The new year-long pilot offers music therapy groups for new mothers twice a week in Reno.
The idea grew out of the organization’s earlier Lullaby Project, where mothers in recovery wrote lullabies for their children.
“This postpartum time having a new baby in the family can be a really joyful time, a really exciting time, but it can also be, you know, very new and scary and stressful, and music is such a great way to address some of the issues that come up in this stage of life,” said executive director Manal Toppozada.
The sessions are led by a music therapist and a bilingual community health worker. Parents can sing with their babies, use movement and rhythm exercises, and even create personalized playlists to help regulate emotions.
Organizers said the focus is not only on babies, but on mothers themselves, giving them a place to rest, reconnect and build community with other parents.
The program is bilingual in English and Spanish, with additional support available in Arabic and French. Babies and siblings are welcome, and mothers can also attend alone if they need a break.
Take a Beat is open to any new parent up to about a year postpartum, not only those diagnosed with postpartum depression.
