HOW WE DO IT
THREAD’s work is transforming individual and collective trauma into beautiful, original works of art.
We pair a teaching artist with a music therapist, who create a safe space for participants to develop trust and connection through creative activities and games. As we begin to explore the common threads of our shared experiences, we guide participants through a process that translates those feelings into lyrics, sounds, rhythm and rhyme. As the structure of this original song emerges, participants contribute to a collaborative recording process either virtually or in-person, resulting in a fully produced work of art, an mp4, that they take with them. This creative and therapeutic process is cathartic and healing, helping participants transform difficult experiences into a useful tool to return to for inspiration and support. These songs are also meant to be shared in wider communities, benefiting others who listen, expanding circles of connection and cultivating conversation around mental health and trauma.
THREAD’s Process
OUR WORK IS TWO-FOLD: A CREATIVE, THERAPEUTIC PROCESS AND A TANGIBLE, SHAREABLE PRODUCT.
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First, we take participants through a safe, collaborative and cathartic process that cultivates connection, helping participants uncover the shared threads of their experiences. Facilitated by a master teaching artist and a licensed music therapist, our collaborative songwriting and recording workshops help participants learn how to transform their trauma into sound, lyrics, rhythm and rhyme, creating a fully produced collaborative song. Participants emerge from the program with a tangible representation of their healing process and can use it as a tool to remind them of their courage, strength and healing as they move forward.
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Secondly, these original songs are meant to be shared in wider circles. Whether shared with circles of friends, colleagues and family or placed in media outlets, streaming sites or live performances, these powerful, original songs can increase awareness of this urgent global health crisis. By opening up channels that reveal the shared threads of our experiences, these songs can inspire and help others, creating even larger circles of connection and conversation around mental health.
“Art is a wound turned into light.”