Disclosure from Jodi Milstein: Although I have not worked with Lady Antebellum, I would like to share this interview from extra where members of Lady Antebellum discuss how their band benefited from Group Therapy.  Working with bands on group dynamics is my specialty.  If your band or a band you work can benefit from better communication, please contact me so I can help.

Grammy-winning country group Lady Antebellum revealed the secret to their drama-free, successful trio: they went to a group therapist.  Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott are thankful for the therapy, with Hillary revealing, “I think honestly, any band or group needs to do it,” adding, “There have been way too many bands way better than us that have broken up way too early, and we don’t want that to happen. We’re together all the time, but for us, this is fun.”

Click here to view the full interview on extra

Recognizing that many addicts carry a dual diagnosis, meaning in addition to an addiction to drugs or alcohol they also harbor a mental health disorder, both the addiction and mental health issue must be treated.  To add, an addict must reach a level of sobriety in order to determine if a mental illness is present or if a person’s erratic behavior is solely chemical induced.  However, most often an addict has a long history of “self medicating” an already present mental illness with drugs and alcohol.

Finally, long-term treatment and long-term aftercare are essential to treat both the mental health disorder and alcohol or drug problem.  This is the bare minimum to give the addict even the slightest chance to win the battle over their addition and manage their addiction successfully for the rest of their life.  When I say “long-term” I mean taking an extended break from all aspects of life that bring the addict even remotely close to anything that resembles their lifestyle of using drugs and alcohol.  This calls for in-patient treatment for 6-12 months followed by intensive outpatient treatment for another 6-12 months, then the essential ongoing aftercare.  Extended treatment is the logical answer.  How can someone possibly expect to overcome a long-term addiction during a brief two week or even thirty day treatment program when most addicts have been battling an addition for many many years or even decades?

Bottom line, long-term addiction requires long-term treatment and care.  For the artist, this break needs to be looked at as an investment in one’s life, career, and future.  Taking two years out of one’s career may seem like an eternity, but the alternative is another type of eternity…Death.  When all is said and done, the long-term benefits and rewards for honoring oneself by taking a necessary break to address an addiction problem and possibly a previously undiagnosed mental disorder is clearly the most beneficial option personally and professionally.

At only 27 years old, Amy Winehouse joins the unfortunate “27 Club” (aka the Forever 27 Club, Club 27) named for those artists who died at the young age of 27. Accompanying Ms. Winehouse in this club are artists spanning nearly a quarter of a century including Robert Johnson (a posthumously influential blues singer and musician) who died at the age of 27 in 1938.  Following Mr. Johnson were several other lesser know artists who died at the age of 27.  That is until Brian Jones (Rolling Stones founder and guitarist) died in 1969. Then within less than one year (from September 1970 though July 1971) we saw the tragic drug related deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison.  Kurt Cobain died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1994 and finally, Amy Winehouse was found dead at the age of 27 in her apartment today, July 23, 2011.

“Mirrors on the ceiling,

The pink champagne on ice

And she said ‘We are all just prisoners here, of our own device’

And in the master’s chambers,

They gathered for the feast

They stab it with their steely knives,

But they just can’t kill the beast

Last thing I remember, I was

Running for the door

I had to find the passage back

To the place I was before

‘Relax,’ said the night man,

‘We are programmed to receive.

You can check out any time you like,

But you can never leave …”

~The Eagles “Hotel California”

Jodi was a guest on The Stacey Stern Show.  A free recorded version of this episode where Jodi discusses RockStarTherapy is available On Demand, iTunes, and Podcast Ready.

“The Stacey Stern Show ~ Enriching You” connects you with the power and beauty in yourself and in others. Join the dynamic host, Stacey Stern, each week as she connects listeners with men and women who are living and working from a place of passion and making a positive impact in our world. Whether they are health and wellness experts, green business leaders, authors, actors, or filmmakers, Stacey’s guests have one thing in common –- each one successfully taps into his or her potential to make great things happen.

Through lively interviews and intimate conversations, Stacey goes deep to bring the listener fresh insight into what inspires these change makers in work and in life. She also highlights some of the best fruits of their labors, through her engaging personal reviews of the films, books, and new media that have heart and soul and lasting value.

“The Stacey Stern Show ~ Enriching You” airs live on Tuesdays at 12 noon Pacific / 1 PM Mountain/ 2 PM Central/ 3 PM Eastern on The VoiceAmerica Variety Channel.

In this video produced by Artist House Music, Wayne talks about band dynamics and the concept of clear and constant communication.

The guitarist is known for being in rock band The Strokes, but has also released two records on his own. His last offering ¿Cómo Te Llama? hit stores in 2008, but memories of it are mixed for Albert.

He was taking drugs at the time it was recorded and his addiction has affected his relationships with The Strokes bandmates Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti. The group took time out after the release of their 2006 LP First Impressions of Earth and the subsequent tour as relations had become so strained, largely down to Albert’s drug use and feelings of dissatisfaction.

