Music As Therapy

Well, what a weekend Transcend Trauma just had! We had the absolute privilege of spending 3 nights at the stunning Powderham Castle in Devon, listening to live music from Teddy Swims, Alanis Morrisette and Lewis Calpadi, along with some fantastic support acts. It was really special to be surrounded by people of all ages enjoying the music and singing along.

There was a theme over the weekend that we just had to share though, the importance of looking after your mental health. Teddy Swims opened the festival on Thursday, and in between his powerful numbers, he spoke openly about why music matters so much to him. He shared that he has recently lost some friends to mental ill health, and encouraged the crowd to check in with their friends and keep talking. There was something really powerful in listening to a man, a very masculine man, being so vulnerable and highlighting the need for us all to take care of ourselves and those we hold near.

Alanis Morrisette took us all back to the 90s on Friday, with classics from "Jagged Little Pill" along with her more recent hits. She was amazing, and the lyrics hit just as hard as they did when we were young. For both of us we found our inner children reacting that night, feeling connected to the music. It's fascinating though isn't it how music can take us to places and times in our lives and make us feel connected to a different version of ourselves? For C that was absolutely the inner teen, Alanis was the soundtrack to her A Levels and a fairly challenging period of time, where the music felt really appropriate to her. For G, she connected more to her inner child that evening. For her, 2 nights of standing and miles of walking had taken its toll on her physically and it tapped into a "not being good enough" feeling which sent a cascade of past emotions her way. But we practiced what we preach, we managed it by talking about it, then focused back on the present, the music, the atmosphere. 

On Sunday Lewis Capaldi closed the festival with his stunning vocals and dry wit! This weekend marked a year since he returned to performing following his break to work on his mental health. He spoke candidly about why he had needed to take time out and how happy he was to be back. He shared that he continues to have "dark days" and that he is still working on things. He repeatedly expressed gratitude that he was able to be back in front of such a big crowd again, and it was evident that he remains shocked that he has made it back to where he wants to be, and feared he could never be again. The crowd applauded him for sharing, in the same way that the Glastonbury crowd carried him on the day it all became too much 3 years ago. As he sung "Survive" the whole crowd were behind him.

Overall, here were 3 talented people with clear messages about self-care. Alanis didn't raise it on the night, but has shared previously that "I don't think I would still be here without therapy" speaking about trauma in her past and the multiple times she has experienced post-natal depression. It highlights the absolute need for us all to prioritise looking after ourselves mentally. That means different things to different people, but accepting that it is important is the first step.