Category Archive

Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society (CSTAS) Television

The Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society is a non-profit society created to use the power of art and nature to create dialogue and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in Canada. As part of our mandate and as an access producer we have several weekly time slots on the community television channel broadcast on Shaw Cable 4.

There are two ways to get involved. We are looking for people with a passion for the media to help us in the production of our shows. We are looking for people with ideas who might want to produce content for one of our weekly spots seen by all Shaw cable subscribers as part of their basic cable package .

To hear more or participate in this fantastic project come out on

Wednesday, October 10 7:00 p.m.
Granville Street Arts Studio,
305 - 1067 Granville

For Immediate Release, September 11, 2012.

Introducing The Burrard Inlet Fish Fest
Presented by The Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society

Port Moody BC, Canada. The Burrard Inlet Fish Fest is a multidisciplinary arts and cultural experience that celebrates the aquatic ecosystem of the amazing waters that surround us. It is common to many people living in the West Coast paradise that nature is a powerful healer. Please join us on Saturday August 11th, as local and visiting artists share their gifts of live musical performance, art creation, and creative workshops

Saturday, August 11 - 11am-8pm

at Rocky Point Park,

Port Moody, Unceded Coast Salish Territories

Beginning with a ceremonial canoe journey from Whey-ah-Wichen aka Cates Park to Rocky Point with representatives from the Musqueam, Tseil Watuth, Squamish and Sto:lo Nations, the 1st Annual Burrard Inlet Fish Fest will be raising awareness and funds for Burrard Inlet Marine Protection Programs & The Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society.

The day will feature Live Art installations, Internationally recognized indigenous performance, music, spoken word and comedy including: OSTwelve, Chief Rock, Rapsure Risin, Git Hayetsk Dancers, Joyelle Brandt, The John Pippus Band, Mahlikah Awe:ri, Jody Quine, Earle Peach, Patrick Connors, DJ Gleyse DeFranca, Azimyth, Melanie Rose, Avy Crowchild, RedSoul Bluez and much more.

For further information and interviews, please contact the project office at: email: [email protected]

web: fishfest.ca

twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fishfestdotca

About the Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society

Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society, is a collective of multi-disciplinary creative individuals who believe in the power of the arts to heal, express and communicate. The Society produces the award winning program Sound Therapy Radio, which broadcasts on CJSF 90.1 FM Burnaby and Shaw Cable 4 Vancouver. www.soundtherapyradio.com

Comic Mike MacDonald needs to know your blood type.

I met Mike at my Stand up for Mental Health Gala in May 2010. It was a dream day for me, I performed live at the Stanley Theatre in Vancouver for the first time in front of a large live audience, I got to speak for myself, in my own voice and talk about my experience disorder and all. Mike is internationally reknown and has many times performed at Just for Laughs, however that day he came up from Los Angeles to support our big event. That evening stayed with us back stage, performed amazingly, ate dinner with us and the next day even sat down with the our class and alumni. Mike shared his knowledge, comedic experience and gifts with us. He was human, inspiring, honest and obviously effing hilarious.

Mike now has some physical health problems and needs your help. Here is a message, that he wrote from Saturday May 12th, hopefully we can help him out.

If you are not the right blood type, cash donations can me made here.

http://www.gofundme.com/mikemacdonald

Benefit Event Listings

Ottawa

Just For Mike, (Mike Allan MacDonald) Music Benefit Shows at TWO venues June 3 The Elmdale House Tavern, 7 to 11PM & June 25 The Rainbow Bistro

Great acts like Jed Rached and His ‘FAT CITY 8, AL WOOD and His Woodsmen, River City Junction, Alice Groves and Steve Groves, Anthony Peter Cook along with Kurt Walther and Natalia Cook Natalia and Montuno and Capital B among many others. Incl a special appearance by Johnny Vegas

National Comedy Fundraiser

Dates and locations to be announced soon.

—

About 14 months ago I was diagnosed as having hepatitis C. which causes severe havoc to the liver along with a domino affect of other problems. Fortunately the diagnosis was made early and only a very small portion of my liver was damaged. Ironically though this proved to make a liver transplant premature and traditional drug treatments without prescription coverage would be too financially burdening. Some new drug treatments were as high as $5,000.00 a month. I was told by my highly respected liver specialist in Ottawa that if I could maintain myself on minor medications and a low salt/protein food regimen I could be eligible for a liver transplant in two to two and a half years.

