Musicians, The Music Industry, and Mental Health: A Practical and Clinical Guide provides insights into the psychological struggles of professional popular musicians and presents clinical intervention strategies drawn from the author’s personal and psychotherapeutic experience.

This book is written in three sections, focusing on:

1. An overview of the professional popular musician, and how their music-making and industrial environment can impact their mental health;
2. An exploration of the existing therapeutic perspectives on musicians and the author’s own integrative psychotherapy model and its application through clinical case studies;
3. Practical insights into well-being strategies for musicians, including the use of musicking to manage emotional states, reflective practices and the importance of relationships such as peer groups or other support networks.

This book is essential reading for musicians of all levels, particularly those studying music at undergraduate or postgraduate level. This title will help readers build their understanding of the real-world impact of the music industry on mental health and implement strategies to navigate these realities.

Adam Ficek is a professional musician and psychotherapist specialising in the treatment of professional musicians. As a musician, he has performed in commercial and corporate environments, DJ’d all over the world, released top ten band albums and singles, solo records, remixed other artists and recorded commercial music for both large and independent record labels. As a psychotherapist, he was the first musician in the world to complete a doctoral thesis specifically focused on popular musicians’ mental health. He holds a doctorate in psychotherapy, an MSc in psychology, an MSc in psychotherapy, an MA in music technology, various postgraduate qualifications in counselling and music education (PGCE, QTS) and an undergraduate jazz degree.