Creative Arts Spotlights 2025

When Annabelle was diagnosed with autism at the tender age of three, her primary mode of communication was through scripting with her love of songs. Music has always been her passion, a vibrant avenue through which she expresses herself, whether by discovering melodies with instruments or using her voice. The moment we learned about the Wesley Family Services Creative Arts Program, we felt a wave of excitement wash over us, as we finally found a space where she could fully engage and be her authentic self. After several years of participating in this enriching program, now at the age of eight, her enthusiasm for music class remains palpable. The joy she experiences in a group setting has been transformative, teaching her valuable skills in peer interaction and collaborative enjoyment of activities. Despite her limited functional communication, her love for music shines through, especially when she joyfully jumps up and down in anticipation. The upcoming recital marks her third “Music of the Heart” performance, and we are filled with pride as we witness her growing confidence on stage. The joy it brings her, and us as her supporters, is immeasurable. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the patient and talented therapists who dedicate their time and expertise to work with her and all the other students. We are immensely proud of her progress and the milestones she continues to achieve!

EJ has been a part of Wesley Family Services Music Therapy program for many years. He has never missed a Music of the Heart Concert since its inception. We have watched EJ thrive over the years with the help of his teachers and peers in the program. He has been provided with opportunities that he otherwise wouldn’t in his daily life such as performing on a stage, learning music, playing the piano and keyboard, interacting with teachers and peers and even played an outside event in the community. EJ has always loved the program at Wesley and looks forward to his weekly Rock Band sessions. Music has always been a critical part of EJ’s development and from an early age he has found an emotional connection with music. It has helped him to find his voice and continue his love of life through music. EJ and his family are very thankful for the support and guidance the program at Wesley and his teachers have provided through the years and it’s been an amazing journey to watch him develop not only his musical skills and abilities, but gain social skills, make new friends and really thrive and enjoy himself. As the parents of a young adult with special needs, we can tell you that these experiences are invaluable, and we are so thankful to Wesley for providing this experience and opportunity for him. We look forward to many more years with Wesley and we cannot say enough about how positive this experience has been for EJ and our family.

After feeling defeated about finding therapies or a program that were a good fit for Jude, Wesley’s Creative Arts Program and Music Therapy were highly recommended.   Jude is naturally drawn to music and performing, so it was a perfect fit!  His weekly music therapy sessions are a highlight of his week.   Since starting, he has been able to experiment with a variety of instruments including the ukelele, drums, guitar and piano.  Although one of his favorite activities is trying new songs with the boomwhackers! He is learning the Recorder in school this year and sometimes brings it to his sessions to learn new songs.  Jude has some pretty niche requests in terms of songs he wants to learn and his therapist’s ability to find music that fits his interests is really impressive.   It is wonderful seeing his progress week to week both musically and personally.  He has grown tremendously as a musician, but most importantly, the sessions have helped him learn and practice important skills without him necessarily realizing that he is learning those skills. The sessions have been a game changer in terms of helping Jude with improved emotional regulation and learning to be more adaptable in unexpected situations.  Participated in the program even gave Jude an opportunity to express his creativity in a different way – through movement – when he choreographed his own dance for last year’s Music of the Heart Recital!

Kieran sprints towards the door and happily waves goodbye to us for each session of music therapy at Wesley Family Services. It is clearly one of the highlights of his week. He loves to engage with instruments and listen to all of his favorite songs. Kieran is 5 years old, autistic, and minimally speaking. Music has provided him with a powerful outlet to express his thoughts and feelings. It has also given him ways to display his creativity, his humor, and further explore his interests. Wesley Family Services is a safe and beautiful environment where Kieran can feel heard and fully embraced. His therapist clearly knows him well, as she leans into his strengths and uses his favorite songs, allowing each class to match his needs and/or ambitions for the day. Whether he is playing the drums, ringing bells, or performing an interpretive dance with ribbons, music therapy has helped him to self-regulate his nervous system and improve his independence on his AAC device through motivating and fun musical activities. We are all incredibly excited for the Music of the Heart program this year. Kieran loved getting on stage last year and showing an audience what he’d been working on. He can’t wait to get on stage and perform again!

It was clear from a very young age that music would play an important role in Luca’s life. In infancy he would be comforted only by certain songs and preferred toys that could play music. He would only watch movies that contain musical numbers. He seemed to have a grasp on music before he had a full grasp on language. I was excited when I learned about the Creative Arts Program and eagerly signed Luca up when he was 3. Early on in the therapy we learned he could match tone and pitch, identify rhythms, and with some instruction count beats. It was clear he gravitated to the piano and even at age 3 started to play simple pieces. Now at age 7 he reads music and is learning classical piano pieces, preferring to memorize it and not even look at the sheet music. It has been such a gift to Luca to be in place that not only fosters his musical talent but his confidence too. The therapists have treated him as a person who is capable of anything and we are so grateful to the Creative Arts Program.

TT has been participating in WFS Music Therapy Program since 2023. Since being involved with this program, TT has learned how to express herself more appropriately and how to better manage her emotions. TT looks forward to attending every Friday and she loves showing her creative side with the songs she writes and the art she creates. TT especially enjoys singing and dancing to her favorite, Rihanna. She has participated in 2 recitals, and this year will be her 3^rd recital! She also performed at the 2024 WFS Gala, which is a testimony to how far she has come and how much confidence she has built within herself! We are beyond grateful for the talented and compassionate therapists with this program. We can see the trust TT has in them and how this enables her to open up and feel comfortable and at home there! We look forward to more years of watching TT grow and perform!