll be here.