“At that point [the end of the tour] I was a year into doing pretty hard drugs, but I still wasn’t that crazy yet. Super craziness came at the end of my first solo record and the beginning of my second one,” Albert told Q. “I was a full-on junkie by the second solo record. Everyone says those records sound happy, but I was a total f**king junkie. I’m just telling you factually what happened.”

Albert refuses to discuss which substances he took, although he did check into rehab in 2009. That decision delayed work on the latest Strokes album Angels, which was released last month.

“We don’t need to get into that,” he replied, when asked what drugs he was taking. “I came close to some pretty heavy sh*t, man. I never thought I’d do that, but I’ve definitely seen the dark part of my soul… I like it there! I can’t be there, but it has it’s… it definitely gave me something. I can’t quite put my finger on it…”

Albert now feels better equipped to cope with life and can see why he turned to drugs in the first place. He claims he “checked out” when The Strokes began recording First Impressions of Earth, but didn’t talk to anyone about it. Taking substances was his way of dealing with it, and this eventually had a profound effect on the whole group.

“I’m living in a different place and that’s why I can speak about it,” he explained. “I became a drug weirdo because of my own anger and when you’re angry with yourself and you’re ingesting a lot of drugs, it doesn’t help any sense of dialogue and you just feel isolated.”

Original source: musicrooms.net

• Limit your intake of drinks that include alcohol or caffeine. These act as diuretics (substances that increase urination) and cause the body to lose water. This loss of fluids dries out the voice. Alcohol also irritates the mucous membranes that line the throat.
• Drink plenty of water. Six to eight glasses a day is recommended.
• Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. Cancer of the vocal folds is seen most often in individuals who smoke.
• Practice good breathing techniques when singing or talking. It is important to support your voice with deep breaths from the diaphragm, the wall that separates your chest and abdomen. Singers and speakers are often taught exercises that improve this breath control. Talking from the throat, without supporting breath, puts a great strain on the voice.
• Avoid eating spicy foods. Spicy foods can cause stomach acid to move into the throat or esophagus (reflux).
• Use a humidifier in your home. This is especially important in winter or in dry climates. Thirty percent humidity is recommended.
• Try not to overuse your voice. Avoid speaking or singing when your voice is hoarse.
• Wash your hands often to prevent colds and flu.
• Include plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. These foods contain vitamins A, E, and C. They also help keep the mucus membranes that line the throat healthy.
• Do not cradle the phone when talking. Cradling the phone between the head and shoulder for extended periods of time can cause muscle tension in the neck.
• Exercise regularly. Exercise increases stamina and muscle tone. This helps provide good posture and breathing, which are necessary for proper speaking.
• Get enough rest. Physical fatigue has a negative effect on voice.
• Avoid talking in noisy places. Trying to talk above noise causes strain on the voice.
• Avoid mouthwash or gargles that contain alcohol or irritating chemicals. If you still wish to use a mouthwash that contains alcohol, limit your use to oral rinsing. If gargling is necessary, use a salt water solution.
• Avoid using mouthwash to treat persistent bad breath. Halitosis (bad breath) may be the result of a problem that mouthwash can’t cure, such as low grade infections in the nose, sinuses, tonsils, gums, or lungs, as well as from gastric reflux from the stomach.
• Consider using a microphone. In relatively static environments such as exhibit areas, classrooms, or exercise rooms, a lightweight microphone and an amplifier-speaker system can be of great help.
• Consider voice therapy. A speech-language pathologist who is experienced in treating voice problems can provide education on healthy use of the voice and instruction in proper voice techniques.

Past.  Present.  Future.

What thoughts, images or memories come to mind when you read the three words above?

Which of the above words resonates most with you?

Are you reminded of an experience in your past?

Do you think of an experience you are going though right now in the present?

Do you envision something new in your future?

Without a doubt, there are times when we tend to dwell on how we handled past experiences or daydream about the future, but what about right now?  How often do we actually live in the moment…In the PRESENT?

We tend to get so caught up in our daily lives that everything becomes a blur.  Before we realize it, our present is our past, our future is happening right now, and we are still trying to play catch up.  How can we focus on the present and truly enjoy our lives?

This is a question I often ask myself when I am racing through life trying to fit a weeks worth of responsibilities into only a couple days.  I am trying to just “get through” each day rather than LIVE through the day.  LIVING through our days… LIVING in the PRESENT can bring an abundance more satisfaction to our lives than blindly racing through life with the goal to complete all of our tasks.

Today, try bringing more awareness to your day… Stop from time-to-time, take a few deep breaths and actually look around your world.  Embrace your experiences as well as your accomplishments in your day… .throughout your life.  Begin to fully take in YOUR DAY.   LIVE your PRESENT day.

Until next time…

Wishing You Inner Peace and Harmony,
Jodi Milstein, MA, LMFT

There’s only now…
There’s only here…

Give in to love…
Or live in fear…
No other path…
No other way…

No day but today…
No day but today.

~Jonathan Larson
American Playwright

“How to Overcome Self Injury” by Associate Content from Yahoo! Please click on title or the image to read an article I was interviewed for on Self Injury.