What do you think?
Rate this book
Wellness, Wellplayed: The Power of a Playlist
Music is powerful. The right song at the right time can make you smile, cry, dance, or breathe a contented “ah.” In Wellness, Wellplayed, music therapist Jennifer Buchanan shows us how to develop and use music playlists with purpose, as a bridge to something deeper within ourselves—and a way to address our human need to feel, create, and connect.
152 pages, Paperback
Published September 10, 2021
11 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Buchanan
10 books14 followersJennifer witnessed the power of music as a young teen when her Grandad had his second stroke leaving him unable to speak or walk. It was Granny who asked her to bring her guitar to the hospital center and sing his favorite song. As she sang, she watched the face of the grumpy old man she thought she knew, turn into the tears of a man who wanted a more meaningful connection.
Uncertain times will always be with us. Perhaps music can be our proven constant. – Jennifer Buchanan, MTA, MBA
That moment was the beginning of her journey to becoming a Music Therapist.
Jennifer jokes that her speaking career started in elementary school when she won her school district’s speaking contest. She recognized the power of a message and how it could transform thoughts and support new ideas. Also during these formative years, John Denver visited her school where he sang his music, shared the film of him traveling along the west coast, and shared the message of loving our land. Jennifer witnessed firsthand the power of imagery, message, and music. When they are all blended together, they become the perfect anchor to a moment never to be forgotten.
I believe in the power of music for mental health and well-being and there is no other way I know to get out the work I have been doing for 30 years – exploring this power – than through a really well-crafted presentation. – Jennifer Buchanan, MTA, MBA
Her work today:
Jennifer is Founder and Visionary Architect of JB Music Therapy (JBMT), a music therapy company that has been instrumental in the implementation of hundreds of music therapy programs throughout Canada for 30 years and that has been thrice nominated for the Community Impact Award by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. JBMT currently employs a diverse team of 18 Certified Music Therapists.
As the author of two award-winning books – ‘Tune In‘ and ‘Wellness Incorporated‘ she has become a trusted source for media outlets across North America and has been featured in publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post. Her latest book, Wellness, Wellplayed: The Power of a Playlist was written for all of us who love to make the biggest impact possible while getting the most out of life – it equips busy, mindful people with tools and supports to engage with music in a deeper way.
As an invited keynote speaker at national and international conventions, Jennifer speaks on music and mental health, music therapy, and health entrepreneurship to a wide variety of education, healthcare, government, small business, and corporate wellness audiences.
Combining her music therapy experience with her MBA, Jennifer is the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists. The Canadian music therapy community presented Jennifer with their two most prestigious awards – the Norma Sharpe Award for lifetime achievement and the Frani Award, named after her long-time mentor and friend.
How Jennifer can help and inspire your organization?
Jennifer’s Presentations help cultivate connections and foster improved well-being within individuals, workplaces, and communities. Jennifer speaks to large and small organizations about the benefits of music for memory, mood, and motivation. Her work as a Certified Music Therapist allows her to touch the lives of people at any age and any phase of life → from babies and toddlers → to corporate employees → to prison inmates → to musicians such as Don Felder, lead guitarist with The Eagles:
Uncertain times will always be with us. Perhaps music can be our proven constant. – Jennifer Buchanan, MTA, MBA
That moment was the beginning of her journey to becoming a Music Therapist.
Jennifer jokes that her speaking career started in elementary school when she won her school district’s speaking contest. She recognized the power of a message and how it could transform thoughts and support new ideas. Also during these formative years, John Denver visited her school where he sang his music, shared the film of him traveling along the west coast, and shared the message of loving our land. Jennifer witnessed firsthand the power of imagery, message, and music. When they are all blended together, they become the perfect anchor to a moment never to be forgotten.
I believe in the power of music for mental health and well-being and there is no other way I know to get out the work I have been doing for 30 years – exploring this power – than through a really well-crafted presentation. – Jennifer Buchanan, MTA, MBA
Her work today:
Jennifer is Founder and Visionary Architect of JB Music Therapy (JBMT), a music therapy company that has been instrumental in the implementation of hundreds of music therapy programs throughout Canada for 30 years and that has been thrice nominated for the Community Impact Award by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. JBMT currently employs a diverse team of 18 Certified Music Therapists.
As the author of two award-winning books – ‘Tune In‘ and ‘Wellness Incorporated‘ she has become a trusted source for media outlets across North America and has been featured in publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post. Her latest book, Wellness, Wellplayed: The Power of a Playlist was written for all of us who love to make the biggest impact possible while getting the most out of life – it equips busy, mindful people with tools and supports to engage with music in a deeper way.
