Music is great therapeutic tool. Several studies have shown its positive effects on health and emotional well-being. “Music is a very opportune tool to work on emotions and psychomotor skills”, affirms Roberto Ferrer, monitor of Music Therapy and Batucada in the Association of Relatives, Relatives and People with Mental Illness of Cádiz (FAEM).
In the workshops given by Roberto Ferrer, different dynamics and games around music, playing instruments, making body music and moving objects following different rhythms. As for the batucada, he assures that “it secretes endorphins, because it is a very strong adrenaline rush. People who come to the workshop let off steam and come out like new.”
FAEM also has guitar workshops, taught by Pedro Galván, a user of the entity who has played flamenco guitar since he was 14 years old.
Of these workshops different musical groups have been created. Ferrer highlights that the participants in the batucada have performed several performances in theaters, parades and in the street during Carnival. “For people who have never been the center of attention, be protagonists in social events it gives them self-esteem“, says the monitor of the carving.
For his part, Pedro Galván points out that guitar classes “contribute a lot from a cognitive point of view“, since” having to move our fingers and keep a beat makes us have to put our heads into it. “In addition, he maintains that” the music is relaxing and the instrument motivates you and helps you through the bad times. It requires discipline and it is very gratifying to see the fruits when you advance because it is not easy to play the guitar, and that increases your self-esteem, something that mentally ill people really need. “He points out that as happens in any discipline,” some advance faster and others slower, but any progress, no matter how small, is meaningful and motivating“.
His guitar workshop began last November with two students one day a week; It currently has 13 students and has had to extend the workshop one more day. “Some already play for alegrías and tangos”, he comments with satisfaction. His youngest student is an eight-year-old boy who goes to classes with his uncle, who is a FAEM user, “and the boy is crazy with his guitar.” Pedro Galván wants to point out that at FAEM they provide the guitar to those who do not have it and take the opportunity to highlight how comfortable the users of this association feel: “There are very good professionals and a good board of directors here. We users try to get involved in all the acts that are performed because this is like a family to us. Coming here is already a motivation“.
For Galván, the workshop is being “a very positive experience”, since preparing classes is also therapeutic for him. In addition, it has opened doors for him, since he has begun to give private classes outside the association: “Without looking for it, I have found people who want me to teach them to play the guitar.”
Some of the users of these FAEM musical workshops will participate in the sixth edition of the charity festival Por una Mente Sana, organized by the entity, which will take place next Saturday, September 18 at the Candelaria Bastion in Cádiz from 8:00 p.m.
This festival is part of the entity’s Awareness Program and aims, in addition to raising funds, empower its users, promote social integration through music and fight against the stigma around people with mental health problems. “We want to show the public that mental health is there, it is one more health problem. We want to bring mental pathologies to the public in another way and know these people for their worth“, says the FAEM psychologist, Lourdes Rodríguez.
Those attending this charity festival will have the opportunity to see live the performances of Kun Kun Cai (percussion group formed entirely by FAEM users and collaborators, created in the batucada workshop); the rock group Pata Palo, which covers Pata Negra; the bossa nova interpreter Karina de Yemanjá; singer-songwriter and psychology student Carmen Mel; the women’s rock group Faraout; the band Infusión, which covers current pop songs; the bolero singer Rita Ramos, who is a collaborator of FAEM, and Caracolito al cante with the accompaniment of Perico Galván al toque, both users of the entity.
The ticket price is 7 euros and a bar with popular prices will be installed. There will also be a playroom, which will be free for attendees. Also, that day there will be a charity raffle in which a shirt signed by the Cádiz CF players will be raffled
Tickets can be purchased at the entity’s headquarters, located on Calle Conil de la Frontera, in Curía (c / San José, 25) and in Goyber (Avda. Andalucía, 32).
For people who want to collaborate with the cause and cannot attend the festival, an account has been set up in CaixaBank where they can make your donations: ES32 2100 7606 80 2200053409.
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More mental health problems and greater acceptance of those who have them
The president of FAEM, Manuel Mariño, comments that with the pandemic mental health problems have increased, especially anxiety and depression, and assures that the association has noticed an increase in users, especially people with previous mental health problems who have relapsed, but also people who had never had these problems.
Manuel Mariño affirms that during the confinement and the toughest weeks of the pandemic they have provided assistance to their users, both by telephone and online, through the psychologist and social workers. Currently, the association is functioning normally, although there are still users reluctant to attend the workshops in person.
The president of FAEM wants to highlight that in recent years, they have noticed a greater acceptance of people with mental health problems in the Cádiz capital. He assures that this year, the Cádiz City Council has been involved in raising awareness on this matter; An example is the inauguration of the sculpture dedicated to people with mental illness in the Plaza de San José last June, in addition, this entity has been counted on to participate in the Local Health Plan.
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