I took the news as best I could and I continued to try to earn a living performing anywhere I could in Canada-hoping and dreaming for a financial break in other side projects. Unfortunately it was already an uphill battle. Years ago when I went public about being bi-polar manic depressive I found that it had interfered with my reputation as a desired headlining comedian and had even prevented me from getting certain jobs. I refused to back down despite ‘advice’ to the contrary and remain proud of the work I have done with ‘Stand Up For Mental Health’ which at it’s core attempts to eradicate the stigma of mental illness.

The downward economic times had been slowly getting worse and now several setbacks occurred as my liver began to affect certain aspects of my performances such as; energy, concentration, balance, and even my hearing. At one point I couldn’t perform for 3 months which put a humungous strain on my financial and marital situation.

Bonnie, my saint of a wife, who for years had begged me to move us back to Canada (something I should have agreed to years ago) struggled to keep us afloat and hold on to our modest home in Glendale California. On her two days off from her job (that doesn’t even pay to cover the mortgage) she continues to handle everything financially including our home renovations so we can hopefully sell it for a reasonable price and cut all our ties there. I certainly wasn’t helping much on the financial end. On one of few visits to see Bonnie over the last year I tripped over a curb and broke two ribs leading to more U.S. medical bills. After getting us out of credit card debt finally after the last three years Bonnie reluctantly jumped back into deep debt. My wife has been through hell and back so many times but she still hangs in there with me. I am so profoundly proud of her and will love her with all my heart and soul forever. Sometimes I feel like Job, from the bible, but I refuse to turn my back on God and continue every day to pledge to Bonnie that I will not give up this fight.

Thankfully over the last year with the occasional gig from Mark Breslin’s Yuk Yuk’s, my corporate agents Judy and Nancy at Callback Ent., and especially Matt Billon-who has taken chance after chance and gone with me on the road for several BlackJack Comedy Tours-I managed to send some money back to Bonnie. Unfortunately on the last Black Jack tour in B.C. in March, which took Matt and I to these tiny little venues and places-most I had never even heard of-which was fine for me-work was work and the audiences were great-I had an ‘incident’ on stage that was a result of a problem with my liver for some reason. I had no idea of the symptoms leading up to the ‘incident’ but for about a week I had experienced severe itching on my legs and I had been continually nodding off like a junkie. Matt and I shrugged it off as just being tired performing shows-28 shows in 28 towns in 30 days. During a performance about five days later I just flipped out on stage to the point where Matt had to pry the microphone out of my hand to stop me from repeating the set up for a joke for the umpteenth time. I was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. My fluids were flushed completely and I was put on heavy antibiotics. The doctors were unsure exactly what had happened but they speculated it was some kind of liver poisoning. I was released four days later and finished the tour on fumes and returned to Ottawa on April 1. I had a scheduled appointment with my liver specialist on April 11 and a airline ticket to go see Bonnie the next day back in California.

The final knock out punch for me came on April 5, around 11:00 p.m. I experienced pain in my stomach that felt like it was something trying to claw it’s way out. I would rank it up there with my old kidney stones, migraines or any other painful experience I’ve ever had. I was admitted into Ottawa’s General Hospital ICU unit. I had contracted a severe infection somehow that shut down my liver which in turn shut down my kidneys. By the end of my three week stay about 12 litres of infected fluid had been drained from my stomach and antibiotics were changed twice to combat the severity of the infection. Without going into the many gory details-I wouldn’t wish the entire experience on my worst enemy.

Four days after being released from the hospital I had an appointment with my liver specialist to access the multitude of test results. The news was devastating. I was told that the recent infection that I was recovering from was so severe that I couldn’t wait two years for a liver transplant. My specialist sent an e-mail to Toronto (they don’t do liver transplants in Ottawa) to begin procedures to possibly get me on the cadaver liver donor list. My specialist also told me that even though she had never had a patient die on her in this situation, it was an extremely long shot that another infection could be too strong for the antibiotics I was on and would kill me if I didn’t change my lifestyle dramatically.