As an invited keynote speaker at national and international conventions, Jennifer speaks on music and mental health, music therapy, and health entrepreneurship to a wide variety of education, healthcare, government, small business, and corporate wellness audiences.
Combining her music therapy experience with her MBA, Jennifer is the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists. The Canadian music therapy community presented Jennifer with their two most prestigious awards – the Norma Sharpe Award for lifetime achievement and the Frani Award, named after her long-time mentor and friend.
How Jennifer can help and inspire your organization?
Jennifer’s Presentations help cultivate connections and foster improved well-being within individuals, workplaces, and communities. Jennifer speaks to large and small organizations about the benefits of music for memory, mood, and motivation. Her work as a Certified Music Therapist allows her to touch the lives of people at any age and any phase of life → from babies and toddlers → to corporate employees → to prison inmates → to musicians such as Don Felder, lead guitarist with The Eagles:
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 25, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book for free in compensation for this unbiased, honest review)
Overall I did not enjoy reading this book. My main issue; the author claims that she will tell me how to build a purposeful playlist, and I just don’t think that goal was accomplished.
One thing is certain, Jennifer Buchanan is incredibly passionate about music. That comes across in spades throughout the entirety of the book. If this was a book about why someone should care about, enjoy, and engage with music, it would be a success. If it was packaged as a memoir about a woman’s life and relationship to music, I might have enjoyed it. However, because the author sets forth the ground rules, that she will give us the tools we need to perform a job well, and then doesn’t, after multiple attempts, I think this book is a disappointment. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone I knew who wanted an insight into making musical playlists, as I don’t feel it provides any particular insight.
For the positive, I really enjoyed the chapter on music’s effect on the brain. It was a well researched, compellingly written segment that I felt elevated the book beyond the rest of the contents. In that single chapter the author presented things that didn’t feel obvious, and was able to drill down on the effects of neurotransmitters and their effect on mood and behavior, when coupled with music. It was the highlight because of its clarity and focus, which unfortunately, the rest of the book could not do. This entire book is a free ranging, loosely arranged parade through author Buchanan’s life and experiences as they relate to music. However, it often times dips into portions on how to breathe, the benefits of silence, starting up social groups, why you should purchase music, and what to do if you can’t purchase music, which includes the idea to donate music. Does the author intend, as my wife pointed out, that you should give the homeless a playlist you’ve made after you’ve read this book? Sorry, unhoused friend, I know you’re hungry, but I can’t give you any money, here’s a playlist you might enjoy, the first song is “I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas”? The call to action to donate one’s time or energy in a book about creating meaningful playlists was one of the stranger elements of a book about playlists, but it certainly wasn’t the only one. Just a paragraph later, the author asks you to elicit your local government to create wifi networks so that those without the internet can listen to music. Baffling advice in a book thats thesis statement is, and I quote, “If I were to try to prepare you for what this book is about, I would simply say that its intention is to teach you how to create a variety of purposeful playlists.” I don’t know how wifi or purchasing physical media fits into that.
The hard part for me, in the course of reading this book, was finding the expertise that helps to pay off the promise of the above premise. I kept hoping for a step by step guide to actually sequencing songs, in a particular order, to help me do something. There would be general guidelines; find songs you liked throughout your lifetime, or pick your top ten albums, or pull together 12 great songs. However, I never felt I had a clear understanding why, other than they're songs I like, that I should add them to a playlist. I kept waiting for the author to inform me, and she never did. During the segment on making playlists for exercise, I thought that Jennifer was finally going to deliver the goods, she begins by letting me know the titles of her playlists;
I want to exercise more often—Energy
I want to complete my first race—Motivate
I want to be more productive in my workouts—Momentum
I want to build my confidence and feel strong—Vitality
I want to feel less alone—Nurture
I want to change my outlook on life—Inspiration
She even entices me, and all her readers, by including the information that she used these playlists to puff herself up, or if I'm being kind, to prove that her method works, and mention that she used these playlists to finish a triathlon, which is admittedly an incredible task that she used the power of music to accomplish. Sadly, Jennifer then cruelly refuses to include or incorporate the actual songs or the order that she used to accomplish her playlist goals. She simply tells the reader that they are free to steal the names of her playlists. That doesn't help me create a playlist. That helps me title a playlist. It's not the same. It's as if Julia Child simply gave her cookbook readers the dish names and not the ingredients. Knowing that the dish is called Duck O’Lorange is not the same as listing the steps to cook it.
