Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Lockhart.
Hi Allison, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up, there were two things I was passionate about: music and my family. I was always heavily involved in music. I was in choir, musical theater, dance, and in a singing studio that performed around South Florida weekly. I also grew up in a large Hispanic family with many cousins. I was an only child, but my mom’s brother and sister each had a child and they were like my siblings. My Aunt’s daughter has tuberous sclerosis and my uncle’s son has autism. I am incredibly close to both of them. My mom and I even lived with my Uncle for a period of time so I was with my autistic cousin daily. When I was in elementary school, I went with him to all of his therapy appointments and would watch him through the one-way window.
Then, when we returned home, I would imitate what his therapists were doing with him to try to help him learn. My other cousin was in the special Olympics, and I volunteered at her practices and events regularly. I did this throughout middle school and high school. In high school, however, I became involved with a singing group that performed throughout South Florida. My autistic cousin attended all of my performances, and I would see him mouthing along the words to every song I sang. Sometimes I felt he knew the songs better than I did! Him and I would sing together at home and the more we sang, the more we noticed his speech improve. His purposeful communication increased and his echolalia (repetitive speech) decreased. He was also very shy, but when we would sing, he would open up more around the family. Around this time, I also assisted with a summer camp program where we worked on singing and performance skills with elementary and middle schoolers. Because my cousin was showing an interest in singing, I invited him to join the group. He was very nervous at first, but as he warmed up to the group, he began to sing in front of his peers and socialize more. He always had a lot of echolalic speech, but it was almost nonexistent when he was in this group.
The group was set to sing solos at a County Fair in South Florida. My cousin decided he would like to try to perform. When we were about to take the stage in front of 1000+ people, I asked him, “Are you nervous?” He ran up on stage and said, “No, I’m ready. This is going to be fun!” I was shocked since he had always been a little nervous to perform in front of people. That was the turning point for him, where we saw him grow into the confident social person he is today. After that moment, I thought, “There has to be a career where you can help people with music.” So after a little googling, I found music therapy. I ended up attending The University of Alamaba where I completed a music therapy degree. I went on to complete my clinical internship at an autism clinic in Missouri and then completed my master’s degree in music therapy at The University of Miami. From there, I landed a job at Perfect Harmony Health (PHH, called The George Center for Music Therapy at that time) and have worked for this non-profit private practice in Roswell for almost five years. Now I am the Assistant Director and Clinical Training Coordinator at PHH.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road. When I was 10 years old, my dad passed away unexpectedly. I took it really hard at that age, and I believe the reason I became so passionate about music was that (like for many people) it was a coping mechanism and an outlet for me. I really put all my focus into singing after he passed away. Singing and performing was definitely my escape. However, I count myself really fortunate that I had wonderful support from my family during that time. My mother sacrificed a lot to afford me the opportunities I’ve had. My Aunt always made sure she was there to provide me with laughter and fun, and my uncle stepped into the role of a father figure and has gone above and beyond for me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Perfect Harmony Health is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that believes that just because healthcare is innovative does not mean that it should be a luxury. Our team specializes in treating the whole person in harmony by connecting the brain, composing the mind, and synchronizing the body through providing therapy, resources, and community access. Our entire therapeutic team are board-certified music therapists with advanced certifications in neurologic music therapy, meaning we completed continuing education and training through The Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy to expand our knowledge on music and the brain. We are one of the few music therapy practices in the country with a team of music therapists that all hold the neurologic music therapy credential. We work with individuals with varying neurological, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative differences across the lifespan.
Essentially, music therapy is a research and evidence-based practice that utilizes musical intervention to work on non-musical, individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional. We work on sensorimotor, speech and language, and cognitive rehabilitation. Some of the diagnoses we serve include, but are not limited to, autism, down syndrome, intellectual and developmental disabilities, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Our practice offers 1-on-1 music therapy and adaptive lesson services. We also have a lot of group programming. We have a virtual Parkinson’s choir that is entirely grant-funded and thus free to all participants. We have various teen social groups, including a bucket drumming group and a performing arts group for teens and young adults with a variety of neurologic differences. Our performing arts group, called Roswell Players, puts on a full musical production every year, and this year they are preparing for Peter Pan!
Through our website and social media platforms, we offer educational resources for families and therapists. We also host events throughout the year such as a dance for neurodivergent teens and young adults and recitals where our clients can showcase their skills. On October 15th from 12-7pm, we will be hosting our annual Amp it Up Alpharetta fundraiser at Truck & Tap Alpharetta. We love this event because it is a day where the community we serve can join together in an inclusive environment with the North Atlanta community for a fun day filled with live music, food, drinks, and raffles. Some of our clients will even be making special guest appearances with the bands throughout the event. We host events and fundraisers such as these throughout the year in an effort to decrease the financial burden of therapy for our families. The lifetime cost of raising someone with special needs can be 10 times higher than the cost of raising a “neurotypical” child. Our ultimate goal is to provide as many scholarships as possible for our families so that music therapy does not have to be a luxury and does not add to the already large cost of therapy and medical bills.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We love building our community! If someone is interested in services, volunteering, collaborating, or supporting us, they can reach us at info@perfectharmonyhealth.com. They can also learn more about our programs and upcoming events at www.perfectharmonyhealth.com and follow us at Perfect Harmony Health on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.perfectharmonyhealth.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/perfectharmonyhealth
- Facebook: facebook.com/perfectharmonyhealth
- Youtube: YouTube.com/perfectharmonyhealth
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@perfectharmonyhealth
Image Credits
Brian LaBrec
