Healing Through Creativity – Music and Whole Person Health: Musicians and Healers share some insights on creativity and healing

Summary: In this week’s Healing Through Creativity, host Dr. Desiree Cox (http://www.desireecox.com)reflects on conversations with Mr Joel Andrews (http://www.harpofgold.com)and Ed Mikenas (http://www.edmikenas.org/), both professional musicians and healers about their work, healing gifts and practices, and how their work helps clients on their journey of being whole. Joel Andrews is a harpist, composer, author, and he was the pioneer music healer in America. He tours and presents concerts and workshops worldwide. Captivating international audiences with his exquisite music for over 30 years, Andrews has produced 33 recordings, including collaborations with Paul Horn and the Paul Winter Consort. He was presented in Town Hall, New York, with critical acclaim and has soloed with the San Francisco Symphony under Arthur Fiedler. ‘The healing works at a non-verbal vibrational level’, says Andrews. ‘I’m not doing the healing. I have my part, but it’s happening through the higher realms,’ Andrews insists as he reflects on his work with individual clients. Cox then moves away from individual healing work of Andrews to reflect on an earlier conversation with Ed Mikenas who works with groups. Mikenas has develop particular hand drumming techniques to help addicts and teenagers recover from addition and learn and embody new skills that support them living healthier lives. Ed Mikenas is a professional musician (with a Masters Degree in Music from the Manhattan School of Music in NYC), a certified substance abuse counselor, and the Director of Non-Residential Services for the City of Lynchburg’s Department of Juvenile Services. His main instrument is the double bass. However, over the past fifteen years Ed has been focusing on drumming as a therapeutic tool. He’s developed his own unique method of using hand drums for healing and well-being. It is a method which is becoming increasing accepted in certain healthcare and academic settings around the US, one of these being Radford University, where Ed developed the Drumming on the Edge of Leadership curriculum for the Waldron School of Social Work. Ed’s work as been referenced in prestigious academic journals, such as the American Journal of Public Health, as well as a book published by Oxford University Press. Find out more about music and whole-person health creativity in this week’s conversation with Joel Andrews and Ed Mikenas. You can also find out more about Dr. Desiree Cox on her website www.desireecox.com (http://www.desireecox.com)