To sum the above up, it seemed like the author’s advice, for most of the book was simple; listen to the music you like, and then you’ll feel better. Which I think would be met by most people that listen to music with a big old duh. It’s possible that I’m wrong. It is possible that people actively and purposefully try to listen to music that they don’t like on a regular basis, as a way to make themselves feel better, and they need a book like this one to inform them, no, to feel better, listen to something that makes you feel good, not bad. Perhaps I’m ignorant.
Other problematic elements for me, Jennifer cannot stop talking about herself. Stories of her childhood, experiences she’s had with clients, modeling behavior after her own experiences. Jennifer seems to think that this book needs to include as much of her own personal viewpoint and experience as possible, to prove to us that she has been a successful music therapist and playlist provider, but I found it grating and self-serving. I was very annoyed that she included her social media handles within her own book. I truly enjoyed the stories of her clients' experiences, those felt relevant and purposeful. In a book about playlists, however, the story of her seeing John Denver as a child felt purposeless and self serving.
This book is overstuffed with useless, trivial and extraneous information. She includes long winded passages or even full chapters about the history of media, and her experiences with it. How this relates to my ability or desire to create a purposeful playlist was a true mystery to me. I did not and still don’t need to know that she, while discussing making a tape compilation from the radio, and I quote, “...On the rare occasion my thumbs didn’t press down at exactly the same time (I used my thumbs because the buttons stuck a little and I could get more leverage), I would have to wait another few hours (or even a day) for the song to repeat so I could ensure it made it onto my playlist.” What purpose does this anecdote serve to the thesis statement of the book? Does she think that we, as her readers, would also be using a tape deck to create the playlists, and this cautionary tale was a useful clarion call to the dangers of using one of the other four fingers? That the issue of button leverage is still quite pressing? This book is rife with personal asides that the author might feel or think were endearing, but I found maddening. Especially as we got deeper and deeper into the text and I realized just how little substance, to the promise of playlist development, was actually available.
I found that I kept hoping she would give me specific examples of a playlist she’d constructed. Something to educate me, by example, of what she, claiming to be a playlist expert, would do. Again, I was disappointed. Her references to clients that utilized successful playlists consisted of a 1.) dying woman making peace with her death, 2.) a man with a degenerative mental condition that would eventually render him incapable of remembering his life, or 3.) Herself, when she realized she wasn’t listening to music after giving birth. How that reflects on a great playlist, I’m again left without answer.
Worst of all, she makes sweeping claims about factual things that are just wrong. She claims in the book, and again I quote, “People who exercise seem to have an innate preference for rhythms that are equivalent to 120 beats per minute, or two beats per second. If you were asked to just stand up and begin walking, and to tap your fingers as you did so, chances are you, like most people, would unconsciously settle into a tempo of 120 beats per minute. In an analysis of more than 74,000 popular songs produced Playlists to Boost Your Motivation 115 between 1960 and 1990, researchers found that the tempo of most— if not all—of them rested at that sweet spot of 120 beats per minute.” She references the Scientific American article, Let’s Get Physical. Which quotes the original study which I found, Preferred Tempo Reconsidered. Let’s talk about what, most – if not all –, means in this context discussing popular songs. She’s saying that of the 74,000 songs researched that not just 51 percent, which is the qualification for most, is at 120 beats per minute, no. The author is saying that probably all of the 74,000 songs from 1960 to 1990 are at exactly 120 beats per minute. This is just irresponsible for a person that seems to want to use references and scientific material to support her theory and claims. And I have a problem with that. Moreover, if you go to the original paper, which I’ve linked here, (https://nanopdf.com/download/preferre...) you’ll notice that the sole author of the source paper points out that of those 74,000 songs, they wanted to focus on dance music! A genre of music known for its higher paced tempo! You cannot claim that you’ve researched all popular music from a decades spanning study and not acknowledge that it was within a specific genre of music! It’s just bad science.
In the end, I was excited about this book. I’m a musician, and I have a degree in psychology, I thought that this book would enrich my life and my experience listening to music, and give me an insight on how to make, as the author said, “its (the book’s) intention is to teach you how to create a variety of purposeful playlists”, which in my estimation it does not do. It gives you ideas about how you can think about songs as a group. It reminds you that the songs you liked when you were young you’ll probably still enjoy. That music is great and we should listen to it. All of which is true, but does not give systematic and step by step instructions on creating purposeful playlists.
