Tune in to KEXP on October 12 for Music Heals: Mental Health
On Thursday, October 12th, join KEXP for Music Heals: Mental Health, a day of programming dedicated to calling attention to the public health crisis that is depression and anxiety, and exploring how music can help us know we are not alone.
“Music has incredible power,” says KEXP Morning Show host John Richards. “I hear from listeners every day about a song or a lyric that helped them heal, process, grieve or just find the strength to go on. We hope that Music Heals: Mental Health can help listeners living with mental illness know that there is a whole community out here that cares about them. You’re not alone.”
From 6 AM to 6 PM (Pacific), KEXP will read listener stories and play listener requests for songs that helped them through a difficult period or mental health crisis. Listeners are invited to send their requests and stories about music’s impact on their mental health to stories@kexp.org.
KEXP will also air exclusive interviews with musicians who have experienced the impact of mental illness first hand.
“It’s okay to not be okay, and if you know somebody else who is not okay, it’s okay to tell somebody,” says Sarah Barthel of Phantogram, who has worked to raise awareness of mental illness and amplify suicide prevention efforts following the death by suicide of her sister, Becky. “I’m lucky enough that I’ve been able to have music to release my feelings and my emotions my entire life, and it’s so powerful that I’ve been able to use that for others, who maybe aren’t comfortable speaking out loud – they can listen to our lyrics and listen to our songs and connect.“
In the week leading up to the 12th, mental health advocates and service providers will also offer insights and share information about resources. Representatives from Punk Talks, Forefront UW, Women’s Therapy Referral Service, Mary’s Place, Seattle Counseling Services, and To Write Love On Her Arms will join KEXP on-air to talk about their programs and services.
“Music taps into our emotions, our memories, and our very physiology in ways nothing else can,” says Brandy Parris, MA, LMHC, a partner at Women’s Therapy Referral Service. “It can provide comfort, validation, encouragement, consolation, perspective, catharsis, community. It’s effects are powerful and profound.”
KEXP’s Music Heals: Mental Health programming follows Mental Health Awareness Week (October 1-7) and National Day Without Stigma (October 9th).
Music Heals: Mental Health carries on KEXP’s tradition of using curated music and stories from artists and listeners to explore difficult but universal topics, including KEXP’s annual Death & Music programming, and Music Heals: Cancer in Spring of 2017. More information and links to mental health resources are available at http://blog.kexp.org/musicheals/.
Programming Details
When: Thursday, October 12th, 6:00AM – 6:00PM Pacific
How to Listen: 90.3 FM in Seattle and streaming at KEXP.ORG and the KEXP app on Android and iOS.
Social Media: #musicheals
About KEXP
KEXP is a music-focused nonprofit arts organization serving music lovers and artists through in-person, broadcast, and online music programming. KEXP operates one of the most influential listener-supported music radio stations in the country, KEXP-FM, Seattle. More than 200,000 listeners from around the world tune in to the station each week over the air and online. On KEXP’s YouTube channel, videos of exclusive in-studio performances garner more than 2.4 million views per week. KEXP produces hundreds of live performances and music events each year, many of which are open to public audiences at no charge. More information at kexp.org.