Finding Expression and Healing Through Music

Sometimes, words alone can’t fully capture what I’m feeling or need to express. This is where I see the importance of the arts and other creative outlets that give us a “language” we don’t need to speak or write. It offers us a way to release what lives inside us—what needs to be shared, expressed, or let go of.

This past week, I was feeling emotions that seemed trapped inside me. I sat down to journal and couldn’t write anything. I tried to write a poem—nope. I talked about it, and while that helped some, something still wasn’t finding its way out. I could feel it building inside, needing a different way to be expressed. Have you ever found yourself feeling blocked, knowing there’s something inside that needs to come out, but unsure how to express it?

Then I felt drawn to my keyboard, and that’s when the melody began to take shape. Sometimes when I sit down and write a melody, I know exactly what it’s about; other times, it reveals itself as I compose. This time, I wasn’t quite sure until I started putting it on the page and playing it back.

By the end, I titled the song “Healing” because it mirrored my own process of growth and closure—specifically, the closing of a chapter in my personal journey, a chapter that involved deep reflection, growth, and letting go. In this case, music became the perfect outlet for expression when words fell short.

My piano melody

It’s hard to put into words even now that it’s done, but here’s the best way I can describe what this piece is about:

The beginning captures that clunky moment when you realize there’s something you need to face, but you feel unprepared or are lacking the tools to handle it. This part of the melody feels young and simple, reflecting the rigid, black-and-white thinking that trauma often leave us with. Before we do the work of self-discovery, we often lack the flexibility to move through life’s complexity. This is represented by sticking to the same melody and notes, a reflection of the skills we haven’t yet developed.

The next section symbolizes the early stages of personal growth. It’s the tentative steps into unfamiliar territory, where trying new things feels both scary and exhilarating. Slowly, as we work on ourselves, we start to gain confidence, and this newfound strength is reflected in the music growing “louder” and more assured.

But there’s a part of the process that feels like hitting a brick wall—the frustrating moment when you’re on the verge of a major breakthrough but feel utterly lost, wandering in the dark, exhausted by the journey itself. You ask yourself, Will this process ever end? What am I doing? This phase, where old patterns resurface before fading away, is the “death” before the rebirth.

This is represented by three measures (or sections) where I play the same notes repeatedly. To me, this echoes the feeling of "banging your head against the wall," wondering if anything will ever truly change.

Then, one day, something shifts. Sometimes it feels out of nowhere, and you can’t quite explain it, but suddenly, you break free. This is the rebirth. That part of the melody is my favorite—it brought me the most joy to write. It’s the hope I have for others on their own journey of growth and renewal, that moment when you finally break through and find that all the struggle was worth it. It’s like exhaling after a long climb, finally reaching the downhill where you can catch your breath.

As the melody crescendos, it reflects how other parts of life can begin to shift with more ease once you break through. When we reach this place, it often feels like other areas of our lives begin to heal in ways that we couldn’t have imagined. That’s where this chapter of the process comes to an end.

The truth is, we will experience this cycle of growth and renewal many times if we choose to do this inner work. There will be many deaths and rebirths of ourselves. Some cycles will be longer than others, some will be more painful, and some will bring life-altering transformations, while others bring subtle but still significant changes. All are important to our growth.

So when you find yourself in need of expressing your feelings, let yourself be curious about how that expression needs to happen. You don’t need to be an expert or trained in a modality like dance, painting, music, or writing. All you need is an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to be with what’s inside of you as it finds its way toward true and authentic expression. I believe we are all creative in our own ways, but many of us have become disconnected from that part of ourselves. Reconnecting with creative expression can be nourishing for the soul.

How do you express yourself when you need to share or process something? I’d love to hear what speaks to you. And if you want support on your own journey, feel free to reach out. I love creating a safe space for people to do their inner work.