I cannot recommend this book, even though it has some useful components, and some interesting science, as I don’t think it has helped me to learn anything about how to construct a purposeful playlist. Even if we ignore the sweeping generalizations throughout the book, and the ignorant and wrong takes on the science, this book is a dud. It has entirely too much of the author in it, as if her incorporating her stories into the book was a way to teach me about playlists, but it just doesn’t. In fact, I can’t see anything in this book of true value beyond the aforementioned advice of, when making a playlist choose songs you know you like that make you feel good, and avoid songs that don’t. This whole book, in effect, boils down to that single sentence. And a single sentence, a book does not make.
Overall I did not enjoy reading this book. My main issue; the author claims that she will tell me how to build a purposeful playlist, and I just don’t think that goal was accomplished.
One thing is certain, Jennifer Buchanan is incredibly passionate about music. That comes across in spades throughout the entirety of the book. If this was a book about why someone should care about, enjoy, and engage with music, it would be a success. If it was packaged as a memoir about a woman’s life and relationship to music, I might have enjoyed it. However, because the author sets forth the ground rules, that she will give us the tools we need to perform a job well, and then doesn’t, after multiple attempts, I think this book is a disappointment. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone I knew who wanted an insight into making musical playlists, as I don’t feel it provides any particular insight.
For the positive, I really enjoyed the chapter on music’s effect on the brain. It was a well researched, compellingly written segment that I felt elevated the book beyond the rest of the contents. In that single chapter the author presented things that didn’t feel obvious, and was able to drill down on the effects of neurotransmitters and their effect on mood and behavior, when coupled with music. It was the highlight because of its clarity and focus, which unfortunately, the rest of the book could not do. This entire book is a free ranging, loosely arranged parade through author Buchanan’s life and experiences as they relate to music. However, it often times dips into portions on how to breathe, the benefits of silence, starting up social groups, why you should purchase music, and what to do if you can’t purchase music, which includes the idea to donate music. Does the author intend, as my wife pointed out, that you should give the homeless a playlist you’ve made after you’ve read this book? Sorry, unhoused friend, I know you’re hungry, but I can’t give you any money, here’s a playlist you might enjoy, the first song is “I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas”? The call to action to donate one’s time or energy in a book about creating meaningful playlists was one of the stranger elements of a book about playlists, but it certainly wasn’t the only one. Just a paragraph later, the author asks you to elicit your local government to create wifi networks so that those without the internet can listen to music. Baffling advice in a book thats thesis statement is, and I quote, “If I were to try to prepare you for what this book is about, I would simply say that its intention is to teach you how to create a variety of purposeful playlists.” I don’t know how wifi or purchasing physical media fits into that.
The hard part for me, in the course of reading this book, was finding the expertise that helps to pay off the promise of the above premise. I kept hoping for a step by step guide to actually sequencing songs, in a particular order, to help me do something. There would be general guidelines; find songs you liked throughout your lifetime, or pick your top ten albums, or pull together 12 great songs. However, I never felt I had a clear understanding why, other than they're songs I like, that I should add them to a playlist. I kept waiting for the author to inform me, and she never did. During the segment on making playlists for exercise, I thought that Jennifer was finally going to deliver the goods, she begins by letting me know the titles of her playlists;
I want to exercise more often—Energy
I want to complete my first race—Motivate
I want to be more productive in my workouts—Momentum
I want to build my confidence and feel strong—Vitality
I want to feel less alone—Nurture
I want to change my outlook on life—Inspiration
She even entices me, and all her readers, by including the information that she used these playlists to puff herself up, or if I'm being kind, to prove that her method works, and mention that she used these playlists to finish a triathlon, which is admittedly an incredible task that she used the power of music to accomplish. Sadly, Jennifer then cruelly refuses to include or incorporate the actual songs or the order that she used to accomplish her playlist goals. She simply tells the reader that they are free to steal the names of her playlists. That doesn't help me create a playlist. That helps me title a playlist. It's not the same. It's as if Julia Child simply gave her cookbook readers the dish names and not the ingredients. Knowing that the dish is called Duck O’Lorange is not the same as listing the steps to cook it.
To sum the above up, it seemed like the author’s advice, for most of the book was simple; listen to the music you like, and then you’ll feel better. Which I think would be met by most people that listen to music with a big old duh. It’s possible that I’m wrong. It is possible that people actively and purposefully try to listen to music that they don’t like on a regular basis, as a way to make themselves feel better, and they need a book like this one to inform them, no, to feel better, listen to something that makes you feel good, not bad. Perhaps I’m ignorant.
