Welcome to The Sound Effect, a talk and music show hosted by Dr. Sangeeta Swamy exploring how music and sound affect our physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional lives. Beginning June 11, 2012, tune in live every Tuesday from 6-6:30 pm, EST on WCOM, 103.5 FM in Carrboro and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, or stream online to hear interviews with local and national experts, stories of healing, the latest research, personal reflections and tips on how to use music to empower your life. Airing on community radio, the Sound Effect is an educational program designed for the general public and is free of traditional advertising and commercials. However, if you would like to be an underwriter for the show, click here to find out more information.
Music therapy with military service members: An interview with Rebecca Vaudreuil
In this podcast, find out how board certified music therapist Rebecca Vaudreuil uses singing and songwriting to help military service members cope with post traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and rebuild relationships with their families. Through the military outreach program at Resounding Joy, a nonprofit organization serving under-served populations in San Diego, California, hear about the struggles that service members experience, how music empowers them, and listen to music composed and performed by veterans. To find out more about Resounding Joy, visit www.resoundingjoyinc.org or email Rebecca at rvaudreuil@resoundingjoyinc.org.
The music played on this show was written and composed by military service members during music therapy groups and individual sessions:
No Freedom
Heaven is Livin’
God’s Gift – A Second Chance (performed by Rebecca Vaudreuil and a client with traumatic brain injury)
Aquafluage
Click below to hear a podcast of this program:
Death Valley, sacred silence and sound shamanism: An interview with violinist Jennifer Curtis
How does a career as a European classical violinist intersect with sound healing? In this interview, violinist Jennifer Curtis takes us on an extraordinary journey of how she turned family disease, personal heartbreak and a trip to Death Valley into sacred silence, synchronicity, and study with a Peruvian sound shaman. Hear about the humanistic motivation behind her award winning and passionate performances, how she uses sound healing on stage to reach audience members, and her upcoming chamber music and sound healing workshop at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
Click below to hear the podcast for this program.
More than a song: An interview with Dr. Barbara Dunn
In this program, Dr. Barbara Dunn, a music therapist from Seattle, Washington, talks about her new book, More Than a Song: Exploring the Healing Art of Music Therapy. Director of the music therapy program at Whidbey General Hospital, she shares stories and songs from her work with patients with AIDS, lung disease, labor contractions, panic attacks and pain. Through songwriting, vocalizing, music relaxation, and other techniques, she speaks about the influence of Buddhist psychology in her approach and the importance of being present and meeting patients where they are at. Her book is published through the University Book Store Press in Seattle. To contact her or to order a copy of her book, visit www.barbaradunn.com.
Music:
I will Remember You — Barbara Dunn
Old Devil Time — Pete Seeger
We Have Come This Far — Barbara Dunn
Sing A Lullaby — Barbara Dunn
Click below to hear a podcast of this program.
Music in Mind-Body Medicine: An interview with Jon Seskevich and Dr. Vera Moura
Music is becoming more and more prominent in medical and wellness settings, a medium of choice in mind-body therapies and stress reduction paradigms. In this podcast, registered nurse Jon Seskevich with the Duke University Health System and Dr. Vera Moura from the University of North Carolina Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation share the skills they utilize in their workshops and at the bedside through vocal toning, chanting, guided visualizations and freeform movement to music. Founded in energy medicine, spirituality, and integrative medicine, they also talk about their supporting clinical research using music and other modalities to reduce symptoms and increase well being. For more information or to contact Jon, visit www.managestressnow.com, www.bluegrasskirtan.com, or www.universalchanting.com. Dr. Moura can be reached through the medical school at the University of North Carolina.
Click on the play button below to listen to this podcast.
Music in end of life care: an interview with Dr. Amy Clements-Cortes
How do you say goodbye to a loved one when you are dying? How can music help a person at the end of their life feel a sense of peace and resolution? Dr. Amy Clements-Cortes, a board certified music therapist practicing and teaching in Canada, shares moving stories about her clients and songs written together in the final stages of their lives. She also talks about one of her recent CDs, Relaxation Journeys, and the inspiration behind how she created it. To order copies of her recordings or contact her, visit http://www.notesbyamy.com.
Click below to listen to the podcast.
Music and the Imagination
In this program, hear about how music can be used to stimulate the imagination for healing and empowerment. Listen to answers to questions from listeners about the relationship between pop stars and healing music, learn how to choose music for a supportive music imagery experience, and try out a sample guided imagery session. In conclusion, Dr. Swamy discusses how she used live music and imagery to help “Elizabeth,” a 9 year old girl heal from abandonment and abuse, and shares a recording of the song they created together from this experience.
Music:
Serenade for Strings in E Major — Antonin Dvorak
One Moment in Time — Whitney Houston
Native Funk — Burning Sky
The Lion Sleeps Tonight — Lady Mbule
Farewell to Stromness — the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Invocation — Shyam Smaranam
Veena-Murali — Ravi Shankar (Chants of India)
The Sun is Setting — “Elizabeth”
Click below to hear a podcast of this show.
Reaching professional goals through MUSE-IC Coaching: an interview with Kathleen O’Grady
In this interview, certified professional coach Kathleen O’Grady discusses how she combines playlists of recorded music with traditional coaching techniques, helping clients to slow down, reflect, and connect with their inner voice or “authentic inner genius” and reach their coaching goals in a unique way. Kathleen identifies how she differentiates between therapy and coaching, songs and stories of client successes, and how she chose music for Sangeeta’s virtual Muse-ic Coaching session. For more information, questions about Muse-ic Coaching, or to reach Kathleen, visit http://www.raleighcoaching.com.
Click below to hear a podcast of this show.
“Musical Echolalia” in non-verbal children with autism: an interview with Dr. Krystal Demaine
Many children with autism spectrum disorders display what is known as “echolalia,” an imitation of speech, sounds, movies, or television scripts without inflection or emotional expression. Echolalia is considered dysfunctional by many experts, and can be seen as a barrier or impediment to communicating or interacting with others. However, new research by Dr. Krystal Demaine shows how the use of music can transform this natural imitative behavior into socially engaged and meaningful communication. In this interview, Dr. Demaine describes several forms of musical echolalia, shares excerpts of her work singing and drumming with young children, and offers suggestions for parents and caregivers to meet the needs of their children and increase a sense of bonding through musical exploration. To find out more about her work or to contact Dr. Demaine, visit http://musicalecholalia.blogspot.com/.
Click below to hear an excerpt of this podcast.
Shostakovich and the mysterious healing
“What is this mysterious medium that moves and heals us?” How does music work as a therapeutic and wellness tool? What does it look like? Where did these practices begin? This show starts out with Dr. Sangeeta Swamy’s experience with the Chagall String Quartet, and how an audience member’s story of healing led her to discover the therapeutic powers of music. Learn about professions such as sound healing, music practitioners, music therapy, and music thanatology and find out about the work these healers do with everyday children, teens and adults across the country.
Click here to listen to a podcast of this show:
Related links:
American Music Therapy Association
Music:
On the Wings of Horses/Peter Rowan
Shostakovich Quartet No. 7/St. Petersburg String Quartet
Awake/Peter Mayer
Heart Chakra/Jonathon Goldman/Chakra Chants
Sacred Stones/Sheila Chandra
Heart Chakra/Tibetan Chakra Meditations/Christina Mitchell and Ben Scott
Sri Venkatash/Bombay Jayashri
Halloween Blues and improvisations/personal recordings
Rosa Mystica/Therese Shroeder-Sheker
The Sound Effect 