Exploring the Therapeutic Connection Between Music and Mental Health with Melinda Lawless-Coker and Marilisa Lawless

Ever explored the profound connection between music and mental health? We, Melinda Lawless-Coker and Marilisa Lawless, family therapists at the Transformation Project, discuss this intriguing relationship and the therapeutic potential music holds. Acknowledging the recent release of the suicide prevention line 988, we underline the significance of such resources while taking a deep dive into how music can express and evoke a diverse range of emotions - from rage and despair to hope and positivity.

In the second part of our enlightening talk, we turn the spotlight on local artist Ebony Paris. She is creating waves in the Davie Jazz Society with her refreshing, uplifting approach to music. We discuss the upcoming gigs of the society and their mission to create a cultural haven on Davie Road. We also underscore the easy accessibility of help, through the 988 helpline and our services at the Transformation Project. So, prepare for a riveting conversation that seamlessly weaves music, mental health, and community upliftment. Let's create harmonious symphonies of understanding, hope, and healing together!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:06

Hi, I'm Melinda Lawless-Coke Rhyme, Psychologist and Family Therapist.

Speaker 2: 0:11

And I am Mary Lisa Lawless, also a family therapist with the Transformation Project in downtown Davy.

Speaker 1: 0:17

And with this being the release of the new suicide prevention line 988, we thought it would be a good time to talk about music and mental health.

Speaker 2: 0:34

So, while they might not seem connected, we thought that it would be a good idea to start to talk about how it is connected. So, if you think about it, there's songs like Lincoln Park, one Step Closer, definitely about suicide, about depression, about just feeling lost, stabbing us where their music. A lot of it is angry and rage and it's about that not feeling like they have anything left but rage. So there's a lot of types of music, that's one. But music evokes thoughts, it evokes feelings. So there is, we've got jazz music, we've got classical music, bluegrass, resilient by the appellation music. It just brings hope.

Speaker 2: 1:22

I think his name is Avashi Cohen. They have a song called Hope. There's so many things and we even have local artists who perform Ebony Paris with she's performing at the jazz concert coming up. Oh yeah, that's true. She does a lot of songs that are about hope and love and just bringing the positive side of music to mental health. We see there's all kinds of things that are connected between mental health and music and how it can be uplifting or bring you down. So in Davy we're trying to bring people up. The Davy Jazz Society has a concert that they're planning every month. As we try to make the Davy Jazz Society, as they try to make it the cultural corridor on Davy Road, which is where our location is, so at Park 3400, down the road from us on September 24th.

Speaker 1: 2:23

That's the concert.

Speaker 2: 2:24

Yeah, ebony Paris will be performing there and it's a great opportunity to just come out and feel uplifted and hopeful and let the music move you. Yeah, so check it out and if you need help, if you have issues that you don't feel like anybody's listening, this helpline 988 is available 24-7. So check it out, but come for a good time as well, and we're always available at the Transformation Project if you want to talk to somebody, and we're at 954-797-7430, right down the road.

Speaker 1: 3:01

And we're here to help you with your mental health and well-being.

Speaker 2: 3:05

Yeah, awesome, thanks the end.