music is our medicine
Recovery Unplugged Texas Receives JACHO’s Gold Seal of Approval
In another demonstration of their commitment to the highest quality of care for the patients they serve, Recovery Unplugged is delighted to…
How Music-Based Therapy Promotes Positive Mental Health
Recovery Unplugged has established its entire treatment philosophy based on the inherent healing properties of music-based therapy. We have seen first-hand how…
When Classical Goes Clinical: The Best Composers to Listen to While Healing
Let’s face it: not all of us are ready to turn on Rachmaninoff when we come home from work at the end…
The Impact of Music in Physical and Psychological Wellness
Morrissey once asked: “Does the body rule the mind or does the mind rule the body?” His ultimate conclusion was “I don’t…
A Chat with Blues Songwriter Marci Chevian-Hooper
If there’s one woman who has earned the title of “Ms.”, it’s Connecticut singer/songwriter Marci Chevian-Hooper, known henceforth as Ms. Marci. If you’re lucky enough to ever engage her in conversation, whether it’s about her life, her music, her recovery, her experiences or anything in between, it’s hard not to feel like you’re talking to the First Lady of Modern Blues. Recovery Unplugged had the recent fortune of speaking to Ms. Marci about her exceptional and somewhat unlikely life in music, as well as how it as sustained her recovery. The pleasure was all on our side of the telephone….
Sing Your Life: The Positive Impact of Singing on the Brain
Ever notice how we often sing when we’re excited, exuberant or motivated? This is not a coincidence. Nor is it a coincidence…
Kentucky Hospital Uses Music Therapy to Wean Babies Off of Opiate Addiction
The power of music to heal addiction is being taken a step further at a hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Physicians at Cosair…
Recovery Unplugged Talks with Music Legend Darryl McDaniels
When we buy a record or a ticket to a live show, we tend to focus only on the finished product: the way the beat drops, the way the lyrics cut and resonate, the way the production evokes inexplicable emotion. Very few of us are thinking about what it took for the musicians to gain the confidence and impetus they needed to write the music, record it, get on stage to perform, and to keep performing. While we’re not so naïve as to ignore the decades-long relationship between popular music and substance abuse, it’s hard to imagine that this relationship can start so early. After speaking with hip-hop pioneer and founding member of Run-DMC, Darryl McDaniels, it became painfully clear just how deep this relationship often runs. What stood out most from our conversation, however, was the demonstration of music’s power to save lives rather than complicate them….
What Can EDM Fans’ Brains Tell Us about Addiction?
Researchers from the University of Melbourne are attempting to study the brains of fans of electronic dance music (EDM) to gain further…
The Special Plight of the Touring Musician in Recovery
Summer is when touring musicians of all stripes hit the road to connect with their fans and expect their audiences. Touring is a fact of life for most musicians, and a great way stay immersed in their music while taking it to new cities and listeners; it can also be challenging for musicians who are in recovery, regardless of how far along they are on their journey….
Intriguing Facts about Music Therapy for Addiction
The answer to the question of how to define “music” must be so elemental it almost defies explanation. How can you have…
The Evolving Depiction of Addiction Symbols in Popular Culture
Over the past few years, the themes of addiction and chemical dependency have been more and more prevalent in the television shows and movies we consume. This past winter, Netflix released two new series (Love and Flaked) that, while taking two decidedly different approaches to the concept, put addiction front and center several times during their respective seasons. The critically acclaimed HBO series Girls has also touched on the theme, while its network partner-series Vinyl has maintained it as a recurring source of dysfunction for its main character and his wife. This is, of course, in addition to the popular Showtime Series Nurse Jackie, which ran from 2009-2015 and focused on addiction as its primary narrative….
Art Therapy Can Improve Drug Treatment Outcomes
Addiction treatment is often a combination of medical treatment, psychological treatment, behavioral modification and peer support. It isn’t an exact science, and many strategies have been used over the years in an attempt to “cure” people of their addiction. Traditionally, treatment centers often use a combination of behavioral therapy, peer support, 12 step programs and a structured, supervised environment to help clients overcome addiction….
Music Therapy Makes the Difference
We are always saying that music makes the difference….
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler Visits Recovery Unplugged
We were blessed to have a lifetime friend to Richie, Steven Tyler, who was in Florida to visit the Recovery Unplugged drug rehab center yesterday. Steven and Richie’s history goes all the way back to the 70’s, playing music and causing a raucous in New York. As their fame grew, the availability of drugs grew, and the glamorous rock-and-roll party lifestyle took hold. Both men are known around the world as notorious party animals. Richie and Steven shared stories with the clients about their experiences on the road, dealing with their addictions, and the subsequent bottom their respective consequences brought them. The main focus of the day though: recovery. Both Steven and Richie are two of the most passionate people when it comes to recovery, queue the music and the duo have so much love and compassion to share. They talked about what it was like to have everything and lose it to addiction to drugs and alcohol. Together they sang some of Richie Supa’s recovery songs like “Good Intentions” and “Last House on the Block”, and they also played a few of the hits they wrote together like “Pink” and “Amazing”. They had fun with the clients, letting a vocalist get up and sing while Steven played the bongos. After sharing a beautiful message of hope, Steven greeted clients and took pictures with everyone. Steven was well received by the clients, saying “He was so down to earth,” and, “wow, he really loves spreading the message of recovery”….