Hi, Nigel,

I also have a problem with the field of psychology. I have not yet met one person who actually was healed of a traumatic emotional event through psychology. The best I’ve seen accomplished is that the injured person only learns to better cope with their trauma. Not healed, just better coping skills. What a waste of time and money.

I think I have come through this first year of my Dystonia experience in many ways a better person. My identity is no longer derived from being a trumpet player and I no longer have the need to prove myself to myself or to anyone else. This is actually quite freeing because I had an enormous pile of ego that I used to carry around. (It recently died with the last of my trumpet skills.) The peace that has come out of dumping that pile has been surprising.

There are two concepts that I am now taking to heart — “no excuses” and “nothing to prove”. I haven’t yet had opportunity to put these concepts in action, but I suspect the next lesson I have with Greg will be the litmus test for that. (If I get defensive in any way during a lesson I’ll know I still have a ways to go.)

I have decided that it would not be healthy for me to ever again list off past accomplishments or my list of former instructors. Doing so would violate the “nothing to prove” concept I have adopted. (I might make a rare exception to tell this stuff as part of explaining my Dystonia experience. I hope not.) I also had to decide whether or not to continue with trumpet playing. I came very close to quitting, but I’ve decided to take on the challenge and put myself through the long process of fighting off nasty 1.0 brain to get to 2.0 brain. I agree with adding your disclaimer: “keep playing this way and you will probably develop Dystonia, resulting in the symptoms of grief at losing your ability to play” to many trumpet playing methods.

If you should decide to research the possibility of developing a Musicians Psychology concept, I would be delighted to hear what you discover.

All the best,
Janet