You don't know you want to do this yet, but trust me, you SO do!

Self Care.

Something we hear a lot about, we know we should be doing, we put it off, not sure where to start, too busy...

Well here is the simple and blissful answer. THIS VIDEO! This girl is a self care genius. Here she has created herself an outlet for verbal and non-verbal self expression, emotional connection and release, confidence and increased sense of self, physical exercise, enhanced energy levels and most of all FUN!

This girl should be nominated for some kind of award - an Oscar maybe??? One day I hope! But for now I'll put up my hand and nominate her for OMMG Self Care Weapon of the Week!

So the takeaway message to this post is DO THIS! WHAT SHE DOES! (You know you want to!)

As your Registered Music Therapist I prescribe to you: 1 song of your choice, once a week (minimum). Trust me, you will feel GREAT!

(you don't have to record yourself btw!)

33 reasons why Making Mouth Noises is NOT just for kids...

Making mouth noises is NOT just for kids - easier and less embarrassing, yes - but just as therapeutic for grownups! Mouth noise games are absolute crackers! I played them on the weekend with kids at Camp Quality, I played them last year with carers at a palliatve care conference and I've played them with adults in clinical health settings. Here are a few reasons why...

Making mouth noises:
* Is an EXCELLENT self care technique

* Is something almost anyone can do - even those who don't speak.

* Is an outlet for verbal self expression

* Is a physical workout for the entire body

* Helps create confidence and break down self-consciousness

* Excellent for developing team-building dynamics

* Can be done in groups OR individually

* Puts participants out of their comfort zones

* Is an engaging and novel activity

* Almost certainly creates genuine laughter

* Can create genuine tears

* Provides clients with a tool they can use in the future

* Has the power to either stimulate or relax

* Validates emotions

* Requires no equipment, set-up or particular setting

* Communicating in 'no-language' has less expressive limitations than language.

* Can assist in clarifying emotions

* Has the potential to develop fine and gross motor coordination

* In a group setting creates a sense of equality and acceptance

* Is a great vocal warm up

* Brings out your inner child

* Can help develop the spiritual sense of community

* Is excellent for communicating to babies with

* Mimicking other's sounds makes them feel listened to.

* Helps clients learn more about their verbal abilities

* Is an activity everyone can succeed in

* Can be done in private (the shower, car, home alone etc.) 

* Requires no facilitation

* Allows you to let go

* Engages clients congitively and creatively 

* Helps express individuality

* Is appropriate for any age, culture, language, background, developmental ability...

* Is so much fun!

Not convinced? Have a go at a mouth noise game and see how you feel...

CIRCLE GAMES
* One person choose an animal noise for the whole group to make together. The next person choose a different animal noise for the group to make together. Then the next person another etc. (actions more than welcome)
* Copy the above exercise but substitute animals with laughs (ie. The evil laugh, the santa clause, the witch, the giggling girt, the snort, the knee slapper, the gasp for breath, the hyena etc...
* Copy the above exercise but substitute laughs with human noises (ie. The burp, the sneeze, the whistle, the cough, the cry, the sigh, the tongue click, the teeth chatter, the squeal, the raspberry, the snore etc...)
* Copy the above exercise but substitute laughs with cries (ie. The sob, the weep, the hysterical, the sniffle, the wail etc...)

VOLUME GAMES
* Looking at the ground make the softest noise you can - any noise - it doesn't have to be the same as the rest of the group. Collectively make your noises louder and louder and bring your heads up until you're shouting your loudest possible noises at the sky.
* Look at the sky and shout your loudest, best feeling. (ie. I FEEL AMAZING!! I FEEL ALIVE!!! I FEEL BEAUTIFUL!!! I FEEL HAPPY!!!)
* Have a conversation completely in whispers.

FACIAL GAMES
* Have a conversation completely in silly noises (with eyebrows).
* Make funny mouth noises and create funny faces to match them.
* Making eye contact play the ultimate 'sibling game' of copying. (Oh the memories; "Stop copying me!" "Stop copying me!")

RELEASE YOUR INNER FEELINGS 'GAMES'
* Scream.
* Sigh.
* Moan.
* Sob.
* Keen.
* Pant.
Do these whenever you need and however you like.

Enjoy!!!

Music Therapy at Camp Quality

My Saturday this weekend was an absolute cracker - running music therapy groups at Camp Quality!

It was SO much fun. We rapped, we stomped, we clapped, we drummed, we danced, we strummed - we even prepared to deliver my baby on site!

Camp Quality is a family cancer charity that brings optimism, resilience and happiness to the lives of families and children affected by cancer.

They provide programs that focus on education, performance, recreation, respite and play throughout primary schools, paediatric oncology wards, recreation venues and homes across Australia.



THE BEST BIT OF ALL??  (Apart from the fact that everything is completely free!)

Camp Quality believes LAUGHTER is the best medicine! (And for anyone reading this you will know who closely this resembles my own ethos on life!) I had an absolute ball!

