*Say you saw it in THE MESSENGER*

Just a Quick Note from….Rita Allen

            For many years now I have had a very strong interest in Music Therapy.  I have watched music change the lives of people in very dramatic ways.  My father-in-law was the chaplain at Bryce Hospital for many years where he had a choir made up entirely of mental patients.  He traveled by bus quite extensively over the state of Alabama, carrying the choir of mental patients to perform in churches and other events.  They were quite the marvel of their time.

            In an article some months ago, I read where people with severe arthritis were learning to play the harp because the vibrations from the strings on the harp could enter their joints and bring some of them greater relief than their medications.  In the not so distant future, I will have earned my Counseling Degree and State License.  It is my plan to expand the Music School I now have, Rainbow City Music School, to include Counseling and Music Therapy for depression, stress, loss and grief, substance abuse, violence and anger management, victims of violence, adolescent behavioral disorders, mentally challenged, physically challenged and for the aged.  This is truly where my heart is.

            I have taught music for over twenty years and helped precious souls come through severe depression, family problems, death in the family and many other daily roadblocks.  I believe music can help heal wounds, mend broken hearts and provide a basis of communication for those who have trouble communicating.  I have seen  people who could not complete a sentence but could play the piano with the greatest of ease.

            I would like to ask those of you who pray to include a request when you are talking to God.  I will need a much larger school than the one I have.  It will take me at least two years to complete my research and requirements for this venture, but I know I must work very diligently and plan effectively for it to mature.  I believe in the saying, Ingenuity, plus courage, plus work, equals miracles!  I feel this would be a tremendous asset to our area.

            We must free our minds and hearts to be able to excel to the heights God intended for us.  Music, I believe, is a very intricate part.  Consider a ten-year study done by Dr. James Catteral UCLA.  He “led an analysis of a U.S. Department of Education database called NELLSs88.  The database was used to track more than 25,000 students over a period of ten years.  The study showed that students involved in music generally tested higher than those who had no music involvement.  The test scores studied were not only standardized tests, such as the SAT, but also in reading proficiency exams.  The study also noted that the musicians scored higher, no matter what socioeconomic group was being studied.” 

            “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.  May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord.”  Psalms 104:33-34