From the very start of this whole thing I was not allowed to drive anymore. Now I can’t fly and shouldn’t travel-for any great length-for work or certainly not for any frivolous reasons. As far as performing my act-My specialist suggested I do it just in Ottawa (like it’s a 9-5 job I can show up and do it in the same place Monday through Friday) Even for work my specialist insisted I wait for a few months pending weekly blood tests and nutrition evaluations. (one of my favorites-I had to turn down Just for Laughs 30th Anniversary this year) Bonnie-who I haven’t seen since New Year’s Eve (we talk on the phone every day-thank God for cheap cell phone plans) immediately cashed out our retirement savings plans to maintain things for a few months so we don’t lose everything. God willing we can be reunited in Ottawa as soon as possible.

One bit of good news (I hope) I received a letter saying I have an appointment for an initial assessment to get on the donor list in Toronto on June 12. My brother John a.k.a. Johnny Vegas will drive me. I hope I get accepted. I have to admit for the first time in my life I’m really afraid-What if I don’t get accepted?-How long will it take if I do? Then there’s the guilt. There’s more deserving people on that list than me…

One ray of hope though is my specialist told me about living donors, which could possibly be a member of my family. Unfortunately my immediate family are all ineligible-Thus the main reason for this message but also the source of my struggle to find the right words to say. I’ve always prided my self for never taking hand outs and being self sufficient. At times I feel I’m going through these recent events in my life because of the sometimes unfeeling, cruel arrogance of my youth and no matter how many charity events or good things I’ve done in my life-I feel that maybe what is happening to me now is what I deserve. I am not without sin. Maybe it’s been so hard to write this message because I’m ashamed to ask for some thing I’m not sure I would have the courage to do myself. Maybe it’s the thought of everyone declining to help. In any case I just couldn’t ask like I was asking a simple favor despite any advice otherwise. I felt you had the right to know the story behind my situation. Simply put-I need a living donor…

You would have to be the same blood type as me: O Negative. (my specialist also mentioned something about O Positive maybe working too) The way it was explained to me by my specialist is that a portion of your liver would replace my liver then both the portion inside of me and the rest of your liver would regenerate to full size. The liver is one organ that is truly amazing in it’s abilities.

Obviously intent would be the first step towards tons of procedural red tape and logistics but one baby step at a time. I know this is not a normal thing to ask but I just simply don’t know what else to do.

Thank you for reading this and God Bless you all.

Sincerely,

Mike

-

update may 16

For Immediate Release-January 8, 2012, Vancouver, BC

Award winning radio show, Sound Therapy, begins broadcasting on Shaw Television Vancouver

The award winning Sound Therapy Radio show is taking their message to television! The Radio program is a project of the non-profit organization, Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society, which is made up of diverse, progressive thinkers and artists, committed to eliminating stigma and creating conversation around mental health issues in Canada. The organization’s television programming will begin broadcasting every Sunday night at 7:30pm through Shaw Cable 4, Vancouver. The Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society is eager about the opportunity to collaborate with the Vancouver Community Media Assocation, Shaw Cable, local creative thinkers and contributors from the community to entertain, educate and bring awareness to audiences through this new medium.

For more information on Sound Therapy Radio contact
[email protected]
www.soundtherapyradio.com

Sound Therapy Radio received recognition from the Canadian Mental Health Association - Simon Fraser Branch for the media work done to support their initiatives.

Everyone who participated in the show past and present, should celebrate this achievement
They made specific reference to the interview with Heather Steele one of their outreach workers in Maple Ridge, who we interviewed during the Homelessness Marathon, which aired on CJSF 90.1 FM and Shaw TV Vancouver and Victoria. This is the second time we have been recognized for work covering the homeless.

Thank you to Rodney Baker, Executive Director of the CMHA Simon Fraser Branch for recognizing our efforts.

For Immediate Release – August 4, 2011, New Westminister, BC

Sound Therapy Radio and the CMHA collaborate on Arts Based Initiatives. Launch with event on Saturday, August 6th.

Sound Therapy Radio, an Arts and Mental Health Radio and TV Program (CJSF 90.1 FM and Shaw Cable 4 Vancouver), and the Canadian Mental Health Association – Simon Fraser branch, are collaborating to raise awareness for Mental Health, fight stigma, and Raise Funds for Arts Based Initiatives

“The power of creative art work, has been long been recognized as a powerful therapeutic force in promoting and maintaining people’s mental well being. CMHA strongly supports initiatives which increase self confidence and inclusion in the community for people with mental health challenges.” states Rodney Baker, Executive Director, CMHA Simon Fraser Branch.

