Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash
Intro
I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast. Today is New Year’s Eve, a time to celebrate the year that’s ending and look forward to the year to come. If you’ve listened to this podcast for long, you know that, in addition to being passionate about music, I am passionate about holistic health and well-being, a topic that is especially top-of-mind to many of us this time of year, after the indulgences of the holiday season and as we return to a more typical routine.
A new year is a perfect time to start fresh with building new habits into our lifestyle. That’s why I felt the stars were aligning when I looked back at the most-listened-to episode of this show in 2024 that was not released in 2024. That episode was about an innovative initiative that is reshaping wellness AND a free publication that you can use to implement the science behind it into your self-care or work.
Whether you’re a healthcare practitioner, arts practitioner, or simply looking to enhance your wellbeing in 2025, today’s re-run episode is for you. As I celebrate this New Year’s holiday with my family, I thank you all for joining me on this life-enhancing journey through Enhance Life with Music podcast, and wish you a 2025 of increased vibrance and flourishing.
Summary
Scientific evidence supports the health benefits of the arts and neuroaesthetics. The Arts on Prescription model provides the infrastructure to allow arts activities (such as a concert) to be prescribed by your healthcare provider as part of your wellness plan. At the forefront of this model is Dr. Tasha Golden, who co-authored a groundbreaking guide on this fusion of arts, nature, and healthcare. Discover how communities can integrate these practices, and hear firsthand about the innovative initiatives reshaping wellness.
Guest
At the forefront of this arts-on-prescription model is Dr. Tasha Golden. Dr. Golden is Director of Research at Johns Hopkins University’s International Arts + Mind Lab, and adjunct faculty for the University of Florida’s Center for Arts in Medicine. She is both an artist and health scientist: She has a PhD in Public Health Sciences, and has published extensively on the impacts of the arts on health and well-being, and is an in-demand speaker and consultant. As a career artist, she is singer-songwriter for the critically acclaimed band Ellery, and her songs appear in feature films and TV dramas. She’s here today to discuss a recently-released groundbreaking resource she collaborated on that is a guide for the arts-on-prescription model; this publication is called Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for US Communities.
Notes
We discuss:
- What IS Arts on Prescription?
- Arts in Health is “evidence-based” and “science-based.” We discuss the research that supports the use and efficacy of arts on prescription.
- The impact of the arts on Whole-Person Care, holistic well-being, enhanced healing, and thriving.
- According to the World Health Organization’s definition, health is about more than the absence of disease or infirmity. It is about attaining the highest possible level of physical, mental, and social well-being.
- Examples of how this model works and what may be prescribed.
- Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for US Communities was released Sept 7, 2023 as a collaboration between UF Center for Arts in Medicine, Dr. Tasha Golden, and Dr. Golden’s colleagues at Mass Cultural Council
- The Field Guide provides a roadmap for developing “Arts on Prescription” programs, which allow healthcare and social service providers to “prescribe” creative activities. The Field Guide is…
- FREE
- A digital, 119-page PDF – comprehensive, yet not overwhelming, it contains plenty of resources and direction for those who DO want more.
- Designed for the general public, including cultural and community organizations who want to a part of this model; healthcare providers, social workers, and mental healthcare providers who are interested in whole-person care; patient advocacy groups; anyone who believes more people should have access to these assets that benefit health and wellness
- A practical, hands-on guide that avoids medical jargon and provides a pathway to implementation, including what to prescribe, and how to track/measure/define success.
- Filled with Appendices addressing potential funding sources, patient referral templates, and more.
- Well-organized with a comprehensive table of contents containing clickable links to the relevant sections and resources.
- If you read nothing else, read the Foreword, by Christopher Bailey (Arts and Health Lead; World Health Organization; Co-Founder, Jameel Arts & Health Lab)!
- Insurance reimbursement currently available, and the most commonly available forms of funding.
- The Field Guide places importance on cross-sector collaboration and bridging the arts, healthcare and public health. We elaborate on the benefits of these collaborations and partnerships.
- Advice for individuals or organizations interested in implementing Arts on Prescription programs in their communities, particularly those with limited resources or experience in the arts and healthcare.
Connect/Other Resources
- Download the free Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for US Communities
- Tasha Golden’s website
- Download Tasha’s FREE ebook on her website: “Arts and Health: Four big ways to improve health through the arts.” (Already closed the pop-up for the free book? Click here to access it.)
