Therapy Jam Sessions
The Billboard Hot 100 provides a fascinating reflection of American culture. When I see artists like Morgan Wallen absolutely crushing it on this chart, I know I’m going to be in business for a long time. Wallen’s sound has heart, catchy rhythms taken directly from contemporary R&B and mixed with some classic country sounds –…
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If you are emerging from entanglement with a person, or people, that mattered to you, this song might be your spring jam. It is a song about knowing who you’ve become and where you’re going. It is about differentiating from those who cannot met you “across the plane.” Its metaphors detail manipulative attempts to pull…
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This post is how Lin Manuel Miranda’s final version of the song, “Burn,” in his musical Hamilton, is an example of choosing more mindful empowering thoughts and actions over your “first draft” reactivity, even when you are heartbroken. As fiery as the “First Burn” draft is, the final version is the most powerful. The final…
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“Good Morning Gorgeous” is Mary J Blige’s latest Grammy nominated earworm that reminds us of how affirmations can change your life. In the interlude before the song, we overhear Blige talking about how she conceptualized the song from her own experience of waking up and saying, “Good Morning, Gorgeous.” She describes this ritual as a…
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Kendrick Lamar’s most confessional and controversial album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, had me hooked within the first few verses of the first track, “United in Grief:” “I went out and got me a therapist.” With that line, and many references to therapy sprinkled throughout the songs and interludes, the whole album makes sense…
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“It’s Bad Bitch O’Clock, yeah, it’s thick-thirty…” may have been the most mindful declaration of 2022. It is a statement of intention in the here and now. It is a statement of power. It tells you what time it is. So often mindfulness practice leans towards serenity and calm. But Lizzo’s smash hit, About Damn…
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I was originally inspired to create this blog when I noticed how much certain songs connect and overlap with the powerful feelings and experiences discussed in therapy. This song was one of them. In Beth Crowley’s, Monster, I hear a familiar reactivity. I hear the experience of people who don’t mean to lose it, but…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk5j_DCAP70 Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! As part of the celebration, I am reflecting on Celia Cruz’s salsa classic, La Vida es Un Carnival. This song could be an anthem for anyone pushing through challenges over the past years. It’s a simple rhythmic 4/4 beat that motivates: “Just. Keep. Go. -Ing!” With each downbeat: on…
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“Bring Me to Life” is one of my favorite karaoke songs. I don’t think I am alone in this. It is so very emotive and dramatic to perform the 2003 rendition. There are these operatic female vocals and then the male voice just gets to yell some extra stuff. The story behind this song also…
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This song expresses the flooded angry thoughts of a person betrayed by someone (or someones) they believed they could trust. As aggressive as some of the lyrics are, anyone who has experienced this level of betrayal can likely relate with these words. If you’ve ever been through something like this, similar thoughts and imagery may…
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