So Curious!

We've all had music affect our mood, but how can the emotional power of music be harnessed to treat mental health?

Today, Bey and Kirsten speak with two mental health professionals to learn about how music is incorporated into their practices. First, the two sit down with Dr. Marisol Norris to explore the field of music therapy, even trying out an exercise together! Then, they speak with intergenerational trauma expert Dr. Mariel Buqué to learn about her therapy practice and how she incorporates sound baths into her work.

Links for today's episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Marisol Norris and her group, The Black Music Therapy Network, Inc.
• Learn more about Dr. Mariel Buqué and her upcoming book, Break the Cycle

Resources for today's episode:

• NAMI for general, non crisis mental health needs/resources
• Text 'HOME" to 741-741 for NAMI Philadelphia's crisis text line
• Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, Therapy for Black Girls, and Black Mental Health Alliance for BIPOC mental health resources/directories for culturally competent care

The hills are alive... with curiosity! Why do instruments "sound" different from one another, and how do we respond to the different sounds we hear?

To explore these questions, Bey and Kirsten speak with music perception researcher Dr. Stephen McAdams, going in depth about timbre, orchestration, and the ways we perceive tone qualities. Then, the two sit down with electronic musician and educator Ben Runyan to learn about the history and technology behind synthesizers, including a live jam session!

Links for today's episode:

• Learn more about Dr. McAdams and his work with the ACTOR Project
• Check out a video of Snowball the cockatoo dancing to the Backstreet Boys!
• Learn more about Ben Runyan, and check out his recording project, City Rain
• Want to try your own hand at synthesizers? Check out SynthHacker's Youtube tutorials, along with this free online synth!

Why does music exist?

It's a big question, so Bey and Kirsten turn to the past for answers! They sit down with evolutionary biologist Dr. David George Haskell, ethnomusicologist Dr. Carol Muller, and acoustician Philip Faraci, exploring the ways anatomy, culture, and physics have shaped music over time.

Links for Today's Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. George Haskell and his book Sounds Wild and Broken, a 2023 Pulitzer finalist!
• Learn more about Dr. Carol Muller and follow your curiosity to learn more about some topics she referenced, like music cognition expert Henkjan Honing, the Rorogwela Lullaby's evolution into an electronic hit, the Griot musical tradition from West Africa, and check out some South African jazz from Hugh Masekela
• Learn more about Philip Faraci, learn more about Indian ragas, and listen to a full raga performance by Ravi Shankar , Ali Akbar Khan And Alla Rakha

So Curious is back! And to kick off this season on the science of music, we're looking at a question we've all asked before; why do we like the music we like?

To get to the bottom of this, Bey and Kirsten sit down with three experts across the fields of music cognition, psychology, and audio engineering to explore the ways our brains, personality, and experiences help shape musical preferences.

Links for today’s episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Psyche Loui and her research with the MIND Lab
• Learn more about Dr. David Greenberg’s work on music, personality, and the brain
• Learn more about Dr. Susan Rogers and her book, This Is What It Sounds Like

We all know the feeling of being moved by a song, but have you ever wondered why? The Bul Bey and Kirsten Michelle Cills get to the bottom of this mystery, interviewing experts in neuroscience, acoustics, biology, and musicology. And it’s not all serious - we’re here to entertain! Catch new episodes every Tuesday this summer! 

Just like anything else, the mental health world is susceptible to buzzwords. Lately, the term "wellness" has been tossed around everywhere, but what does that word even mean? In the last episode of this season, Bey and Kirsten do what they do best, and turn to science for some answers!

First, the two sit down with cross-cultural wellness researcher Dr. June Kim for some definitions. Then, Dr. Glenn Fox joins to share his work, scientifically measuring the affect practicing gratitude can have on our mental health. And to close out the season, Bey and Kirsten chat with Malaika Gilpin, co-founder and director of the One Art Community Center in West Philly, to learn some of the practical ways they help promote wellness in the local community.

Links for Today's Episode:

• Lean more about Dr. June Kim's work at TCNJ
• Lean more about Dr. Glenn Fox's gratitude research, and his current focus applying that to entrepreneurship
• Learn more about Malaika Gilpin and One Art's mission in West Philly

Resources for Today's Episode:

• My Grief Angels for a directory of grief resources
• Up the Block for those in Philadelphia affected by gun violence

Inevitably, we all deal with the loss of a loved one, but why is something as universal as grief still so difficult to process? To get some answers from science, Bey and Kirsten sit down with grief researcher Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor to explore how grief affects our brains and bodies. Then, the two chat with creativity expert Natalie Nixon, looking at how creativity can help one to find meaning following a loss. And to round out the episode, Marguerite Nicosia from the Shanthi Project returns with another mindfulness exercise.

Links for Today's Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor and her grief research
• Learn more about Natalie Nixon and her work
• Learn more about the Shanthi Project

Resources for Today's Episode:

• My Grief Angels for a directory to resources based on specific form of grief experienced
• The National Alliance for Children's Grief for helping kids process grief
• NAMI for general mental health support

Hope you're hungry! Today's episode is all about food, both how food impacts our mind, and how our mind impacts our relationship with food. To explore how what we eat impacts the way we feel, Bey and Kirsten sit down with psychiatrist Dr. Drew Ramsey to discuss nutritional psychology. Then, the two chat with self described anti-diet dietician and food writer Christine Byrne, investigating the ways language and societal pressure can negatively affect our relationship to food, and how we can combat these stigmas.

Links For Today's Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Ramsey's work
• Learn more about Bring Change To Mind's mission to end mental health stigma
• Learn more about Christine Byrne's practice and writing

Resources For Today's Episode:

• The National Eating Disorders Association offers a call line and various supports on their website
• Mental Health America's eating disorder information + support page
• Project Heal for support and resources for those seeking eating disorder treatment
• the National Alliance on Mental Health for general mental health resources nationwide

From doom scrolling to video games, we're constantly hearing how digital technologies are ruining our mental health, but do these claims hold any credence? To try and get to the bottom of this question, Bey and Kirsten sit down with three different guests - trauma researcher Roxanne Cohen Silver, author Jordan Shapiro, and the Franklin Institute's own Dr. Jayatri Das - to investigate the 24 hour news cycle, fears around kids using new technology, and the potential of chatbots and VR in mental health treatment.

Links for today's episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Roxanne Cohen Silver and her extensive research into the effects of stressful news consumption
• Learn more about Dr. Jordan Shapiro and his books on parenting in the modern age

Resources for today's episode

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
• NAMI, for non-crisis mental health needs
• VOICES Center for Resilience for support following a mass tragedy

We all experience stress, but what is it exactly? And how does it affect our mental health and behavior? Join Bey and Kirsten as they explore the topic with two experts in the field. First, they chat with Dr. Jeremy Jamieson to understand how stress can impact decision-making and even be beneficial at times. Then, they dive into the science behind stress with Dr. Jenna Rieder, learning how it interacts with hormones in our bodies. Get ready to uncover the secrets of stress and how it affects us!

Links for Today's Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Jeremy Jamieson and his Social Stress Research Lab
• Learn more about Dr. Jenna Rieder