Music works. For many reasons. Pain relief, inspiration, connection, and relaxation. You may use music to soundtrack your workout, as background while making dinner, to fall asleep.

There is evidence that listening to music can reduce the need for pain medication by as much as 50%. That healing happens faster to music. That anxiety and stress measurably improve in the presence of music. More importantly, to use music this way doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a therapist or even a musician: even non-musical people can quickly learn the basics of using music skillfully for self-care and reliably use those skills with great results.

During the month of January 2021, Music Care is organizing a collaborative of faith-based and music organizations in the San Diego County area to “teach the teachers” – to roll out the basics of music for self-care to at least 1,000 church and music leaders who can then teach others in their area of influence.

Why?

In addition to physical relief, music also provides mental and emotional relief, and in a very beautiful and holistic way, music facilitates spiritual connection. Think of worship music, or a concert, where everyone in the audience hears the music and just “gets it.” Everyone needs the power of music; let’s open that possibility and sustain it with proven standards and simple how-to that anyone can learn and deploy.

That’s why we want to deploy 1,000 music care teachers – pastors, ministers, musicians, lay caregivers, and leaders – who can teach others in their organizations how to use this beautiful, powerful, and free resource to improve the level of care for everyone, the interconnectivity of everyone, the resilience and inspiration of everyone under their care.

Let’s do this.

Music should be understood as a self-care tool for everyone. Bill Protzmann at Music Care is committed to serving his community through teaching self-care using music to under-served and at-risk audiences: people suffering from post-traumatic stress, traumatic blast injury and other combat issues not yet fully understood by science; the homeless; chronic substance abusers and inmates in the justice system.