Enabling and Empowerment

'To be interested involves both effort and attention, often leading to exploration and invention, a wish to expand the self by incorporating new experiences with the person or object that stimulated the interest. Clearly, again we see the relevance of musical activities, i.e., listening and improvising, to stimulate interest and curiosity. In fact, this may be the prime reason why music is so useful in many therapeutic setting.'

Even Ruud, Music Therapy - A Perspective from the Humanities

I visited QA hospital yesterday to meet with Vanessa, the Respiratory Nurse, to talk to her about the Breathe Easy singing groups I'm planning on setting up in Portsmouth in September. Having done the training with the Blf (British Lung Foundation) in April, I, along with other vocal practitioners all over the country, will be starting groups to help people with COPD and Asthma to get into the habit of better breathing. It was a great meeting, really inspiring and such a relief to be able to talk to someone who knew what you were talking about. The day I've found a venue, Drayton Institute, is a Monday morning and this fits well with the clinics they run on Tuesday and Thursdays. So, there ain't no stopping me now! Posters will be done and the word will be spread! The Blf fund the project for three months, then we'll have to find some money after that. I'm covering a group in Bitterne over the summer, that Sandra leads, so it will be good to see what they do.