My Purpose:

A story by Owner & Founder Megan Coltoniak

It’s been almost 9 years since I have been back in New York. In some ways, it feels like I never left. Then I remember that big beautiful world that helped shape who I am, and my purpose. What is your purpose?  I love asking people that question. It’s very rarely met with an immediate answer, and is loaded with more questions and (hopefully) self discovery. When I think about my purpose it takes me through scenes in my life.

 I am a 3 year old making up a song and being recorded on our brand new (big/heavy/bulky) home video camera. “Suzie Boy went up the stairs, she went to the bathtub there. Then she went…with the soap…(various babbling noises)”. What a hit. From that moment on, my purpose was to be a songwriter- I just loved it. 

I am 5 and I get kicked out of the drama center in Kindergarten for the entire year because “I was being too dramatic”. Too loud, too disruptive, too immersed in the whole experience. I was deeply hurt with my expulsion and felt that I needed to suppress a part of myself, scale down the emotions, be who “they” thought I should be. I didn’t know it at the time but from that moment on, my purpose was to empower children to be who they are, no matter how loud, fidgety, or dramatic that comes across. Be you.

 I am in middle school and a fellow student who presents as neurodiverse is being taunted by classmates. Everyday they get him to do something they think is hilarious under the guise of friendship. It’s always cruel in nature, and he always does it because he wants a friend. One day I got caught in the crosshairs of their antics when they were encouraging him to grab various female body parts during dismissal. My knee-jerk reaction was to turn around and slap him (Purpose-feminism) when I saw the mean boys laughing behind the bushes. I decided then and there I would be his friend, and would be a force for good in his life. From that moment on, my purpose was to be an advocate for people who are neurodiverse.

 Many scenes continue, too many to describe. I go to college and become a Music Therapist. I get married to the love of my life, Jeff. I move to Rochester and work with some of the most inspirational Music Therapists in the field. I learn how to be great from them. Jeff and I take a big left turn and move to Columbus, Ohio so he can pursue working in pro sports. I have no job. I finally start working for a private school for neurodiverse children. They have 1.5 hours a week for me, but I can call through their full client list and try to add more clients. I am full time within a month. Purpose- advocacy for the field of music therapy. I grew my full time status to a full fledged music therapy department, servicing hundreds of students, and eventually become Co-Therapy director supervising not only music therapy, but also Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Purpose- leadership.

 I become a mother and everything I thought I knew about kids shifts. I see many missteps in my children's schooling that has a heavy presence of sticker charts (shaming systems), sad spots (isolation as a result of feeling the feels), and ABA therapy*. I also see some amazing things like advocacy for inclusion, the importance of a therapy and education team collaboration, and an absolutely genuine and fierce love for the families through support for caregivers and siblings. Purpose- Teaching children, families and teachers a humanistic approach to problem solving through self regulation and coping skills. 

Jeff and I are lucky enough to move back home when he takes a job working for THE BUFFALO BILLS (Hey-ey-ey-ey!). I really try to take a normal job and focus on home life after spending so many years building and striving, but my purpose is nagging at me. Everywhere I go I meet people in my home town, with newly diagnosed children who need help. They don’t know where to start to help their child, and if they do there are not enough programs that are close by. I resign my position at my “normal job” and create Bloom Creative Arts with the goal of providing Special Education preschool services through a loving, humanistic approach. The process to become a 4410 program (approved Special Education Preschool provider) in New York State usually takes years (I do it in 8 months). The application itself is over 100 pages. I begin working tirelessly on the preschool application all the while growing a private practice for music therapy. 

In month one I have one music therapy client. By the time we open our first preschool classroom in 2018 I hire two music therapists to take over for my very full music therapy caseload. Purpose- Rise and Grind.

It is now 2025 and Bloom services over a hundred children, and 30 districts in Western NY through our Special Education Preschool Program and related services. To say that it is an honor to grow and learn with my team is an understatement. I have found like-minded people, who believe in the power of patience, acceptance, and love as a fundamental basis of education. I have had the privilege of continuing my purpose of spreading love and connection through music with the creation of BloomiVerse, our music therapy and enrichment program. This fall we launch our very first App for kids which includes all of my original songs, a parent resource section, a section for our music rocks enrichment collaborators, and is a safe space for children online where they learn coping skills, self-regulation techniques, and most importantly that they are loved for being just who they are. 

Owner & Founder

Megan Coltoniak

*ABA Therapy: I have a lot of feelings on this one. I was seeing a more old school approach of ABA at that time and it felt extremely inhumane to me. I acknowledge that ABA works for some people and can be done in a more loving approach.