Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

EP 273 - Deep and Meaningful Connections via Music with Jennifer Buchanan

Oct 20, 2022

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Mark interviews Jennifer Buchanan, a musician, author, entrepreneur, music therapist, and two-time award-winning author about her more than thirty years of experience helping people connect using music.

Prior to the main segment, Mark shares a personal reflective update and a word about this episode's sponsor that's also filled with a few reflections.

You can learn more about how you can get your audiobooks distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.

During their conversation, Mark and Jennifer talk about:

When Mark and Jennifer had last spoken and how much Jennifer enjoyed the conversation
How Jennifer has been a health entrepreneur who has been running her music therapy business for 31 years
Her youngest client is 2 months old, and her eldest is 104
Becoming an author and how that has been such a pleasure
Being passionate about music therapy and the good it can do
Reminding people of their innate humanness and the strengths that still exist inside them
Mark's unique music-related connection with his best-friend
The reason why Jennifer has "written another book"
Even though they can be short/small connections, music connections can be really meaningful and deep and lasting
Jennifer's re-released children's book (My Body is Special, Especially for Me) inspired by a group of children she had worked with and a song she wrote for them
Remembering that a song is never just a song, and that a playlist is never just a playlist
Finding out what your anchor songs are
How Jennifer's Book Tune In was meant to be her first and last book on the topic of music therapy. But that she loved it so much she fell back in love with the topic
The importance of never underestimating luck
Listening to the clues given by your body and your health
Getting out and doing movement and weight training
Missing just getting her guitar out and playing it and singing
And much more...

After the interview Mark reflects on three different things that the conversation made him think about.

Links of Interest:

Jennifer Buchanan first witnessed the power of music as a young teen when her Grandad had his second stroke leaving him unable to speak or walk and living in long term care. It was Granny who asked her the simple question…”Jenny would you bring your guitar next week and sing your Grandad’s favorite song?”

As she sang, Jennifer would witness the face of the grumpy old man she thought she knew, turn into the tears of a man who wanted a more meaningful connection.

Today Jennifer Buchanan is the Founder of JB Music Therapy (JBMT), a company that has been instrumental in the implementation of hundreds of music therapy programs throughout Canada for more than 30 years and has been thrice nominated for the Community Impact Award by her local Chamber of Commerce. JB Music Therapy employs a specialized team of 18 Certified Music Therapists (MTAs) serving infants to elders in medical, education and community wellness settings.

As the author of two award-winning books and the current Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists Jennifer is recognized as a trusted source for television and print media throughout North America on the topics of music, mental health and the power of a playlist.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0