- You can find Tasha’s music with Ellery on Bandcamp
- The song Tasha shared as her Coda is called, “You Did Everything Right.” She has made the song available as a free download.
- Other resources Tasha mentions:
- We conducted an evaluation of CultureRx in Massachusetts, the first statewide arts on prescription program in the US. There’s a practitioner-friendly report here… And the peer-reviewed article about it that I mentioned is here.
- Mass Cultural Council
- Art Pharmacy
Other episodes we mentioned or that you may enjoy:
- Ep. 153: Your Brain On Art: What is neuroarts, and how do the arts transform us? With Susan Magsamen, MAS
- Ep. 136: Expanding awareness and advancing acceptance of the arts as a vital component for healing; with Ferol Carytsas
- Ep. 115: Crossover episode with Arts for the Health of It
- View all episodes related to Science & Health
And if Tasha’s Coda really resonated with you, check out:
- Ep. 98: #BeyondMeToo, with Dr. Sandi Curtis, MT-BC, MTA
- Ep. 20: Music Heals the Soul, with founder & Dove Award winning songwriter Steve Siler (This episode includes a powerful explanation of WHY people are willing to talk about their experiences after hearing a song related to their experience.)
- Ep. 130: What are music psychotherapy and vocal psychotherapy, and how do they work? with Dr. Diane Austin, D.A., LCAT
- Ep. 84: Music’s redemptive & restorative power in prison environments, with Arts Capacity founder Holly Mulcahy
- Ep. 156: Voices of Hope: The Intersection of music and justice; With Amanda Weber, DMA
In-Episode Promo
Arts for the Health of It podcast
Songtrust: This is a quick break to tell you about Songtrust. Did you know there is an estimated $250 million in unclaimed royalties?! Songtrust is the world’s largest royalty collection service – it helps artists know what royalties they’re owed, and collects them for you so that YOU, the artist, can focus on creating and producing—not administrating. With Songtrust, you can register your songs quickly, in ONE place. Songtrust will then collect all royalties you’re owed from over 50 global pay sources. Songtrust represents over 350,000 songwriters — this includes Grammy winners AND brand new, up-and-coming songwriters. Songtrust is currently offering Enhance Life with Music listeners 20% off your registration fee. Just use the code ENHANCELIFE20 at checkout. You can check them out at songtrust.com. While you’re there, you’ll see another reason I’m a fan – Songtrust is great at explaining the very complicated music publishing world! They offer a ton of free educational resources, including virtual workshops, a blog, and the Modern Guide to Music Publishing. Go to songtrust.com, and remember to use the code ENHANCELIFE20 to get 20% of your registration fee.
Coda
Tasha shares a song that shaped her career. She says:
“In the midst of the #metoo campaign, I heard from so many friends and fans about this song. Their notes had me weeping: for the incomparable gift it is to lend a light to anyone’s story, for the grim camaraderie I share with so many of you, for the ongoing need for these simple words. For how difficult it can be to believe them: You did everything right.
“I wrote this song for two women I love, whose experiences of abuse had left them ashamed—feeling they were somehow to blame. I was writing in a dark church sanctuary on a cold autumn night, a room I’d escaped to while trying to process my grief: for these women, for myself, for so many of us. I didn’t think I’d ever play the song for anyone.
“But when I did, it was the one thing everyone wanted to talk about after our show. ‘Hey, so that song. “You did everything right”…’”
Closing Words
And that is a little bit of Tasha’s song (with the band Ellery), “You Did Everything Right.” Tasha has made this available as a free download, so feel free to take in the full song and to share with anyone you’d like. Thank you SO much, Tasha, for this powerful song and for today’s enlightening and inspiring conversation!
Tasha wanted me to mention in my closing words that often people are timid about taking a next step toward implementing the Arts on Prescription model, and worry that others won’t be interested. Often just SHARING the Field Guide will be all it takes to ignite conversations and get the ball rolling. So Tasha and I encourage you to download this incredible FREE resource; read through AT LEAST that Foreward and any segments that are of special interest to you; and SHARE it with your friends, connections, healthcare providers, arts organizations, etc.
I’m really excited by today’s topic and the possibilities for increased wellness and cross-disciplinary collaborations and partnerships.
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
All Enhance Life with Music episodes are evergreen; so check out the back catalogue for more ways that music can make your life better.
Thank you so much for joining me today. Until next time, may your life be enhanced with music.
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