Fusion City Centre for the Healing Arts

Phase 1 – Music Therapy / Sound Therapy

Modern neuroscience has revealed the healing power of sound and how it can be used in various forms to improve mental and physical wellbeing.

Why does a baby’s cry instantaneously flood a mother's body with a myriad of stress hormones? How can a song on the radio stir up powerful emotions, from joy to anger, regret to desire? Why does sound itself evoke such primal and deeply felt emotions?

A vibration that travels through air, water, and solids, sound is produced by all matter, and is a fundamental part of every species' survival. But there is a hidden power within sound that has only just begun to be investigated. The structure of the mouth, ears, and brain combine to translate acoustic vibrations into meaningful neurological impulses. Different types of sound impact the human body and brain uniquely, with sound vibrations creating many physiological effects, from altering mood to healing disease.

Music and sound therapy can be beneficial for many medical conditions, including:

• Alzheimer's Disease
• Anxiety and Stress
• Autism
• Chronic Pain
• Depression
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Respiratory Problems
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Schizophrenia
• Substance Use Disorders

In general, and as a simplification, in addition to its direct therapeutic effects, music therapy can be said to increase positive feelings, promoting:

• Calmness
• Euphoria
• Confidence & Empowerment
• Emotional Intimacy

When employed in combination with visual arts, such as painting and sculpture – through active and passive participation – results, including those created through the effects of synaesthesia, can be incredibly powerful.

Phase 2 – Art Therapy (Visual Arts)

It is intended that pilot projects will be conducted in conjuction with the Burton Street Foundation, Hillsborough, Sheffield – a community health organisation hosting 2500 citizens, young and old, each week.