Well, today’s theme sent me a few years into the past.
Back in the 1980’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s. I had a huge therapy practice, in a huge, supportive Therapy Community.
Music, in many styles and forms, was a huge part of the work I did. I would play music for my groups or hand-pick songs for individual clients. I would also give the homework assignment to go out and find a theme song (“I will Not Be Broken” by Bonnie Raitt) or a power song (“I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty). It was a great, right brain way for clients to continue their personal work outside the group therapy setting. We would use music in group to relax, let down, access emotions, get energized, fight back, you name it.
And I used the more quiet pieces for visualizations, hypnosis, etc.
A funny story…I heard an album once (on a homemade cassette, just to let you know how long ago) that I fell in love with. It was almost all instrumental and quite different from the rock music I usually assigned to clients. Maybe it stirred something in my cellular memory because it was so Irish. (My name was Kathleen Kelly!)
I thought the name of the album was Crystal River, so I searched everywhere for it…combed through record stores, called radio stations, etc. I really wanted this album. Every song was so different and effectively triggered or enhanced different moods.
I could never find it.
Then I had a dream one night, with this very music playing in the background. In the dream I said out loud to whomever,
“Oh, it’s not called ‘Crystal River’. It’s called ‘Jewel Lake‘!!”
Memory…a funny thing. And dreams, so helpful sometimes.
Anyway, here is the song I thought of for today’s theme of Comfort. It’s the only song on the album with Lyrics. It’s also a beautiful video.
The rest of this album is great also, not all quiet and comforting like this song, some very energizing and uplifting. I think you can sample it here.
https://heartsofspacerecords.bandcamp.com/album/jewel-lake
I really must have my grandson’s help me find a current way to play music like this.
Wonder if I can get it on Spotify…..
