The Synergy Story
“Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. When you read you begin with A-B-C.”
When you sing you begin with SYN-ER-GY!
Kimberly Dolan (she/her) and Hayley Francis Cann (she/her) are the two proud certified music therapists that have co-founded Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services. Their story is one of friendship and camaraderie. It’s a story of collaboration and aligning with core values. It is also one of overcoming obstacles and a mission to plant seeds in a growing field. But mostly, it’s a story of being in the right place at the right time.
In film and television, a meet cute is a scene in which the two people who will form a future romantic couple meet for the first time, typically under unusual, humorous, or cute circumstances. This type of scene is a staple of romantic comedies, though it can also occur in sitcoms and even soap operas.
In this case, the meet cute between Kim and Hayley was one that would eventually lead to a great friendship, working relationship, and business partnership. & It all started with pasta. Yep! The first time Hayley and Kim met was over a delicious meal in Kingston, Ontario. Both ladies had an incredible passion for the field of music therapy and maintaining a high quality standard of practice. Both ladies had incredible vision for equitable and creative models of practicing music therapy. Both ladies shared a passion for advocacy and building a community of diverse and supportive individuals.
This meet cute led to the co-founding of Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services in June 2021.
Synergy MT provides high quality music therapy services, wellness resources, and professional development opportunities for music therapists, interdisciplinary professionals and community members. Synergy MT offers services in two locations (Bermuda & Kingston, ON) with options for in-person sessions and telehealth sessions.
Together, Hayley and Kim co-host a podcast called the Able Voice Podcast (available on most streaming platforms), have collections of music therapy stickers in collaboration with Santina’s Sticker Box, offer Sing It Girls™ programs, and are the proud co-founders of Synergy Music Therapy & Wellness Services.
Why Synergy?
The definition of Synergy is “the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.” It’s still up for debate when the term Synergy was first heard. We (Kim and Hayley) do agree that the name sort of found its way into our lives on several occasions. One of our podcast guests mentioned Synergy during an interview. We started seeing the word at our local gas stations and on drinks at the grocery store. Eventually, we decided that this word perfectly summed up the reason for our business venture and aligned with the future vision of this venture. It truly is the culmination of the sentiment that life is best experienced in community with others including your journey to wellness. We want everyone to feel like they are not alone, that they are seen, heard, and valued.
Synergy operates on 5 core pillars:
1. Accessibility to music therapy services, resources, marketing campaigns, and buildings through a growing accessibility fund.
2. Advocacy for the clinical profession of music therapy, its benefits, and the stories of its people.
3. Building Collaborative Relationships with music therapists, creative community organisations, and interdisciplinary professionals.
4. Improving Clinical Standardization of practice and documentation in accordance with related healthcare professions.
5. Self-Exploration and commitment to the ongoing journey of growth (including knowledge and integration of social justice, equity, cultural humility and related anti-oppressive practices).
At Synergy MT we value your voice, your strengths, and your wellness.
Our services aim to promote the collaborative creation of safe and brave spaces. In doing so, Synergy MT promotes cultural safety and does not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, both in-person or online, toward (or received from) staff, service users, community partners or the general public. We are committed to being an inclusive and accessible service for all persons no matter their social locators.
We believe that money should not be a barrier to receiving mental health care services.
All of our services include a $2 access fee in addition to fees for service. This access fund will be used to support marginalized communities and provide accessible services to low income families or non-profit organizations. Click here to donate or learn more about the access fund.
We believe that wellness is better together.
That’s why we want to get to know you and give you the opportunity to learn more about us. Connect with us by visiting our contact us page, subscribing to our newsletter, or following us on social media (@synergymusictherapy). We send out a monthly newsletter full of resources and information about our programming. There is also a section on our website that is jam packed with FREE resources for you to enjoy. Learn more about anti-oppressive practices, collaboration and interdisciplinary practices, and gain access to a plethora of wellness resources.
Have questions?
Visit our frequently asked questions page to learn more about the benefits of music therapy and how it can help you or a loved one.
We are so grateful to have you along for the journey!
Stay tuned. This truly is only the beginning.
xoxo Hayley & Kim