“Over the news few months we will be announcing a number of projects that will create Arts Based Mental Health initiatives aimed at providing opportunities for healing, self expression, and employment for people challenged with Mental Health issues.” states J Peachy, Producer of Sound Therapy Radio and Creative Director for CHMA Simon Fraser, Arts Initiatives

By collaborating with the CMHA Simon Fraser Branch , Sound Therapy ArtsFest will be a Celebration for those of us who have mental health challenges, as well as supporters of the Mental Health Community. It will serve as a conscious raising event as well as fundraising mechanism to enable future creative opportunities.

Sound Therapy ArtsFest will be held on Saturday August 6^th, at the Princeton Pub, at 1901 Powell Street (at Victoria) and will feature, live music, painting, comedy, and much more. Musical guests include Laine Henderson, Steel Audrey and The John Pippus Band. Comics Melanie Rose and J Peachy will co-host the evening.

For more information on Sound Therapy Radio contact

[email protected]

www.soundtherapyradio.com

As artists we know the power of art and giving. As creative types we often explore, experience and observe the depths of our emotions, we want to invite others to hear our stories and share in this experience; it has tremendous value to all that participate. As many know I have stumbled into a creative career, paved through my own complex circumstances. I’ve been so blessed that I want to bring the experience to others.

Through almost two years of Sound Therapy Radio, I have met some great people, learned new skills, have been introduced to a whole new world of inspiring stories and expressions. l have thus made it a personal mission to make the arts safe and accessible to others. Many people have also seen this vision, including, CJSF, V Community TV, Gallery Gachet and the Canadian Mental Health Association, who in particular are partnering with us on a number of projects to showcase this in tangible ways.

One of the first of many events that will be a collaboration with artists who share these values is Sound Therapy ArtsFest. Unlike other events where the creative souls are mere commodities in other causes. The gifts of artists of all types will be showcased; for established artists it will be a means to explore and be inspired by the stories of courage that those with mental health challenges face. For those in the mental health community, the power of the arts will be a means of creative support, to accompany you through each one of your journeys. From the artist perspective it is meant to say that we understand your obstacles, we don’t judge you for whats happened in the past, we invite you to speak and reach out when you are able, we want to say you are not alone. We also want to enable you to share in the collaborative canvas of life in a safe and healthy manner. If you want to create for the purpose of daily survival or ambitiously pursue a creative career as a path to emotional and economic independence, we want to be here for you. How this will unfold, is still to be revealed, but we commit to make it happen.

How do I know, I speak from experience. Art has given me a community to be myself, to let my creativity flourish amongst peers who may not understand what happens in my day to day life, but have done the best to guide me to a unique and special place, no matter what stumbles I’ve had along the way. Art is more than, words, music, wood, paint, tools, sights and sounds, its self preservation for me, its about survival and life.

The day to day challenges in our world today are immense. Even if you feel you have nothing, give what you can, it always comes back if you look for it. Recently Sarah McLachlan was awarded an honorary doctorate of arts at SFU, and in her speech she says. “Giving back to the world is a fantastic way to live, I recommend it to all of you”, she proceeds to sing a song ‘The World is on Fire’, of which the lyrics say:

The world’s on fire and

It’s more than I can handle

I’ll tap into the water

(Try and bring my share)

I try to bring more

More than I can handle

(Bring it to the table)

Bring what I am able

So I am inviting you on a journey with us, as we take the Power of Art to the people in a way that will be safe, unique and meaningful. I hope you can join us on one of these steps on Saturday August 6th for Sound Therapy ArtsFest, it is one of many expressions to come. Peace.

The Canadian Mental Health Association and Sound Therapy Radio invites you to a night of music, arts, comedy and more.

Saturday August, 6th

The Princeton Pub
1901 Powell Street

Sound Therapy Radio in collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health - Simon Fraser Branch are launching a number of Arts Based Initiatives. In support of this work we will be raising awareness about Mental Health and fundraising. So please join us as we celebrate the start of something really amazing. Check out our talented line-up.

