All In The Mind The music that saves us
Nov 29, 2025
Sabrina McKenzie, an Associate Lecturer in music and PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, shares her personal journey with music as a source of self-compassion. She dives into how Alice Cooper's 'Why Trust You' and Tina Arena's 'Now I Can Dance' helped her cope with trauma and loss. Sabrina discusses her groundbreaking research linking everyday music to self-compassion, revealing that 81% of respondents found solace in music during tough times. The conversation beautifully explores music's therapeutic potential and its role in mental health.
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Music As Solace During Abuse
- Sabrina used Alice Cooper’s Why Trust You on repeat when family doubted her abuse disclosures.
- The song made her feel understood and less alone during acute crisis.
A Funeral Song That Became Family Memory
- Sabrina chose Tina Arena’s Now I Can Dance for her brother Jermaine’s celebration of life to symbolise his freedom.
- The song became a family memory and a way to reconnect with him afterwards.
Music Mirrors Meditation Effects
- Sabrina realised music produced similar self-compassionate feelings she later cultivated via loving-kindness meditation.
- She found a surprising gap: little research explicitly tests everyday music as a route to self-compassion.