A broken arm. A death in the family. Divorce. A car accident. A serious illness. How do we cope with stressors like these? At times we find that no matter what comes at us we are able to cope and recover quickly. On other occasions we feel helpless or powerless in the face of […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Almost three weeks ago, I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon—my first full marathon! After training for months so that I could run 26.2 miles, I spent the past two weeks taking a hard-earned break from running. Now that it’s time to start up again, I thought I’d treat myself to a new workout playlist of […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...You may recall that several months ago we featured a series of posts about using music for relaxation. In one of these posts, Dr. Bruce Rabin, Director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Healthy Lifestyle Program, spoke about how people can reduce their stress by listening to music they like. Since many people look […]
2 Comments. Continue Reading...Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared what researchers and PSO Violist Penny Brill have to say about finding pain relief through music. As mentioned in previous posts, finding the appropriate music to use for pain management depends on your circumstances and personal taste. However, if you would like to listen to music to […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...After PSO Violist Penny Brill discovered she had breast cancer, she used music, as well as many other tools, to manage her pain before, during, and after surgeries. Although music supported her in countless situations, the songs she found most helpful varied based on a number of factors, including her emotional state. For instance, […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...When PSO Violist Penny Brill received a breast cancer diagnosis in 1999, she faced a number of challenges, including fear and uncertainty about the future. In an interview with WWFM last fall, Penny explained how music helped her cope with these feelings. She spoke about listening to music, especially Irish music, which has “a […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Have you ever tried to relieve pain through music? I definitely have. I’ve occasionally sung songs in my head to distract myself from the brief but stinging pain of getting a shot or having blood drawn. This strategy helps me forget about the pain I’m feeling, and research suggests that others benefit from this […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...Did you know that April is Autism Awareness Month? To celebrate, we’d like to supplement our recent article on music and autism research with a new post sharing resources you can explore if you want to find music therapy services, apps, or suggested musical activities for individuals with autism. Autism Speaks, a leading research […]
No Comments. Continue Reading...On a cold day last January, special education teacher Mary Crummie made the trip from Monroeville to downtown Pittsburgh so the students in her class could experience the PSO in its home of Heinz Hall. Mary’s class attended the PNC Tiny Tots concert “Harold and the Purple Crayon: The Giant Garden.” Before the concert […]
2 Comments. Continue Reading...Several weeks ago I visited AIU3’s Sunrise School, which serves children and young adults with disabilities. I made the trek out to Monroeville to interview Mary Crummie, a special education teacher who regularly uses music to create enjoyable and memorable learning experiences for the students in her classroom. Since Mary teaches children in grades […]
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