(NEW YORK). According to The National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one-third of the U.S. population will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetimes And, with a national shortage of mental health care providers, the search is on for alternative therapies to support the needs of a post-pandemic population.
One pioneer in alternative therapies is Judith Pinkerton, Founder and CEO of Music4Life, who has achieved extraordinary success in the area of music therapy. “We use music to help people become more productive, resilient, energized, happier and peaceful,” Pinkerton says. “We do this through music therapists who encourage self-discovery of music listening habits with personalized coaching to develop effective playlists for healing.”
Pinkerton was the first recipient of the Aflac ACM Lifting Lives Honor. She has been in the news for decades about her Music Medicine and music therapy programs’ positive healing effects for thousands of people worldwide.
Pinkerton’s passion for music as a healing agent was ignited when her solo violin music replaced routine post-surgical high blood pressure medication in the hospital for a loved one. “That first experience ignited my passion for diving into music as a healing agent, and not just about performing.”
37 years later, Pinkerton found herself playing the violin for her father who lay dying in the Intensive Care Unit. “I was not prepared for the immediacy of my father dying with less than 24 hours’ notice,” she said. Instinctively, Pinkerton pulled out her violin and began performing a particular Bach movement that had special significance for her father and her. To everyone’s astonishment, the emergency music therapy brought him back from the brink. The medical team reported that his recovery was scientifically unexplainable and amazing to witness. “Music saved him,” Pinkerton says.
Under Pinkerton’s direction, Music4Life® has developed an evidence-based practice called the Music Medicine Protocol with foundations in neuroscience, psychology, music therapy principles, and research. This protocol has trained thousands of people since 1990, advancing the use of music prescriptively for emotion regulation and resiliency.
Adults, teens, and even children benefit from music therapy. In fact, a recent study published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies found that “the application of music therapy as an alternative treatment for ADHD children and adolescents showed positive neurophysiological and psychological effects.”
According to Pinkerton, “Music as Medicine” significantly reduces anxiety, anger, depression, and grief with long-term cathartic benefits that improve resiliency with consistent ability to relax and be happier. “We help people create their own ‘Music Medicine Pills®’” Pinkerton explains. “These ‘pills’ provide a transition to healthier emotions and positively impact health and engagement with life.”
Music4Life® healing programs and products are scalable for use in the home, travels, workplace, hospitals, and schools. Through trainings, eCourses, eBooks, live events, blogs, webinars, telemedicine, DIY products, and music therapy sessions, individuals can learn seventeen music therapy-informed treatment and prevention strategies. In addition, Pinkerton recently announced the approval of a patent to develop the Key2MEE.com Music APP that will make music therapy-informed strategies available to everyone with a smartphone. “Imagine accessing a mobile app that takes you through how to create your own Music Medicine Pill!” she exclaimed. “Our clients learn to be more productive, resilient, energized, happier, and peaceful.”
Judith Pinkerton developed the Music4Life® wellness system that translates the Music Medicine medical protocol into training programs and products available in telehealth, eCourses, and digital downloads. As a clinician and internship director, author, TEDx speaker, and recording artist, Pinkerton is the first to receive a music therapy license in the USA, issued by the Nevada State Board of Health and Department of Education. With over twenty years of experience in helping individuals improve their health through her Music Medicine Protocol, she has treated over 11,000 patients in addiction treatment centers.
Learn more at https://themusic4life.com.
