How Music Heals
And Navy SEALs as Eco-Warriors
Dear Solution-aries,
Music is one of the oldest healing tools on the planet, a panacea that transcends time and culture. The Greek god of medicine, Apollo, is also the god of music, I learned during my research about the healing powers of tunes. For my latest story, I wrote about hospitals that employ musicians on staff for cancer patients.
I spoke with scientists who found that when people experience high levels of pain, signal activity spikes in the orbitofrontal cortex, an area highly impacted by music. This might explain why music therapy can be effective for pain management, providing the brain with a vibrant new melody to focus on.
Researchers know it’s not make-believe—dogs feel it too. In a study published in Nature, dogs exposed to Mozart or Chopin achieved deeper sedation levels during surgery and required significantly less anesthesia than those in the control group.
The question scientists and doctors hear most frequently is: Which tune has the most significant effect? The answer, consistently supported by research, is whatever the individual likes best.
Researchers aren’t about to start prescribing Mozart’s “Jupiter Symphony” for bladder surgery or the Rolling Stones’ “Beast of Burden” for depression. Just as you might enjoy jazz while others prefer heavy metal, Snoop Dogg, or Taylor Swift, some songs resonate with you while others do not.
What’s your jam when the going gets tough?
Read the full story here: How Music Eases Pain
Saving the Ocean, Saving Themselves: How Force Blue Gives Veterans a Second Mission
On Memorial Day, we honor the U.S. military and its fallen heroes.
Navy SEALs are among the most elite combat divers in the world, but after leaving service, many struggle to find purpose beyond the battlefield. In 2015, a chance dive in the Caribbean changed everything. Two dive masters at Sunset House took their friend—a former SEAL battling complex PTSD—beneath the waves. The experience was transformative, sparking an idea that would change lives and protect the ocean.
That idea became Force Blue, a groundbreaking program that retrains and deploys former SEALs and other veterans for marine conservation. From building living shorelines in the Florida Panhandle to tackling marine debris and restoring coral reefs, Force Blue channels military precision and teamwork into ocean preservation. Now, on their “Tour of Duty,” they are bringing their mission to all 15 NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, blending conservation with community outreach.
“We’re all connected to the ocean,” says a former Navy SEAL who now plants coral and rescues sea turtles with Force Blue. But Force Blue isn’t just about saving marine ecosystems—it’s about saving the people who once served. By integrating mental health support, purpose-driven training, and a newrenewed sense of camaraderie, the program is giving veterans a second mission—one that heals both them and the planet. One veteran described the experience as “therapeutic, like a soul shower.”
Read the full story here: Former Navy SEALs Are Diving to Safe the Ocean
I’m leaving you with a link to an uplifting piece of music: my awesome boss, David Byrne, performing his hymn of optimism, One Fine Day, with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus:
Then a peace of mind fell over me —
In these troubled times, I still can see
We can use the stars, to guide the way
It is not that far, the one fine day
It’s not new, but I thought we could use some stars in these troubled times, or is it just me who needs this?
Enjoy the long weekend!
Michaela
Love your posts Michaela. Keep 'em coming!
Thank you for writing that and sharing it, Michaela.