Musical Performers

John Pippus Band

Playing out of Vancouver BC and cutting across the generations, father (John) and son (Jake) team up to make kick-ass music. Along the way, they’ve “adopted” Rob Fillo to hold down bass duties and provide back-up harmonies. They take comfort in the adage, “the family that plays together, stays together”. . Blues, rock, and urban-folk ballads. They can be rough and in your face on tunes like “I’m Mad”, or playful and fun on the reggae-inspired “Sooner Or Later”. And listen as Rob bows his electric bass in a sparse take on John’s quiet ballad, “Secret World”. Get on board as this newly-formed power trio takes off for distant musical destinations.

Steel Audrey

Steel Audrey is a rowdy-roots-folk band singing over-embellished tales of seedy characters; set to a gritty and energetic live performance.

Like a bare-knuckle brawl, their raucous is evident in both their
narrative and delivery.

Laine Henderson

Laine Henderson wears her heart on her sleeve, crafting songs that are independently catchy and unbounded by empty pop cliches. Cut from the tall trees and ceaseless rains of her native British Columbia, her songs have been sharpened in dark New York clubs and Dublin back-room bars. Jeff Bercovici, of New York Street Beat, best explains: “If Suzanne Vega were dead, there’d be reason to suspect her ghost was animating singer/songwriter Laine Henderson. Henderson shares Vega’s earnestness, her penchant for poetic reflection, and her high standards of musicianship. Like Vega’s, Henderson’s music offers a look at a variety of universal human experiences – loneliness, rejection, spirituality, renewal.

Comics

Melanie Rose

“Melanie Rose is a woman who defies all odds as she wholeheartedly applies herself towards her dream.” - Mike MacDonald, Comedian

With a bank robber ex- husband and three kids living at grandma’s (long story), it’s no wonder Melanie splits her time between performing comedy in clubs and helping others deal with mental health issues.

While her love of stand up and tie-dye t-shirts may be helping her get over her ex-it may also explain why she’s single. Either way, Melanie Rose will take you to the edge and back, laughing the whole way.

J Peachy

J Peachy is quickly becoming one of Canada’s foremost arts-based advocates for mental health. Peachy has a multi-disciplinary approach to social activism and is not only known for his visual art, but as a comic and alumni of Stand up for Mental Health. J is the creator of Sound Therapy Radio, a National Award Winning Arts and Mental Health Radio Show broadcasting on CJSF 90.1 FM and on Vcommunity TV (Shaw). In addition, he is the Creative Director for a number of Arts Based Initiatives in collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association - Simon Fraser Branch.

Conan Carlick is a former professional M.M.A. (Mixed Martial Arts) competitor and boxer. Having both physical talents and artistic ability, Conan is a natural performer at heart. Having first experienced acting through Drama class at the age of thirteen, he fell in love with the craft and continued take it throughout high school. At a young age, Conan was naturally optimistic about all that life had to offer and the results in sports and school were evidence of such.

After high school, Conan did a couple of small projects that were acting related, but never considered the idea of becoming an actor a real possibility. After feeling very discouraged by how well some youth were able to retain lines at an audition, and not getting a call back for the role; thus he completely abandoned the fantasy of acting. At age fifteen he tried boxing and found it to be second nature. For this very reason, he enjoyed it and had his very first fight after only six weeks of training. Conan went on to have fifteen amateur fights and three professional fights, winning two provincial titles and the B.C. Golden Gloves title. At age twenty two Conan started training in Mixed Martial Arts, went on to have five fights, in which he remained undefeated. After losing a majority decision in a September of 2008, Conan felt that the fatigue had too much of an adverse effect on him and retired as a professional fighter.

After his fighting career, Conan again got the taste for acting and gained a part as an extra in the movie “Afghan Luke and the burgundy of hash”. While in a summer semester of a College Fine Arts program Conan gained his first experience of live Theatre, in the play directed by Wesley Eccleston, “Tests”. Very shortly after this, Conan decided to move to Vancouver to really pursue a career in Acting. He attended many auditions, and within a few weeks, earned a role in the short film the Inner Torment, as the character ‘Robert’, which is to be released in July 2011. As part of his career journey, Conan was accepted to called Kaleidoscope which is a digital film making program.

While in Kaleidoscope Conan gained another role, in a feature length film, called “Forgive Me Father”. Conan continues to develop his creative career in all aspects of film making and production and will contribute through performing arts projects with the Sound Therapy Team.