Me at my Rain of Angels Music CD Launch Party - November 24, 1999
Today I am celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the release of my debut music CD, Rain of Angels! It was a dream come true and, in so many ways, was powerful therapy for me to create the music and artwork for the CD. My clinical depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) wasn’t diagnosed in 1999 nor was it even on my radar that I was suffering from a mental illness. Either way I feel now that my music, lyrics and art saved me. Read more about the story behind each song: Rain of Angels Music CD
Music Therapy
Looking back I feel so grateful I was able to express my feelings of loneliness and depression through music on my keyboard or write these feelings down through lyrics. It was cathartic and these actions always re-energized me. And when I decided to record these songs for an album, that goal gave me a sense of purpose and focus each morning I woke up. See: 3 Music Videos from Rain of Angels Music CD
In the mid 90’s while I was writing and recording my album I was running my illustration business so I enjoyed creating the artwork for the CD cover and 16 page booklet! The actions of exploring colours and textures with Photoshop excited me and made any low, depressed moods disappear. The rich, vibrant colours I looked at every day on my computer screen was like medicine for my mind. Read more about my personal experiences: How to Cope with Depression
Movie Therapy
Cinema therapy became a huge coping tool since 2000 just after the release of my music CD. I slipped into a deep depression that lasted a year and movies like Groundhog Day, The Shawshank Redemption and more helped keep me moving forward when life seemed hopeless. I began doing motivational talks on the inspirational power of films and started writing this movie blog in 2006 to document and share my film tips with others around the world. I found that movies have a way of alleviating the ruminating of negative thoughts quickly and gave my brain a rejuvenating rest for a few hours. Read more: Top 10 Inspiring Movies for Managing Depression
Find a film to inspire & empower you: Movies For Motivation
Group Therapy
When I was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2015 I was prescribed to attend a 14 week group therapy program for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This was a life changing experience and helped provide so many tools for managing the negative thoughts, emotions, moods, beliefs and attitudes that came with mental illness. More about: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
I was then diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in 2018 and was prescribed a 16 week Day Treatment Program that included four different group therapy sessions. Once again I found this to be life changing especially for the insights the psychiatrists and others in the group shared that helped me make breakthrough epiphanies about the roots of my depression.
I am currently part of a 10 week Mindfulness Therapy Group that involves emotion-focused therapy (EFT). It explores that lacking emotional awareness or avoiding unpleasant emotions can cause harm to one’s self. So far this program is profoundly helping me unearth and heal the traumas of childhood bullying I experienced in school. Read more
There are many other therapies I am engaged in that I highly recommend such as Writing Therapy, Food Therapy, Pet Therapy, Nature Therapy, Shopping Therapy and more. Therapy used to be a negative, shameful term in my mind but now realize that it represents a sense of freedom and a method for releasing me from the chains of past trauma and hopelessness. I hope you are inspired today to seek out the type of therapy that will give you peace of mind and soothe your soul. You deserve it!
SEE EMMANUEL's:
• Top Movies as Inspirational Learning Tools: www.Movies for Motivation.com
• Award-winning Illustrations: www.EmmanuelLopez.com
Remember How Movies Can Help You:
A) Entertain & Escape
B) Re-energize & Release
C) Inspiration & Motivation
Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Award-winning Illustrator | Movie Blogger | Speaker | Foodie
Discover Movies As Inspirational Learning Tools!
See website: www.MoviesForMotivation.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2019
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