Therapeutic Songwriting.

“Therapeutic songwriting is a natural and organic way of working with people regardless of who they are and the challenges they may face. Humans have always written songs. They are the natural containers for our thoughts, feelings, emotions, personality characteristics, dreams and fantasies and provide us with a natural musical medium for the therapeutic process. (Baker & Wigram, 2005). A world without songs is almost impossible to imagine; it’s probably one the most important things human beings ever did.”

“Songwriting encourages us to re-visit the past, to examine the present, and to give voice to our dreams of the future. Songs help to ground us as we weave our way through the verses and choruses, the joys and sorrows of our lives, often revealing our innermost secrets…they are indeed the sounds of our personal development.” (Bruscia, 1998)

“As a result, we may find ourselves putting the words to a story that had previously felt beyond telling, to say what has perhaps always felt like the unsayable. Therapeutic songwriting gives us the opportunity to consider, evaluate and even change how we think about what are often the most important events of our lives; the song becomes the moment in time to hold so many other moments in time.”

“And, of course we share our songs with others…if we want to.”

“It’s not surprising that most ‘songwriters’ describe their work as ‘therapy”.

BOB HEATH, 2023 - www.bobheathmusic.com