Music Therapy
Music therapists use music to address a variety of health-related needs including:
The FSPA’s music therapy services are provided by board certified music therapists (MT-BC’s), all of whom have clinical experience using evidenced-based musical practices to address health. Using the science of how music affects the brain and other areas of the body, the music is used to address non-musical goals such as: cognitive, physical, social or emotional needs. Sessions may include: improvisation, songwriting, group instrument play, music and movement, and structured music listening. No musical experience is required for individuals receiving the music therapy! Sessions takes place at the Flint School of Performing Arts and nearby community schools/facilities. Sessions are available for adults and children both in individual and group sessions.
To learn more information at the American Music Therapy Association’s website
Meet our Music Therapist, Janelle & Taieshia!
Janelle Ballard, MT-BC Music Therapy Department Chair – Janelle Ballard is a board-certified music therapist with over 20 years’ experience. Janelle studied piano as her major instrument and graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in music therapy in 2002. She completed her clinical internship at Lexington Park Nursing Facility in Topeka, Kansas, working in the activity department. Over the years, Janelle has provided music therapy for adults with traumatic brain injury, children with autism spectrum disorders, and hospice patients. Janelle is excited to work with the music therapists at the Flint School of Performing Arts and to continue developing the music therapy program.
Taieshia Tindall – Music Therapist Taieshia Tindall is from the small town of Adrian, Michigan. She had earned her Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Music Therapy with a minor in Business Management at Western Michigan University. Voice is her primary instrument with additional focus on guitar and a little piano. She completed her music therapy internship this past summer/winter at Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care in Madison Heights, Michigan. During her internship, she had the opportunity to lead individual and family sessions within the patients home or at Seasons Hospice In-patient Unit at Harper University Hospital in Detroit, Michigan and co-treated with an interdisciplinary team full of doctors, nurses, social workers, aids, nurse practitioners, other music therapists, and other administrative team members. Within her music therapy studies, she was apart of their Student Music Therapy Association and contributed an original song to their associations album. In addition to this, she volunteered at various different community organizations such as the after school Gilmore Fellow Piano Program for elementary students, Bronco Buddies, & Youth for Christ as a mentor. She was also nominated the Artist of the Month in 2017 at Western and if you’re interested in seeing the video, you can watch it through this link.
Taieshia definitely looks forward to growing and learning even more in her music therapy skills through FSPA. She is excited to be able to work with various ages and populations that have been apart of FSPA and the ones to come is a dream come true for her. She is very grateful for this opportunity and looking forward to this new chapter of life and working with an amazing community of people.