Hereās How Founder Wes Geer Is Harnessing the Healing Power of Music for Good
Late nights, high-octane performances, drugs, alcohol: the rockstar lifestyle can seem like a fantasy. And while itās easy to get caught up in the glamorous idea of non-stop partying, itās a lifestyle that can lead to lasting ill effects on someoneās physical, mental and psychological well-being.
As someone who has faced his own battles with addiction, professional musician Wesley Geer knows firsthand that sobriety can be as life-changing as it is life-saving. After touring the world for eight years with Hed PE, Geer sought out rehab. Then, with three years of sobriety under his belt, Geer was approached by members of Korn. He toured with the band for the next several years.
After a successful run with Korn, Geer felt ready for his next adventureāone that aligned with his deeper callings.
āI was looking for something to do career-wise, and it was almost a time where I was falling into self-pity going from this incredible rockstar gig to being in the job circuit again,ā Geer explains.
āAnd I literally prayed and asked the universe, āOkay, if Iām supposed to be sober and I was called to be a musician, how can I use who I am as a person to help other people and make a living?āā
Geerās prayers were answered during a meditation session when the idea for Rock to Recovery came to him. It was a chance to bring music into treatment centersāand a new purpose was born. Now, heās still rocking out but in a way that uplifts and supports people working to change their lives.
As a former recording arts, drums, and guitar teacher at The Fusion Academy in Huntington Beach, Geer already knew the power of music. He had seen how self-expression can be deeply transformative, especially when nurtured in the right environment.
āI was in a treatment center, and there was yoga and drawing, but there was no music,ā Geer recalls. āWhen I started this, I thought music should be part of the treatment process. But now in our 10th year, thereās a variety of levels on which [music helps with treatment].ā
In one of Geerās first sessions, he encountered a patient who was severely dope sick, suicidal and angry. By the end of the session, however, Geer saw that he was feeling better both mentally and physically. āMusic affects āmeasures of wellness:ā it gives you a brighter outlook, more joy, more hope for the future,ā Geer says. āBut in this case, we saw somebody transform from physical ailment through playing music.ā
Despite seeing the incredible difference that music can make for those undergoing treatment, Geer wants to be clear that itās supplemental to the program and care itself. āMusic isnāt the end-all-be-all cure,ā he says. Part of treatment is confronting and mulling over problems and feelings thatāwhile an important stepācan dampen the spirit. Music allows patients to get in touch with their inner child and feel more uplifted and empowered.
In āRock to Recovery: Music as a Catalyst for Human Transformation,ā a book he co-wrote with Constance Scharff, PhD, different vignettes are shared, showcasing how people from different walks of life were able to use their Rock to Recovery music sessions to propel the changes that they were working on making and sticking to.
āWhat we know is that when we listen to music, it engages half the brainā¦and when we play music, it lights up the whole brain,ā Geer explains.
With this mental stimulation comes a rush of feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin and, most importantly, oxytocināa hormone responsible for feeling bonded to and part of a community.
Today, Rock to Recovery is growing its outreach to help those in addiction treatment as well as those facing other mental health struggles, including veterans in the Wounded Warriors Project and at-risk youth. The organization works with over 100 treatment centers across California, Oregon and Tennessee, helps over 5,000 people per month and has written over 20,000 songs through the program.
āThe results of doing something like this, which is a connective and expressive exercise, is so vast,ā Geer shares. āWe as humans, and everything else in creation, are musicāitās vibration, itās frequencyā¦itās important to get back to those roots of expression.ā
Want to show your support? Follow and interact with posts on Instagram at @rocktorecovery. You can also send a DM to learn more about other ways you can help out.
Rock to Recovery
@rocktorecovery
Born and raised near the Pacific Coast, Jordan Nishkian is a California girl through and through. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a BA in Creative Writing and a BA in Anthropology, and her favorite place to be is curled up in a comfy chair with a book in her hand and a pen in her hair.
