Although the return of live music has helped ease some burden within the music community, the pandemic has left a lasting impact on the overall health and wellness of those in the industry and on their mental health in particular. MusiCares not only supports musicians’ physical health, but is uniquely able to provide resources, assistance and funding to the music community seeking additional mental health services. As the leading music charity in the U.S., MusiCares is dedicated to providing services to the music community so all musicians, who make the music that is healing for so many of us, can also heal themselves.
Starting on Tuesday, May 3 for Mental Health Awareness Month, MusiCares will kick off a series of events that are open to all music professionals and creators, available on MusiCares.org:
- 5/3 – Talk Save Lives with American Foundation of Suicide Prevention
- Join MusiCares and Louisa Rocque from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to learn how to recognize and help those who are struggling with suicide in the music community.
- 5/9 – Living Your Best Life: General and Music Based approaches to Stress Management
- Join MusiCares, Broderick Leaks, PhD, and Danielle Lowe, MT-BC, MSW to learn helpful wellness tools and discuss how music therapy can provide helpful insights to survive and thrive.
- 5/17 – How You Breathe is How You Are
- Join MusiCares and Sandy Abrams for an empowering 60 minutes that includes an introduction to the neuroscience of breath.
- 5/19 – Mental Health Action Say with MTV Entertainment Group
- Join MusiCares, MTV, and hundreds of other organizations across social media to promote a shift from mental health awareness to mental health action.
- 5/25 – Disordered Eating and Disorders in the Entertainment Profession: What You Need to Know to Improve Your Relationship With Food And Your Body
- Join MusiCares and Melanie Rogers, Founder and CEO of BALANCE, to discuss the risk of eating disorders and disordered eating in the entertainment industry and tips to help those struggling with food behaviors.
In addition to these events, MusiCares will also continue to host support groups for the music community to join. These support groups are available year-round:
- Cyber Emotional Support Group (In Partnership with ASCAP)
- Every Thursday 4-5pm PT
- Every Friday 1-2pm PT
- Women’s Music Community Support Group
- Every Thursday 10-11am PT
- Black Music Community Support Group
- Every Thursday 12-1pm PT
- LGBTQ Music Community Support Group
- Every Wednesday 12-1pm PT
- Addiction Recovery Support Group
- Every Tuesday 1-2pm PT & 4-5pm PT
- Every Wednesday 6-7pm PT
- Every Thursday 2-3pm PT & 4-5pm PT
MusiCares also offers a number of ongoing health clinics and services, including weekly yoga practices, physical therapy, smoking cessation and more.
More ongoing support groups: May ongoing support groups
The 2021 Wellness in Music survey, distributed by MusiCares, found that 20% of respondents reported moderate to severe levels of depression, 56% reported moderately high to very high levels of anxiety, and 38% reported they had not sought counseling because they couldn’t afford it. Mental health support is an ongoing need within the music community and MusiCares is committed to delivering services to anyone in the community who needs it and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health. For artists seeking additional assistance, they are encouraged to visit MusiCares.org or contact MusiCares at 800.687.4227 or at [email protected].