Other problematic elements for me, Jennifer cannot stop talking about herself. Stories of her childhood, experiences she’s had with clients, modeling behavior after her own experiences. Jennifer seems to think that this book needs to include as much of her own personal viewpoint and experience as possible, to prove to us that she has been a successful music therapist and playlist provider, but I found it grating and self-serving. I was very annoyed that she included her social media handles within her own book. I truly enjoyed the stories of her clients' experiences, those felt relevant and purposeful. In a book about playlists, however, the story of her seeing John Denver as a child felt purposeless and self serving.
This book is overstuffed with useless, trivial and extraneous information. She includes long winded passages or even full chapters about the history of media, and her experiences with it. How this relates to my ability or desire to create a purposeful playlist was a true mystery to me. I did not and still don’t need to know that she, while discussing making a tape compilation from the radio, and I quote, “...On the rare occasion my thumbs didn’t press down at exactly the same time (I used my thumbs because the buttons stuck a little and I could get more leverage), I would have to wait another few hours (or even a day) for the song to repeat so I could ensure it made it onto my playlist.” What purpose does this anecdote serve to the thesis statement of the book? Does she think that we, as her readers, would also be using a tape deck to create the playlists, and this cautionary tale was a useful clarion call to the dangers of using one of the other four fingers? That the issue of button leverage is still quite pressing? This book is rife with personal asides that the author might feel or think were endearing, but I found maddening. Especially as we got deeper and deeper into the text and I realized just how little substance, to the promise of playlist development, was actually available.
I found that I kept hoping she would give me specific examples of a playlist she’d constructed. Something to educate me, by example, of what she, claiming to be a playlist expert, would do. Again, I was disappointed. Her references to clients that utilized successful playlists consisted of a 1.) dying woman making peace with her death, 2.) a man with a degenerative mental condition that would eventually render him incapable of remembering his life, or 3.) Herself, when she realized she wasn’t listening to music after giving birth. How that reflects on a great playlist, I’m again left without answer.
Worst of all, she makes sweeping claims about factual things that are just wrong. She claims in the book, and again I quote, “People who exercise seem to have an innate preference for rhythms that are equivalent to 120 beats per minute, or two beats per second. If you were asked to just stand up and begin walking, and to tap your fingers as you did so, chances are you, like most people, would unconsciously settle into a tempo of 120 beats per minute. In an analysis of more than 74,000 popular songs produced Playlists to Boost Your Motivation 115 between 1960 and 1990, researchers found that the tempo of most— if not all—of them rested at that sweet spot of 120 beats per minute.” She references the Scientific American article, Let’s Get Physical. Which quotes the original study which I found, Preferred Tempo Reconsidered. Let’s talk about what, most – if not all –, means in this context discussing popular songs. She’s saying that of the 74,000 songs researched that not just 51 percent, which is the qualification for most, is at 120 beats per minute, no. The author is saying that probably all of the 74,000 songs from 1960 to 1990 are at exactly 120 beats per minute. This is just irresponsible for a person that seems to want to use references and scientific material to support her theory and claims. And I have a problem with that. Moreover, if you go to the original paper, which I’ve linked here, (https://nanopdf.com/download/preferre...) you’ll notice that the sole author of the source paper points out that of those 74,000 songs, they wanted to focus on dance music! A genre of music known for its higher paced tempo! You cannot claim that you’ve researched all popular music from a decades spanning study and not acknowledge that it was within a specific genre of music! It’s just bad science.
In the end, I was excited about this book. I’m a musician, and I have a degree in psychology, I thought that this book would enrich my life and my experience listening to music, and give me an insight on how to make, as the author said, “its (the book’s) intention is to teach you how to create a variety of purposeful playlists”, which in my estimation it does not do. It gives you ideas about how you can think about songs as a group. It reminds you that the songs you liked when you were young you’ll probably still enjoy. That music is great and we should listen to it. All of which is true, but does not give systematic and step by step instructions on creating purposeful playlists.
I cannot recommend this book, even though it has some useful components, and some interesting science, as I don’t think it has helped me to learn anything about how to construct a purposeful playlist. Even if we ignore the sweeping generalizations throughout the book, and the ignorant and wrong takes on the science, this book is a dud. It has entirely too much of the author in it, as if her incorporating her stories into the book was a way to teach me about playlists, but it just doesn’t. In fact, I can’t see anything in this book of true value beyond the aforementioned advice of, when making a playlist choose songs you know you like that make you feel good, and avoid songs that don’t. This whole book, in effect, boils down to that single sentence. And a single sentence, a book does not make.
July 28, 2024
"When words are not enough, let music start the conversation."
