Musicians, The Music Industry, and Mental Health A Practical and Clinical Guide

Introduction

Being a professional musician: what helps and what hinders?

Musicians and the music industry

The purpose of this book 

Existing research on the life-world of a professional musician

My journey

The structure of this book

Part I The life-world of the professional popular musician

Chapter 1 My doctoral research: An overview

Key themes: The use of music as a tool to regulate emotions

Pride and shame in the profession

The struggle to remain authentic in an environment of objectification

Musicking as a route to inclusion and opportunity

Chapter 2 Definitions and concepts

The music industry

The professional musician

The popular musician

Musicking

The musicking continuum

A biopsychosocial perspective

Chapter 3 The interplay between music and mental health

Listening to music

Music-making

Applicable theories

Chapter 4 Musicians, mental health and personality characteristics

The emotional sensitivity of musicians: the neuroscience

Musicians’ identities

Are musicians more narcissistic than others?

Are popular musicians more rebellious than others?

Chapter 5 Neurodiversity

Neuro-norms and divergence

ADHD: an overview

Finding solace and satisfaction in the music industry

The world is not enough

Transitions

Musicking and ADHD

ASD

Final thoughts

Chapter 6 Pure musicking: salient themes

Learning to music

Salient themes:

Using music to connect, express and release emotion

Soothing, healing and feeling better through musicking

Musicking as an escape and distraction

Getting stuck in rumination

Using creativity to process emotions

Achieving success outside of the professional context

Building community outside of the professional context

Achieving a flow state

Practising obsessively

Music as a sanctuary

Chapter 7 The music industry journey

The artefact

The marketing cycle

Touring

Royalties and publishing

Chapter 8 The music industry: salient themes

Criticism and the impact on the self

Pride in achievement

Financial precarity

Substances and touring

Hidden identity

Authenticity versus compromise

Objectification and commodification

Opportunities for inclusion

Opportunities to give back

Dealing with fame

Dealing with the loss of fame

Music performance anxiety

Coping strategies (resilience)

Part II Clinical perspectives

Chapter 9 Theoretical perspectives

Talking therapy

Sigmund Freud

Carl Rogers

Natalie Rogers

Rollo May

Carl Jung

Alfred Adler

Abraham Maslow

John Bowlby

Allan Schore

Donald Winnicott

William James

Modern perspectives

Existential perspectives

Chapter 10 Integrative psychotherapy

What is it psychotherapy and how does it help?

Philosophical positions

My integrative approach to psychotherapy

Modalities

Initial training

Psychodynamic perspectives

Humanistic approaches

The working alliance

Chapter 11 Musician-centric perspectives: self-psychology

Self-psychology, the vulnerable musician and their narcissistic needs

The self

Early development

The role of empathy

Narcissistic vulnerabilities

Self-psychology, narcissism and therapy

Chapter 12 Multiplicity and parts-based frameworks

Multiple self-states

Benefits and drawbacks

Therapeutic applications

Internal family systems

Parts

IFS and the therapeutic process

How IFS therapy helps

Chapter 13 The embodied musician

Sensorimotor psychotherapy

Core principles

Therapeutic techniques

Somatic resources

Application of body-based approaches to trauma

Chapter 14 Sociocultural, biological and neurodivergent perspectives

Cultural competence and humility

Working therapeutically with neurodiversity

ADHD-specific intervention strategies

Chapter 15 Salient themes of therapy: shame

‘Shame’ defined

Foundational theories

Steve’s story

Case formulation

General treatment

My strategy

A relational perspective

Chapter 16 Salient themes of therapy: addiction and trauma

Addiction theories

Trauma theories

Luka’s story

Case formulation

General treatment Addiction

Trauma

My strategy

Affect regulation

Chapter 17 Salient themes of therapy: fame and the narcissistic injury

The narcissistic wound

Causes

Manifestations and implications

Narcissism in modern society

Fame

Coping with the loss of fame

Marek’s story

Case formulation

General treatment

My strategy

Chapter 18 Salient themes of therapy: belonging and meaning

Theories of belonging

Theories of meaning

Eliane’s story

Case formulation

General treatment

My strategy

Part III: Resources

Chapter 19 The six pillars of wellbeing

The six pillars of wellbeing

Sleep

Nutrition and mental health

Exercise

Nature

Social connection

Musicking: the sixth pillar

Chapter 20 Self-reflection, self-care and practical coping strategies

The importance of self-reflection

Progressive muscle relaxation

Cognitive self-reflection in practice

Using our musical minds to develop self-reflection

Mindfulness and meditation

Cognitive behavioural strategies

Neurodivergent strategies

Musicians with ADHD

Musicians with ASD

Chapter 21 Work-life balance

Boundaries

Burnout

Social media management

Mental health education

Resilience

Chapter 22 Conclusion

Ongoing ethical considerations

Nurture or nature?

Therapy and mental health assessment

Neurodivergence

The future

Biography

Adam Ficek is a professional musician and psychotherapist specialising in the treatment of professional musicians. As a musician he has performed in commercial and corporate environments, DJ’d all over the world, released top ten band albums and singles, solo records, remixed other artists, and recorded commercial music for both large and independent record labels. As a psychotherapist he was the first musician in the world to complete a doctoral thesis specifically focused on popular musicians’ mental health. He holds a Doctorate in psychotherapy, an MSC in psychology, an MSC in psychotherapy, an MA in music technology, various post graduate qualifications in counselling and music education (PGCE, QTS) and an undergraduate jazz degree.