It's a humbling and special experience to surround yourself with children who suffer such heartbreaking difficulties - and to watch them play, laugh and appear not to have a care in the world was an absolute joy!

So thank YOU Camp Quality for having me - lets do it again sometime!!

Visit http://www.campquality.org.au to find out more about Camp Quality or to throw a donation their way - it's well and truly worth it!!

I take a break in my holiday packing to bring you this important message....

Well summer is well and truly here...

(If you live in Tasmania you'll know I mean that comment in theory - not in reality!)

So why not bring back the ONE accessory that every summer requires...

The one element of every road trip or family holiday that's fun to prepare for, the 'make or break the mood in the car' tool that every glove box should be overflowing with....

That's right - THE MIXED CAR TAPE!

Seriously! As I pack for our first family holiday I'm finding it kind of tedious. Primarily this is because I have so much to try and remember, and for an unorganised/unpractical thinker like me that's a big responsibility. Also as I pack the only boring things my pregnant me will fit into I'm picturing the 'student/20 something year old' me who used to spend summer in cute summer gear showing off a great tan and a cool, curly afro that wasn't grey! That's a little depressing too! But the main thing I'm missing here - the ONE thing that can automatically boost any holiday vibe is definitely the mixed car tape!

EVEN IF THE SUN DOESN'T COME OUT ON OUR WINTERY TASMANIAN CAMPING TRIP A MIXED CAR TAPE WILL MAKE EVERYTHING OK!

Obviously I don't live in the dark ages - I know tapes are a thing of the past, but to be perfectly honest I've secretly continued with tapes till...um...well...very recently!

Truth be known I only bought my first grown up car last year - in my 33rd year - so up untill now I've gone without CD's and cup holders and have held fast to the car tape tradition. This is fabulously retro and cool in theory but the biggest problem here is that tapes are difficult to maintain - especially with a toddler around!

LEFT - See Exhibit A!!!

Maybe she doesn't like Eddie Vedder (unlikely) or Richard Kingsmill? But whatever the reason there's only so many times a toddler can twiddle with a tape before the pencil trick won't fix it anymore. Add to this the amount of times a song has been rewound or fast forwarded over the years (you know you're not meant to but come on, who doesn't?) and a tape recorder that seems to wreck most things you put into it and you end up with a very fragile, and in general low quality sounding, holiday sound system!

So I propose a compromise - a specially compiled CD (which for the purpose of this post I'm going to continue referring to as a mixed car tape).

The production of a compilation comes with many less hassles than it did in the day.

I come from the master of making mixed tapes (my Dad. See his handywork in EXHIBIT B) and he taught my brothers and I this very particular process in making the perfect tape...

* Firstly we had to tape Video Smash Hits (despite the fact that they never played the song till the very end!) or Rage (back when it was a countdown)

* Peruse the contents and time the songs we liked to make sure they fitted perfectly on each side. This part could be a complicated puzzle. The best thing to do was write down the titles of each song and it's exact length then add up the lengths of the songs to make sure it would fit the side perfectly - for a song to cut out half way through Side A then start in the same place on Side B was the biggest sin of all!

* Next we had to locate a tape we were ready to record over (unless we could find the rare gift of a new multi pack of blanks)

*Cover the holes with sticky tape so it was re-recordable (SEE EXHIBIT A!)

*Play a few seconds past the little tape recorder jingle that happened at the beginning of each side (to make sure we didn't loose the beginning of the song)

*Make sure the stereo is set to VHS and Audio

*Finally, press record and pause at the same time and you're ready to get started!

* Once taping we made sure to use pause in between each song as it made less clicking noises on the final production than pressing the stop and record buttons.

It was a time commitment, the recording of mixed tapes, as it happened in real time! And it took a lot of focus because if you missed the end of the song you were ruined and if you got confused and paused the VHS instead of the audio you had to backtrack!

With all the steps involved in the original process the idea of a 'new aged' mixed car tape (in CD format) is really growing on me! So I now find myself compiling our families first car trip mixed car tape! This time the process is much simpler...

* Go through my music library which is already stored in alphabetical order of artists on computer

* Make a playlist

*Put in a blank CD and press BURN

IT'S AS EASY AS THAT! ALMOST ANYONE CAN (AND SHOULD) DO IT!

There are a few important things to remember when collating your mixed car tape.

You MUST stick to the classics - not the latest craze. You MUST not put multiple songs by the same artist near each other. You MUST think of the family unit, or intended listeners, as a whole and not just put songs for you on it. Finally you MUST have a few different genres on there - none of this "all hip-hop" or "all country". A mixed tape, by definition, must remain a MIXED tape - even if it IS a CD!

BELOW - Exhibits B (very well ordered, looked after and handwritten neatly). A fine example!

Disclaimer - Please don't illegally download or copy songs you haven't already purchased - it's rude and will create bad karma..OOH - Karma Police - better add that to the list!