From the time I was playing music for inmates in prisons to now playing for patients in hospitals, music therapy has always fascinated me. I've seen how people can make a personal connection to a song and it's ability to reach into someone's soul.
Jennifer Buchanan explores how creating personalized music playlists can provide a balance in your life, leading to a positive and healthy outlook. The book has some well designed practical exercises to help you define the music to boost your motivation and regulate your mood and memory.
Music won't solve world problems, but we can find peace, empathy, and confidence through it. Science has proven the effects that music can have on your brain. This self-help guide is a great start to realizing the healing power that music can have toward your wellness.
From the time I was playing music for inmates in prisons to now playing for patients in hospitals, music therapy has always fascinated me. I've seen how people can make a personal connection to a song and it's ability to reach into someone's soul.
Jennifer Buchanan explores how creating personalized music playlists can provide a balance in your life, leading to a positive and healthy outlook. The book has some well designed practical exercises to help you define the music to boost your motivation and regulate your mood and memory.
Music won't solve world problems, but we can find peace, empathy, and confidence through it. Science has proven the effects that music can have on your brain. This self-help guide is a great start to realizing the healing power that music can have toward your wellness.
October 6, 2021
This was the most fun you could ever have writing a book. If you love music you will love this book. If you are a GenXer you will love it even more.
July 6, 2022
A book set to music !
Harmonious, elevating just like a piece of music ,this book will definitely be your guide into the heavenly world of music.It is the outcome of fusing years of field experience with scientific study of the author Jennifer Buchanan a music certified therapist .Yet, it is not just about the unquestionable healing power of music but basically about music as a way of life.It helps you think and re-define music and hardwire it in your entire self.
The book introduces you to a revolutionary perspective in order to internalize music in your daily life in s very engaging, provoking manner.
Interestingly enough,The book format is like a cassette tape;chapters entitled as tracks
At the end of each chapter, the reader will find an activity, ideas or summary to engage with.Each chapter deals with different aspects of music; physically , cognitively and psychologically ..etc
The therapeutic power of music reduces stress , boosts mood , comforts your mental status.
For memory ,music functions as a time machine.Above all,music helps us to restore hope.
What dinstinghishes this book the most is that it suggests innovative ideas to maximize our interaction with music for the sake of our well being.The reader will learn how to prepare a purposeful playlist by which he/she will positively activate memory,regulate mood and boost motivation.
Personal experience of the author along with anecdotes and scientific presentation , you find nurturing content with no fail .
Moreover,the reader can have an extra benefit from by the workbook annexed to the book .So, the advantage will be doubled as the reader can go through the practical tips and activities in it such how to make a 'audiotary diet' , how to personalize your own soundtrack and how you can connect your feeling with the most suitable music genre .
It is truly said that 'Uncertain times will always be with us.Perhaps music can be our proven constant.'
October 31, 2022
Music is the Food of Life!
Jennifer Buchanan has presented a great book to create our own Purposeful Playlists to help ourselves, to make the best of our music collections. She explains well the power of music and how it influences our moods, how we can navigate through good days, difficult times.
Enjoyed reading her experience as a qualified Music Therapist. At one time, she was requested to come at short notice to the trauma unit in a hospital. It was to help the parents get through the last hours of their young daughter dying from a traffic accident. Reading such experiences was very moving to say the least.
The message of her book is to create some playlists of your own; your personal soundtracks. These can grow in time with new tracks. Start from your favourites in early childhood and go through the growing up years. Create different playlists for leisure, work, sharing with friends and family. Some playlists for difficult or sad times.
The evolution of music, from recording on cassette tapes through CD s to Streaming music now, is quite fascinating. Everything is available more easily from streaming services. This makes it simple to arrange your personal soundtracks really easy.
All the guidance is there for readers to help themselves. Her personal top 10, is shared for us to listen. Introduce a variety of music to kids early on, it helps in many ways as they recognise their own tastes in music.
Recommend all to get the best out of their own collections, to help themselves in any situation in life. Reading this book helped me to understand the work of a music therapist, even more on how such therapy helps us all.
Jennifer Buchanan has presented a great book to create our own Purposeful Playlists to help ourselves, to make the best of our music collections. She explains well the power of music and how it influences our moods, how we can navigate through good days, difficult times.
Enjoyed reading her experience as a qualified Music Therapist. At one time, she was requested to come at short notice to the trauma unit in a hospital. It was to help the parents get through the last hours of their young daughter dying from a traffic accident. Reading such experiences was very moving to say the least.
