Psychology Today

[PsychToday] The Soothing Balm of Music

November 20, 2016
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I finally cried over Hillary Clinton’s loss last Sunday morning when watching Kate McKinnon (as Clinton) hauntingly sing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” on SNL. Though there were likely multiple factors involved in this emotional release—fatigue from travel, disbelief over recent political events, a physical and emotional letdown following a week-long professional conference—what ultimately put me over […]

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[PT Post] Are Musical Genres Outdated?

May 27, 2016
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As a musician, one of the hardest questions for me to answer is “what kind of music do you like?” My current rote answer is “Well, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I like…” and then I continue on by listing several examples of different musical genres and the mood I associate them with…

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[PsychToday] Music, Smell, and Holiday Shopping

December 23, 2015
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At the time of writing this post, we are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Halloween candy has long been consumed, Thanksgiving meals digested, Hannakah candles lit, Solstice passed. All that’s left now is Christmas. Of all those holidays, Christmas is arguably the most ubiquitous, in particular for those […]

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[#PsychToday] The Evolution of Music: A Bonding Effect?

December 9, 2015
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Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhoto.net I’ve performed in many ensembles over the years—band, orchestra, choir, and chamber groups—and have yet to find a music group as socially and emotionally connected as the marching band. Not to say I haven’t felt connected to my fellow choral, orchestra, and wind ensemble peers, but there’s something about […]

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[PsychToday] Punk Music Isn’t “Bad”

July 30, 2015
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Early in my professional career as a music therapist, a colleague asked me what I thought about her teenage son’s music choices. He had started listening loud, punk-type music and my colleague was wondering whether or not she should be worried. I assured her that, although this was not a particular area of expertise for […]

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[PsychToday] Music: It’s More Than “Feel Good”

December 12, 2013
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Every once in awhile a story like this emerges that that sings the praises (no pun intended) of listening to music. These stories expand on the therapeutic benefits of music, mostly those related to relaxation or mood induction (i.e., making one feel happy/calm/better). Although the New Yorker piece is better than most I read—it actually […]

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[PsychToday] Music, Your GPS Voice, and the Science of Timbre

November 1, 2013
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“Timbre” is a rather difficult-to-define yet hard-to-ignore concept. When it comes to musical timbre, I have described it before as the color of sound. It’s the quality of the sound we hear that helps us differentiate between a flute, a violin, and a tuba . . . Read more

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[PsychToday] Is Commonplace Creativity a Lost Art?

September 27, 2013
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“…every human being has a social and biological guarantee of musicianship and evidence (suggests) that everybody, regardless of social, educational, psychological or medical aspects can communicate through music.” (Hallam & MacDonald, 2009, pg. 472) I dare you not to smile as you watch this 3:44 minute video clip . . . (Read more)

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[PsychToday] Music for the Wounded Soldier

November 19, 2012
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A couple days ago, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Department of Defense announced the launch of a new music therapy program at Walter Reed Medical Center. Music therapy will be joining art therapy and creative writing as a treatment option for wounded military personnel and their families…

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