The History of the Song Therapy Network
2014
At the age of fifty four community musician Nigel Neill studied clinical music therapy at university for two years before deciding that the clinical road was not for him. He continued for a third year studying psychodynamic and person centred counselling skills.
"The experience was invaluable and some of the learning magnificent, but I was struck by the financial cost and how this excluded so many creative leaders working in wellbeing settings who could afford neither the time or money to enjoy such beautiful learning."
"Most of the teaching was wonderful and I owe so much to two particular tutors. However I also realised that successful leadership in any setting requires self awareness, sensitivity, resilience, empathy, humility, a whole range of soft human skills which were lacking on occasions. Hardly surprising too, given the immense pressures that so many educators are under nowadays."
2017
Spurred on by the experience Nigel spent two years writing a one year certificate course designed for music leaders that celebrates sensitive responsible leadership, self care and the power of popular familiar music to bring people together (culturally dependent).
Beyond this Song Therapy recognises the self worth and wellbeing benefits of self expression and learning new things at the right time, world music, songwriting, musical adventures of all kinds. Play. Creativity.
"More than anything our distance learning programme encourages music group leaders to believe in their natural musical souls, to trust their nurturing human instincts, the very foundations of their calling."
2018
The course was launched and very quickly support was offered by others, particularly so Dr Catherine Pestano, Peter Brown and Liz Radford who have been at the heart of a small academic team ensuring the course and the network evolves in the way that it should during the early years. Fit for purpose as much as that is ever possible.
2025
Today the Song Therapy Network attracts some thirty students a year with a growing community of some two hundred supporters worldwide. Our students come from the UK and Ireland with other students based in Canada, the USA, Singapore and Spain.
"First and foremost we are here to support each other, to celebrate our natural musical selves and encourage self awareness, emotional intelligence and person centred thinking as we use the power of music, this amazing emotive force for good, to benefit the lives of those facing up to the sobering challenges of life."