The message of her book is to create some playlists of your own; your personal soundtracks. These can grow in time with new tracks. Start from your favourites in early childhood and go through the growing up years. Create different playlists for leisure, work, sharing with friends and family. Some playlists for difficult or sad times.
The evolution of music, from recording on cassette tapes through CD s to Streaming music now, is quite fascinating. Everything is available more easily from streaming services. This makes it simple to arrange your personal soundtracks really easy.
All the guidance is there for readers to help themselves. Her personal top 10, is shared for us to listen. Introduce a variety of music to kids early on, it helps in many ways as they recognise their own tastes in music.
Recommend all to get the best out of their own collections, to help themselves in any situation in life. Reading this book helped me to understand the work of a music therapist, even more on how such therapy helps us all.
December 30, 2022
Sometimes it happens that we have great wealth within our reach, without knowing it, and therefore, we do not take advantage of it. In this extraordinary book, Jennifer helps us "unearth" the treasure of music and teaches us how to "invest" it to take advantage of it and to facilitate a better quality of life (reduce stress, heal, overcome a difficult moment, enjoy a triumph, connect with oneself and with others, etc.). Both the explanations and the exercises are wonderful and give whoever receives them the privilege of getting to know themselves better, to change their lives with the musical resources around us.
____________
A veces pasa que tenemos una gran riqueza a nuestro alcance, sin saberlo, y por lo tanto, no la aprovechamos. En este extraordinario libro, Jennifer nos ayuda a "desenterrar" el tesoro de la música y nos enseña cómo "invertirlo" para sacarle provecho y que nos facilite una mejor calidad de vida (bajar el estrés, sanar, superar un momento difícil, gozar un triunfo, conectar consigo mismo y con los demás, etc.). Tanto las explicaciones como los ejercicios son estupendos y conceden a quien los recibe, el privilegio de conocerse mejor, para cambiar la propia vida con los recursos musicales a nuestro alrededor.
____________
A veces pasa que tenemos una gran riqueza a nuestro alcance, sin saberlo, y por lo tanto, no la aprovechamos. En este extraordinario libro, Jennifer nos ayuda a "desenterrar" el tesoro de la música y nos enseña cómo "invertirlo" para sacarle provecho y que nos facilite una mejor calidad de vida (bajar el estrés, sanar, superar un momento difícil, gozar un triunfo, conectar consigo mismo y con los demás, etc.). Tanto las explicaciones como los ejercicios son estupendos y conceden a quien los recibe, el privilegio de conocerse mejor, para cambiar la propia vida con los recursos musicales a nuestro alrededor.
May 29, 2022
Music is a powerful art form that allows us to express emotions in ways that words cannot at times. In this book we can learn thoughtful and meaningful ways to directly tap the power of music to provide healing or process events. I have made playlists to share my favorite music with friends, introduce others to artists I like, and to show someone what they mean to me; however, through the reading of this book and the activities provided I have found new ways to help myself through the music I love. As a teacher I often find it difficult to unwind or relax after a long day and I truly believe that I have now found tools to help me that do not feel like another chore.
The book is written as a series of tracks like you would see on an album and in addition to each topic, the author has provided activities and reasons for using them. I have spent the time doing many of the activities and must say that I enjoyed them and feel that the work I have done will be beneficial. I think any music lover will love this book and I believe everyone has a place in their lives that needs a playlist.
The book is written as a series of tracks like you would see on an album and in addition to each topic, the author has provided activities and reasons for using them. I have spent the time doing many of the activities and must say that I enjoyed them and feel that the work I have done will be beneficial. I think any music lover will love this book and I believe everyone has a place in their lives that needs a playlist.
January 28, 2023
Wellness, Wellplayed by Jennifer Buchanan is an insightful and practical guide on how to use music as a tool for promoting wellbeing. Written by an award-winning author and music therapist, the book delves into the different ways music can influence us and how it can be used as an effective tool to manage stress, increase motivation, and improve productivity. The author also explores how playlists are often designed with specific goals in mind, from improving focus to managing emotions and provides tips on how to create impactful playlists that are tailored to different moods, activities, and scenarios. Overall, the book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding how music can help promote wellbeing and improve their quality of life.
August 29, 2022
This was interesting to read! There's science, personal anecdotes, and a focus on mental well-being all wrapped up in a well-written book. I enjoyed the activities the writer has readers do periodically throughout this work. It really helps to keep your interest as a reader and get you working toward your own revelations from start to finish. Music and memory are closely linked and the stories linking each section together help to emphasize this concept.
