Players and listeners alike love to say that music is their therapy, but not all of them realize the idea has a firm grounding in scientific reality. With March marking Music Therapy Awareness Month all across Canada, there’s no better time to put two events on your April calendar that are poised to reveal just how much music and a well-curated playlist can keep the human mind, body and soul on an even keel.
Presented by renowned expert and advocate Jennifer Buchanan along with some of her team from JB Music Therapy, the online events will approach the topic from two different perspectives.
The general public is the audience for “What is Music Therapy,” a free webinar being hosted on Wednesday, April 17. The event will provide an introduction to the use of music therapy in everything from the medical field to online music therapy to employee assistance programs. (Read more and register at https://info.jbmusictherapy.com/publicseminar/)
One day earlier, on Tuesday, April 16, working professionals like psychologists, counsellors and other mental health professionals including music therapists can attend a paid workshop that delves deep into the use of music, and in particular the power of a playlist as an effective treatment in clinical settings. And they can even earn continuing education credits while they do it. (Space is limited; sign up at https://info.jbmusictherapy.com/coursesforclinicians/)
“There is so much scientific, clinical and personal evidence that proves music improves health and well-being,” Buchanan says. “Music can be a sure friend, and I believe there is no better way to give our mental health the care it needs than through the right music, at the right time and in the right way.”
If anyone can make such a statement with authority, it’s Buchanan, a true trailblazer in her field who has been championing the benefits of music therapy for over three decades. As a music therapist herself, she has been instrumental in introducing music therapy to hundreds of individuals and organizations across Canada. And as a keynote speaker and author of best-sellers like 2021’s Wellness, Wellplayed: The Power of a Playlist, she’s introduced countless new converts to the vital function music performs in helping people recover from physical and emotional trauma—not to mention its proactive use in fostering everyday well-being. Those are all especially important considerations in these challenging times, when the scourges of social alienation, work-related stress and homelife pressures have just about everyone feeling overwhelmed and searching for a little harmony.
Buchanan holds both an MTA (designating her as a Certified Music Therapist) and an MBA in social entrepreneurship. A former President and Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists, she’s now a Director at the National Music Centre (NMC), where she holds regular public presentations on the ability of music to stimulate the brain and improve mood, memory and motivation.
Her company, JB Music Therapy is home to a diverse team of Certified Music Therapists who treat clients of all ages in medical, educational and community-care environments. The company has been nominated three times for the Community Impact Award by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and frequently partners with corporations, healthcare institutions and law-enforcement agencies. Buchanan and her work have been profiled in publications like The Guardian, The Huffington Post and The Globe and Mail, giving her a wider platform to explain music’s critical relationship to heart health, neuro-rehabilitation and overall well-being.
“Just like our physical health, our mental health requires attention—perhaps now more than ever,” Buchanan says. “When you are in transition or feeling lost, music can be the lifeline you need to get you through to the next step. Even during the most challenging of times, it can reassure us that everything is going to be okay.”
