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Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Al-Anon Family Group -> Al-Anon Family Group -> Combining group work and therapy...
Post Info TOPIC: Combining group work and therapy...
DavidG


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Combining group work and therapy...
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  aww Something I am working on- plus heaps and heaps of group based journalling here. smile...

 

USING MUSIC AS THERAPY...
 
I think some of us invent ways of getting better.
I am lucky in a way- outside of the USA.
Appropriate therapy is a long way off here- even more so on my budget!
Four years ago I found out I could not hear properly out of my left ear. The status quo was my norm.
I had suffered gross neglect as a kid and it does appear I had bouts of glue ear. With a bit of help this ear cleared up and I could hear in stereo.
I could pick up the timbre and nuance in people's speech.
I could actually understand where they were coming from- without constantly having to second guess them!
Oh boy.
I can hear the lyrics in song s now- work out what they are all about.
This song was one of the first I heard as a kid. It came out on the radio when ah were two years old.
Saturday afternoon, here in NZ- so i thought i would take another look at it.
in my meditation this week this number just popped back into my head!
The whole song, really talks about how kids were raised in the 50's and 60's.
My how things have changed since then.
The verse is what I remember.
These songs promote memory growth. Memory does not discriminate between good and bad stuff.
So we got both really and lot of bits in between... biggrin

 

 

 

 



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Overcome


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Boy that's an oldie and one I hadn't heard before. Brings back memories of my own childhood and listening to music. My favorite song as a child was "I don't want to grow up" from Peter pan movie. I had a good childhood and couldn't have foresaw what my life would be as a grown-up (four failed alcoholic marriages). Now 29 years into the Al-anon program I have a lot to be grateful for, yes my childhood is one as I see time and time again those that have grown up in alcoholic homes in these rooms, that was indeed a blessing to have a good and loving home in my childhood. I have belonged to many al-anon home groups over the last 29 years due to moving and such. I am grateful for each and everyone of them, the last one being MIP chat room and this message board for the last 15+ years. Boy I didn't realize I had been here that long until I did the math! LOL

Music is indeed a form of therapy and one of the last things our memories cling to. My mother had Alzheimer's but the one thing she was able to remember was her ability to play the piano and hymns. She was a piano teacher and our church's pianist for many years. I'm sure that the music reached that part of her memory that nothing else could.

DavidG I'm sorry for the loss of your hearing in your ear. What exactly is 'glue ear' is that a NZ term? I have not heard of it here in the US. It must be amazing to be able to hear again and listen to the words in songs from your childhood. I used to play the piano when I was a kid (the benefits of having a mom as a piano teacher) my favorite song to play was "Ten little Indians"...you know the one that goes, "One little two little three little Indians; four little five little six little Indians. Seven little eight little Indians, nine little Indians; ten little Indian boys."

Thanks for sharing your childhood with us and those precious memories and helping to bring back some of my own. :)



-- Edited by Overcome on Saturday 5th of December 2020 08:46:44 AM

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Lyne


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Thanks David and OC for the walk down memory lane. I don't know that particular song but I remember listening to the Everly Brothers, Fabian, and other such early rock and rollers in my childhood. And it was a very unpleasant childhood, so music certainly helped me through. And that also pertains to today--I would say music has helped me through my entire life. The songs and artists change, but the comfort and soothing remains the same. Music must be one of God's gifts....

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Lyne
PosiesandPuppies


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"Music must be one of God's gifts..." indeed Lyne, indeed!

I know that music touches the soul like nothing else. For me, it can bring back memories complete with the scents as well! I don't know that song David, but I loved your share!

Overcome - I had read an article about that very thing! I also witnessed last month a video that went viral of an aging ballerina with Alzheimer's who when exposed to the music of Swan Lake , she began to do the movements with her arms. The video showed a performance of hers when she was in her prime, side by side. It was so touching I cried!! If I am ever afflicted with Alzheimer's, I hope someone plays music for me!!



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DavidG


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 aww Nice to hear about your love of music. In our family there was drinking, and drinking. Not much fun and laughter at all. Definitely no dancing and singing. I lived on a farm and was lactose intolerant. This caused a nuisance to my health. Glue ear in NZ is a disease of poverty really. I think the wax just dries up in the ear canal and blocks the sound. Now I can hear properly- the world has opened up to me.

I had a terrible rough time at our NZ treatment centre. Went there as a family member. Came out in a far worst state. If I had a say I would go through a check-list with clients- to look at stressors that could be fixed.

One thing I hadn't mentioned here was breathing function. I have addressed this. I had sleep apnea bad. I was panic breathing- pure and simple. I retrained my body to deep breath and to nose breath. My suicidal thoughts went away. As a kid i had pneumonia which was not treated, or even noticed- and that was my default position. I learned to work hard- but I could not run properly because I could not fill my lungs. The reason why I felt awful all the time was because  was drowning from within- gasping for air.

Awareness, acceptance, action.

Initially it is extremely hard to work out what is going on.

People need tests and practitioners with open mind. aww ...



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