Healing Harmonies: How Music Transforms Mental Health and Trauma
- Kyle Clow
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
Music has long been recognized for its power to move us, uplift us, and even bring us to tears. But beyond entertainment, could it be a profound tool for mental health and healing? On a recent episode of "Your Head in Mind," host Kyle explored this very question with two incredible guests: Sinead Bales, a singer-songwriter living with EUPD/BPD, and Rick DellaRatta, a jazz musician and founder of Jazz for Peace. Their shared experiences powerfully illustrate how music can transform individual struggles and even foster global healing.
Sinead's Journey: Music as an Emotional Compass
Sinead Bales's journey with mental health has been a long and challenging one, culminating in a diagnosis of EUPD (Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder), also known as BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), at age 29. She candidly shares how this diagnosis, though initially unfamiliar, brought crucial clarity and validation after years of struggle since childhood.
For Sinead, music has been more than just a passion; it's been a lifelong companion and a vital coping mechanism. As a musician and singer-songwriter, she describes music as "the key to the soul," providing an essential outlet for self-expression. She strategically uses different types of music—from high-frequency sounds to chilled lo-fi, instrumental, and classical—to regulate her nervous system and manage the intense emotions and anxiety associated with EUPD/BPD. After her previous band ended, she faced a period of identity loss and writer's block, but found renewed purpose and healing by diving into new music projects, demonstrating music's power to aid in self-discovery and emotional stability.
Rick's Mission: Music as Global Therapy
Rick DellaRatta, a celebrated jazz musician, echoes Sinead's sentiments about music's therapeutic power, but on an even broader scale. For Rick, music is not just therapy for the listener, but profoundly healing for the musician as well. He finds meditation and clarity through his instrument, believing deeply in music's "healing powers, spiritual powers." He even notes the detrimental effects of "bad music," citing its use as a form of torture.
Rick's most impactful contribution is the "Jazz for Peace" initiative, born from the tragic events of 9/11. Driven by a poem he wrote in the aftermath, he felt compelled to live its words, evolving from recitals to organizing global benefit concerts. Jazz for Peace organically grew into an international movement, garnering recognition from figures like Michael Bloomberg and Barack Obama, and leading to tours in places like Africa. Through music, Rick and Jazz for Peace have brought healing and support to communities impacted by trauma and displacement, showcasing music's ability to transcend cultural barriers and foster peace.
A Shared Philosophy: Music as a Path to Well-being
Both Sinead and Rick, from their unique vantage points, illuminate the profound therapeutic capacity of music and the arts. Whether it's an individual managing intense emotional states, or a global movement fostering peace in the wake of tragedy, music provides a powerful path to expression, coping, and healing. It underscores the idea that finding creative outlets can be a cornerstone of mental well-being, offering a universal language for processing pain, finding joy, and connecting with others.
As their conversation on "Your Head in Mind" revealed, the harmonies of healing can truly transform lives, one note, one song, one shared moment at a time.
Continue the Conversation: Listen to Your Head in Mind
To hear more about Sinead Bales's personal journey with EUPD/BPD and music, and Rick DellaRatta's inspiring mission with Jazz for Peace, tune into the full episode of "Your Head in Mind."
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