June 26, 2023
Beautifully written book about a much needed topic - Power of Music. It was not only enriching in knowledge but also further reinforced what we already might know with research works. Inshort, I resonated with lot of stuff given in the book for example music memories, mood playlists etc.
Another thing I liked about the book was the activity section, helping readers put the knowledge acquired into practical use in a guided manner.
A must read.
Another thing I liked about the book was the activity section, helping readers put the knowledge acquired into practical use in a guided manner.
A must read.
May 28, 2022
Having read the first book in this series, I found how music is important to us. This book guides to make our own personal playlist that can enable us rise up from any depression or panic attacks. Based on the suggestion given in this book, I tried it out on myself and found it does work in improving my mood. I am waiting for more books on creating my personal play list. Nice book to have handy.
November 15, 2022
It was fun to read this wonderful book! It's a splendid mix between
sciences and personal stories.
The book gives new views about how to use music well. I think I'll
listen to some playlists now :-)
Anyway, I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend this
to all people who love music.
I give a 5 star rating for this pleasure read.
August 8, 2022
I found this to be quite moving. The power of music to heal is probably taken for granted, but it is so true. Thanks to Jennifer for producing such a touching book. Highly recommended.
January 10, 2023
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.)
“When words are not enough, let music start the conversation.” – Jennifer Buchanan
Music truly is the universal language. Every human culture on the planet has some form of music, every infant recognizes music when they hear it. Science has shown, in study after study, that music can improve our health, enhance productivity, and alter mood. So why, knowing all that, wouldn’t you want to take advantage of the benefits of having music in your life as often and as deliberately as possible. Jennifer Buchanan’s book, Wellness, Well-played, shows you a great, easy and useful way to do just that – The playlist. Playlists, or mix tapes as they were known to the teens of the 80’s and 90’s, were collections of songs or artists compiled by individuals for their own entertainment or to share with friends. They were quite popular during the time when cassette tape and recorders made recording music relatively easy and inexpensive.
Buchanan suggests that this practice be revived to make your own life better, with greater productivity, higher focus and a brighter mood. While there is a workbook available to go with the book it isn’t required. Wellness, Well-played provides not only clear explanations of how music is processed by the brain and what studies show about its effects on the human animal, but also provides exercises to clarify the lessons learned. Buchanan, a certified music therapist, offers guidance on what kinds of play lists you might want to consider creating, as well as how to pick the songs for those lists. She also gives suggestions like creating a Music Hub or Music Club, like a book club but sharing songs or albums rather than books or authors, and on ways music can be incorporated into the work space.
Overall, Wellness, Well-played leads the reader into what may well be a new area and a new way of looking at areas they thought they knew well. Silence is a part of music and she discusses how to use that. She includes the sounds of nature, bird chirps and breezes and raindrops, as a part of music too. In addition to being very useful, the book is an interesting read for anyone, and especially for people who have felt the effects of music and wondered “why?”
“When words are not enough, let music start the conversation.” – Jennifer Buchanan
Music truly is the universal language. Every human culture on the planet has some form of music, every infant recognizes music when they hear it. Science has shown, in study after study, that music can improve our health, enhance productivity, and alter mood. So why, knowing all that, wouldn’t you want to take advantage of the benefits of having music in your life as often and as deliberately as possible. Jennifer Buchanan’s book, Wellness, Well-played, shows you a great, easy and useful way to do just that – The playlist. Playlists, or mix tapes as they were known to the teens of the 80’s and 90’s, were collections of songs or artists compiled by individuals for their own entertainment or to share with friends. They were quite popular during the time when cassette tape and recorders made recording music relatively easy and inexpensive.
Buchanan suggests that this practice be revived to make your own life better, with greater productivity, higher focus and a brighter mood. While there is a workbook available to go with the book it isn’t required. Wellness, Well-played provides not only clear explanations of how music is processed by the brain and what studies show about its effects on the human animal, but also provides exercises to clarify the lessons learned. Buchanan, a certified music therapist, offers guidance on what kinds of play lists you might want to consider creating, as well as how to pick the songs for those lists. She also gives suggestions like creating a Music Hub or Music Club, like a book club but sharing songs or albums rather than books or authors, and on ways music can be incorporated into the work space.
Overall, Wellness, Well-played leads the reader into what may well be a new area and a new way of looking at areas they thought they knew well. Silence is a part of music and she discusses how to use that. She includes the sounds of nature, bird chirps and breezes and raindrops, as a part of music too. In addition to being very useful, the book is an interesting read for anyone, and especially for people who have felt the effects of music and wondered “why?”
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews