January 2011

Music is a versatile tool for helping people cope with illness, improve their wellness, and even boost their immune system for the purposes of prevention.  If you're feeling good today and have no particular health issues then I recommend enjoying your favorite music at specific times of day such as:  upon awakening, driving to work, driving home from work, and some point during the evening.  When you first awaken I think it's good to listen to something soft, but with an increasingly energetic tempo.  Something with which your own energy level can synchronize.  I enjoy waking up to the classical music station here in Louisville, but depending on what time I set my clock for, it's not always exactly what I want, but often it is! 

Driving to work is the perfect time to have some positive, upbeat music that puts you in a positive, upbeat mood.  Again, I love classical music but if you love Broadway musicals or jazz or hymns, that's what will help you the most.  After work, I like to listen to something fun and light-hearted...for me the oldies from late 50's, 60's and 70's.  No matter where you live, there's always an oldies station nearby.

At some point during your evening, I recommend listening to 30-60 minutes of favorite music, whether soothing, energizing, contemplative, inspiring or whatever you like.  Probably right before bed would be best but anytime in the two hours or so before bed could really help you to sleep.  Definitely do not watch the news on TV before sleep or read the newspaper!

I've written lots and lots of previous ezines and articles about music with illness, but the high points are these:

• Choose music that matches your own personal taste, not necessarily what others have said worked for them
• Choose music that it very calm, comforting and reassuring.  The worse a person feels, the softer and simpler the music should be. 
• Whether you have a migraine, a bad back, shingles, or pneumonia, music can help you feel better by distracting your attention with something you associate with better times and happier memories
• Look back into my ezine archives; I have almost ten years of monthly ezines you can browse through as well as specific articles.

Just remember that live music is always better than recorded music, but recorded music is always better than no music!

Things are really looking up for getting our Surgical Serenity Headphones into hospitals around the country.   In the past two weeks, a hospital in Louisville as well as a hospital in Florida are seriously looking at the headphones and how their hospitals and their patients could benefit from have the headphones. 

Using the headphones not only stand to create safer surgical procedures by decreasing the amounts of medications needed before, during and after, but also can allow patients to recover faster and be released sooner.  When patients can return to their normal lives and routines faster, they and their families are happier, their employers are happier and the hospital can treat more people!

It's a win-win situation for everyone.  Have you ordered yours?  They can be programmed after any procedure with whatever music you want.  They play for 8-10 hours without needing to be re-charged.  Want to know more?  Go to www.SurgicalSerenity.com.

Program to focus on the role of music in disaster response and relief: Music therapy program at the UofL School of Music sponsors free presentation

1/25/2011 News Release LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Disaster relief and recovery can come in many forms—including music therapy. A free, public program at the University of Louisville explores the role of music in disaster situations and will feature a well-known expert on the topic.

Read the News Release

Speaking is something that I love to do because for me, speaking is a form of teaching that allows me to reach far more people than if I were still a college professor.  Although I love being associated with colleges and universities, I also love the freedom of being able to fly anywhere in the country or the world to be a keynote speaker on "The Healing Power of Music."  I have received invitations from as far as Hawaii, Spain, and Turkey and always try to fulfill these invitations and deliver more than I'm asked to deliver.  I consider that the knowledge and experience I have acquired is something to be shared and experienced by as many other people as possible! 

I am always happy to stay in private homes and come when the fares are affordable.  I consider myself to be a sort of "music healing missionary" and love to travel to far-away or remote places as well as the major cities and highways and by-ways of life!  I can tailor my talk to your group's specific needs and requirements and will offer the most reasonable fee that I possibly can.  Please don't assume that your group can't afford me.  I will work with you to make it happen.  Just visit www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com/speaker.html and then let's talk!

See you next month!!

Alice Cash

For nearly two decades, I've been helping people use the music that they already love to heal their lives and increase their wellness quotient!  I am one of the world's only clinical musicologists and hold  Bachelors and Masters degrees in piano performance, a Ph.D. in musicology and a Master of Social Work in clinical social work.  I am also a licensed clinical social worker. I work with people and diagnoses of all kinds, enabling them to find healing, acceptance and hope.

Many people assume that I am a music therapist but I am not.  I was trained originally as a concert pianist, then as a musicologist, then as a clinical social worker.  I love performing, researching, and teaching and have put them all together in a career called "Music Medicine."  However, the field of music therapy is much better known and has degree programs and credentialing  that is very valuable and important. 

 To hear me speak, and watch me in action "is to have a day that will amaze, educate, motivate, and inspire you!"  (Joanna Driver, meeting planner in England)  To hire me as a keynote speaker for your association or organization click here.