Hidden Gems: Meet Charlotte Stewart of Mella Music Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Stewart.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Becoming a music therapist has been a lifelong journey. I grew up in a musical home and started learning to play the piano when I was in kindergarten. My mom was a wonderful pianist and organist, and she instilled in me her love of music. I played the piano all through my school years and started teaching piano lessons when I was in high school.

I also enjoyed being in the choir in school and used singing and playing the piano as emotional outlets for the stresses of life. When I was a senior, my piano teacher told me about music therapy. It was very fascinating to me, and I wanted to learn more. So, I did my English 102 research paper on it when I was a freshman in college.

I learned that music can be used in specific and interactive ways to help someone reach non-musical goals in areas such as communication, motor skills, emotional and social functioning, and cognitive functioning. I went on to major in Elementary Education and got married and had 4 kids. While raising my kids, I taught piano lessons and was involved with the Mesa Public Schools in various ways, including working as a teacher for a few years. I loved using music as a teaching tool and incorporated it into my teaching as much as I could.

When my kids were young, my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, which she suffered from for 9 years until she passed away. She loved to listen to music and to listen to me or any other member of the family play the piano or sing. I was struck by the fact that even though she couldn’t remember who we were or what we just said, she could remember the tune and words to songs she knew from the past. My mom passed away in 2010, the year I decided to go back to school to pursue a degree in music therapy. I was excited that I could learn to use music, which I loved so much, to help people improve their lives. I received my degree from Arizona State University and after doing a required 6-month internship where I was able to work with a variety of populations, I took the national board exam and became a board-certified music therapist.

Soon after I graduated, I completed training in neurologic music therapy and became an NMT, where I learned specific techniques that involve using music and rhythm to make changes in the brain to help people improve their communication, motor, and cognitive functioning. I was especially interested in working in the area of neurorehabilitation. I knew I wanted to start my own music therapy company and have built my practice over the last 9 years. I decided to name my new company after my mom who went by the name of Mella.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been some obstacles along the way, but looking back I would say they have helped me to grow and to get to where I am now. When I went back to school, my kids were ages 13-18, so keeping up with everything was a challenge at times. Also, starting a business on my own was daunting. I couldn’t have done it without the help of many people, especially my husband, who also owns a small business.

I have employed other music therapists from time to time but at present, I just have an intern and an administrative assistant. So, I have had to find ways to connect with other music therapists and organizations so I can feel supported, support others, and continue to grow as a music therapist. And then there is the whole work-life balance thing. That can get tricky. I have learned the hard way that taking care of myself helps me to show up better in all the areas of my life that are important to me, including my job.

There have been times when I had to readjust things because I was feeling so overwhelmed and trying to juggle too many balls. Different things have worked at different phases in my life. I am excited about this new phase that I am entering, where I can work from anywhere and focus on continuing to hone my skills to be able to best help those that I serve.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Over the years I have done music therapy in schools, different types of care homes, individual homes, and in my clinic. I have worked with people of all ages and abilities and have loved it. I have worked with kids with varying developmental delays and conditions and adults with brain injuries or effects from a stroke, dementia, and mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The methods I use involve things like singing, vocal exercises, moving to music or a beat, songwriting and improvising, instrument playing (including small percussion instruments), and listening to and discussing specific songs. These things are used intentionally and in specific ways to bring about desired outcomes.

I have now narrowed my focus and currently serve the adult populations mentioned above, mostly virtually. I offer individual sessions, sessions that include the family member(s) of the client, and consulting sessions where I teach caregivers how to use music to benefit those they care for in specific ways. Music and rhythm can do amazing things for people because multiple areas of the brain are affected, and it can even help build new pathways. In addition, music is enjoyable and can be motivating for people and positively affect their mood and well-being. I find that music therapy improves my clients’ lives by giving them the means to express themselves, building confidence and improving their quality of life, helping them improve how they communicate, improving their motor movement, maintaining certain functions as long as possible, helping with memory and focus, and more.

What do you think about happiness?
The older I get, the more I realize that it is the things that matter most that bring me joy, like my family, faith, and helping and cultivating relationships with the people around me, and also myself. In addition, I have learned that it is often the simple things in life that make me happy, like playing with my 5 grandsons, watching a movie with my husband, walking in nature, trying a new restaurant, snow skiing, or playing in the ocean.

I love the beach and the mountains, and I love to travel and learn about other places and the people that live there. And of course, there is music. Music makes me happy! I love to listen to it, play it, dance to it, sing with it, and enjoy it with others. And I love a good concert! I count myself blessed that I can do something that I love every day to help others, as my job. I love seeing the progress that is made and seeing the courage and fortitude and goodness in those that I work with and in those that care about them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mellamusictherapy.com

Image Credits
Haley Zazueta – @haleyzazphoto