5 Benefits of Musician Mental Health Support Group
Hey y’all! We are currently three months in since our monthly Musician Mental Health Support Group launched. The individuals who have stopped by and taken the time not only to check in on their own mental well being, but also on the state of their fellow musicians has been really remarkable to see.
This space was created for you. You are the creatives who drive this local music scene. This group helps us share the triumphs and trials of pursuing music as a profession. Your perspective has begun to inform my own, and I am grateful for that.
We plan to continue on with this group and our awesome hangs facilitated by Eli Flynn. But I thought it could be worthwhile to share some takeaways I have experienced from attending the group.
Meeting monthly at Muck Duck Studio!
You may have not been a part of something like this before. It totally makes sense to me if you feel a little nervous, or maybe you feel too busy, or maybe you are unsure if the whole group connection thing is for you! That is okay.
But I had never been a part of something like this before and now I get so excited every week it’s on my calendar. So maybe some of my perspective can help you!
5 Takeaways:
1. Sessions are Geared Toward You
The minute you walk in and meet Eli, and see the other folks who are familiar with the space, you will very quickly understand the vibe of the evening is based upon a collection of what YOU and those around you need. Sure - Eli has some plan of questions and thoughts he wants to share. But from my experience, nothing has been forced or demanded from us. The process of talking and sharing with one another feels incredibly organic, and the best part? Even if you don’t want to share, that is okay too.
2. Opportunity to Jam
I was and still am always nervous jamming. I am a singer/songwriter to my core, and most of my songs are 3 very basic chords. But I’ll tell you what, I have freaking loved these jams! Again it’s a huge testament to Eli who can somehow over a basic rhythm incorporate songs from the Jackson 5 to Tom Petty to Taylor Swift. People laugh, they shred a little bit, and if you flub a note - no one will think twice about it.
3. “Hell Yeah” vs. “I Quit”
This has been one of my favorite prompts used in our mental health group. We are asked to share a moment from our week that either felt like “Hell Yeah” - meaning we had a moment of success or joy from music. However, we also get a chance to share the “I Quit” - a moment where things got hard and we might have said those harsh words to ourselves. Regardless of where the conversation goes - my bet is you will find validation.
4. Muck Studio is a Vibe
This one is easy - you get to come and see a dope new venue in the ROC! The team at Muck Duck is awesome at creating a space that is fun, welcoming, and open to new styles of expression. I haven’t sat on a couch that wasn’t comfy, or seen a piece of art on the walls that wasn’t beautiful.
5. Connection
You knew we had to sneak it in there right… Come on! The whole bread and butter of this thing. We want to be able to form new connections and relationships with others in the scene. So often we are able to find success and momentum faster in this scene when we take time to slow down and talk with those doing similar work.
And that’s all I have for you today. I hope you can come check out what Eli and our crew has cookin’. Our work with the Local Sound starts by taking care of you - the local musicians in our community who make it all possible.
Ray Mahar
Executive Director
ray@thelocalsoundcollaborative.org