Have you ever performed on stage or spoken to a large crowd? Can you recall the feelings in your body after you’re done? For many it can be an exhilarating experience. For most performers or aspiring performers they gain a sense of confidence with each successful performance. The following blog is all about performing arts as it supports our mental health. I dive deep into what science tells u, some personal and professional experiences and your input from your interactions this week on social media. If you stay towards the end, you’ll read about a program that I helped design and can help you initiate in your area. Enjoy!
Power #1: 
Know what exactly performing arts are and how can they help with mental health.
I found a fascinating thesis titled: “Performing Arts Venues: The Interplay Between Local Networks and Innovation in Experience Creation.” The author wanted to “employ exploratory qualitative methods to investigate the interplay between a performing arts venue, local networks and the potential for innovative experience creation.” The author discusses a new theater venue and when you use the search word for community, you’ll find their perspective and the participants’ perspective of community is positive regarding the use of performing arts.
What stood out to you in the thesis? Drop your ideas on Facebook and tag us @ TheRealMoveHappy
Power #2: Know what science says about performing arts supporting mental health.
I found a really interesting study done in the UK titled: “Do socio-demographic factors predict children’s engagement in arts and culture? Comparisons of in-school and out-of-school participation in the Taking Part Survey” They measured gender, socioeconomic status and cultural identity of children to see which groups were more likely to receive experiences in performing arts (dance, music, visual arts, and visiting museums).
What stood out to me was girls were more likely to participate in activities outside of school compared to boys, children of an ethnic background were 48% less likely to visit a museum compared to white children, and lower income children were 40% less likely to engage in performing arts compared to higher income children. They also measured parent’s childhood experiences and found 68% higher likelihood of the child participating in performing arts if their parents had similar experiences when they were a child. Role modeling and parental generational habits are hard to break but not impossible. If parents have not received these experiences, it does not mean they cannot provide these experiences to their children, it just might be more challenging for them.
What stood out to you? Share your two cents on instagram stories and tag us @ TheRealMoveHappy
Power #3: 
Know what is the global impact of performing arts on mental health.
I found this fascinating study titled: “Towards a neurocognitive approach to Dance Movement Therapy for mental health: A systematic review” conducted out of London. The link in the comments includes only the abstract and sadly the abstract leaves you hanging. However, if you’re in university now you have access to the study and can comment with your findings! I also emailed the authors hoping to get access to a full copy. Why would someone do research and then charge the public for the findings? So odd but I’ll keep you posted if they are open to a feature! We can draw our own conclusions and hypothesis in the comments 
! I believe that dance helped improve people’s mental illness and overall mood enhancement.
What do you think? Share your ideas and stories on Linkedin and tag us @ Move-Happy
Power #4: Know who wanted to be featured on all Move Happy®️ social media and weekly blog content.
A very special thank you to those who shared good value based on this question: What are some simple solutions to incorporate more performing arts into your life?
I incorporate music writing or practicing daily and have a monthly concert I am host and organizer of for Veterans and First Responders. If you’d like to be involved email me: Erin@TheMoveHappy.com and let’s set up a time to chat.
A special thank you to Bobby Fields for this great advice: “My tips for incorporating music into our mental wellness: 1) On days that you aren’t feeling too hot, avoid songs that you know get you down or are emotionally tied to bad times in your life. I guess this is “unincorporating”, so is that cheating??? 2) Find THE song that gets you going. This song for me right now is Phil Wicham’s “Battle Belongs” — first song I blast in the truck on the way to work, first song I listen to heading out for a walk, first song I play on the way home from work, last song I listen to before bedtime. THE song can change, so add it to THE playlist when you find the next song that raises the hair on your arms. THE song can also help you get the tune from The Chicken Dance out of your head when necessary. . . .”
Move Happy Updates and Erin Nicole Ministries Updates:
The Move Happy Movement Podcast©️ is going strong. Check it out on iTunes , podbean Spotify (1st 40 or so episodes- they stopped converting and don’t have the most current episodes sawwy), and someone added it to Listen Notes #NotMe 😂. We are going strong thanks to YOU! No ads, no bots creating fake downloads. You are spreading the word! I hope to help at least 1 person a day with the guests I bring or when I talk about important leadership topics by myself. Thank you for helping spread the mission of empowering depressed people globally to find their own happiness through mindset, community, fitness and a splash of music 🎶 !
This coming week I’m interviewing the Chief Technology Officer of the US Air Force!! I am so freaking honored she’s taking time out of her busy schedule to share her strategies with YOU! We haven’t locked our recording day yet but it’ll be some time next week so make sure you follow us on Twitter @MoveHappyTeam as my distribution platform has an AI setting that releases it there first 😃.
We are doing a fun private listening room competition to help increase the downloads/listens of the show. Once we hit 10k downloads invitations will be sent out to regular sharers of Move Happy®️ content and those writing reviews 😉. Here is where we’re at right now as of Sat April 24th 9:31am CST ⬇️
Erin Nicole Ministries Updates:
Have you heard about the Veterans and First Responders Non Profit Concert 🎶 Series? Maybe you see an old battle buddy you were stationed with overseas, or maybe you meet your next wife as she’s a black star and lost her spouse in battle? You never know what could happen at our concerts 💜. The next concert is April 29th and it’s a Jazz and patriotic theme with Ramona Patterson as our Veteran Performer guest, my mom and Aunt Carol have a set they’ve sung for retired and assisted living facilities. They have sung for over 20+ years together and haven’t been able to perform for the facilities since covid restrictions. If you have a family member that’s a veteran or parent/grandparent in an assisted living facility place, get in touch with their director and have them email me to get added to the list. It’s 100% free for guests unless they feel like tipping my guest performers. My mom and aunt have never taken any money 💰 for their ministry and I am doing the same with mine 💜. Any extra dollars donated will go right back to making the concert series better for our Veterans and First Responders and eventually covering travel costs for our annual in person event (including medical symposium to help improve how people with mental illness are treated in medical facilities and in the work place from top level medical providers around the globe 🌎). For more info check it out here.
Power #5: Know how Move Happy
can empower you to practice performing arts more often.
I am super proud of a second program I helped design in one of the most sensitive populations in the world, a locked psychiatric hospital. 87% of our patients were diagnosed with Schizophrenia and many had multiple diagnoses. When they were discharged many wanted to work and had the options to but struggled with the transitions. Our goal was to help prepare them for interviews and boost their confidence with public speaking and performing.
I co-designed a 16 week program titled “Performing Arts” to help with this transition and help boost confidence in people with mental illness that lean towards the creative side. Any group therapist can implement that has some sort of performing arts skills. We had a team of 3: juggling/singing/acting.
Although I am not directly selling this program, anyone interested in starting their own performing arts group therapy program can reach out for a 15-minute consultation. Email me: Erin@TheMoveHappy.com to schedule it today. Your patients/clients will so appreciate you!
So there you have it folks! Performing arts can dramatically help people with mental illness feel more confident and help with the healing process on tough days. Performing either music, dance, acting or other activities in front of others releases endorphins which make an individual feel good. Its normal to feel butterflies before the show starts. These will get less severe the more one practices and has opportunities to perform. If you’re struggling getting patients involved in your group therapy or aren’t seeing the progress you’d hoped for, ask them if they’d be interested in a variety group and learning new skills. You’ll be surprised how much more engaged they’ll get!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog. If I added any value to you, it would mean the world if you’d share it with someone you care about.
PS: Don’t forget to tell someone you love them today
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