The Merry Month of May and Related Insights
May 4, 2025
“Where words fail, music speaks.” ~ attributed to Hans Christian Anderson
Recently, Bruce Springsteen took to stages across Europe and called out the POTUS for a host of things, the most serious being the blatant disregard of the constitution and its separation of powers clause. The courts have repeatedly ruled that he has overstepped boundaries created by the constitution to balance the three branches of power. He continued to carry on with his agenda deaf to the courts.
Mr. Trump has been required to re-establish the Department of Education and has been told he cannot confine or send back to their countries anyone who is legitimately here for studies or work. He was informed that he cannot remove the not-for-profit status of universities and he carries on with complete disregard. Then of course, there is the tariff situation that has become an international ping-pong game.
Bruce used his influence, his music and his love of America to take his point home. These illegal activities and many others not named must cease and desist, just as the courts have ruled. He, and many of us, want our flawed and growing America back. Other musicians like Neil Young, Beyonce and Taylor Swift have used their music and their voices to speak out about the chaos, disorder and dictator-like behavior of our current president and the legislature that supports him.
Now, all of this is bringing more and more stress upon our governmental system affecting services and supports. Even our system of oversight is being systematically eroded. As they crumble our stressors will grow. Our anxieties will multiply. Now my job is not actually reporting our flaws and failures as it relates to politics. My job is to provide you some peace of mind, a little uplift and a lot of paths to self-care. So while our world is shaky, I want to give you some ways to stand and walk through the trials we face with strength, identity and compassion for the others who share this journey.
Each month I offer some self-care and awareness techniques to help you navigate the waters. Our area of focus this month is music. Bruce inspired me most recently, but many others have made music which spoke to the needs of the people around them regarding tyranny, slavery, marginalization and discrimination. They have been a thread that calmed me, inspired me and drove me to action many times in my life. Bob Dylan and Joan Baez were two such musicians. Many of the Spirituals, Civil War music and traditional music from Ireland, Scotland, England, and the Scandinavian countries speak to justice, reform and support of our fellow humans.
I am going to share three excellent books to read about music and how sound used therapeutically can heal, calm and support humans in stressful anxiety-ridden times. I read all three of these books in my certification program for Healthcare Musician a few years ago. They offer theory and practical application. There are numerous exercises to use for self-care within their pages.
The first book is entitled, “Rhythmic Medicine, Music with a Purpose,” by Janalea Hoffman, a music therapist, and published in 1995. The book is an actual music therapy based book designed as a self-help resource and covers both physical and emotional challenges. There is a segment on how to lower blood pressure, musical biofeedback, breathwork, lowering blood pressure and a variety of exercises for emotional health. This book also discusses the effect of entrainment and its positive (and potentially negative) effects. In psychology and neuroscience, entrainment refers to the synchronization of a system’s rhythm with that of another external rhythm. It is well worth the read and engaging with the exercises.
The next book is “The Power of Sound, How to be Healthy and Productive Using Music and Sound,” by Joshua Leeds, an award winning musician and published in 2010. This tome was inspired by the work of Dr. Alfred Tomatis, considered the grandfather of psychoacoustics. The book also honors Ron Minson, M.D., who has utilized the Tomatis method in research. Many other physicians and clinicians are also noted. The book covers an enormous amount of material regarding sound and its effects on the body, volume, therapeutic use, a glossary and index or further explorations. There is an accompanying CD for wellness and to enhance learning.
The final book to explore is “The Healing Power of Sound, Recovery from Life Threatening Illness Using Sound, Voice and Music,” by Mitch L. Gaynor M.D. The author focuses on the emergence of holistic, integrated and complementary medicine as a non-siloed approach to human healthcare. The National Institute of Complementary and Integrative Healthcare also encourages this concept of care and supports research in this area. Dr. Gaynor has incredible insights into how we walk through our lives bearing multiple factors that could negatively impact our health and well-being. This book offers insights, exercises, and numerous evidence based interventions.. It is well worth the read and engagement. This book is a gift to humankind.
I hope you will try one, if not all of these wonderful books. Try listening to some of the social justice music and see if it speaks to you and supports you during our incredibly unstable times. Know that we care and are here to support you. Do not hesitate to reach out via email at sandy@asandyplace.com. Share your thoughts, ask questions and feel free to dig deeper with me. We are here for your well-being.
As always,
Sandra (Sandy) Place
