A Therapist & a songwriter
Before I became a therapist, I lived life as a songwriter and professional artist. I stopped performing live many years ago when I became bored and unenthused about the music I was putting out. I honestly felt like I didn't have anything worthwhile to say because I was so busy trying to survive by working more and more with no time to tend to my internal needs. Deep down inside I felt like I was not fulfilling my purpose in life. It was a dark time both personally and professionally so I zoomed out, looked at the big picture and questioned how I was sculpting my life.
I took a step back from performing and continued to write songs and make art while I pursued nonprofit work full-time. In 2009, I founded a 501(c)(3) program, The Austin Harmony Project, Inc., that fulfilled my passion for working with people with developmental disabilities. Once I got that off the ground and sustainable, I went back to school to get a masters degree in clinical mental health and art therapy. When I entered that program, I felt a great sense of happiness and peace from knowing that I had finally found my purpose. This is what I was meant to do. Everything came together like alchemy and my fodder for art became richer and more expansive. That's what was missing for me before and I finally found it. Life sculpting.
My songs began to reflect the deeper well within myself and I felt the enthusiasm return. The break from performing was what I needed to spend more time learning, growing and developing as an independent woman. Now I feel like I have something worthwhile to say to those that choose to listen. As June Carter-Cash so eloquently put it, "I'm just trying to matter."
I put together a small collection of those songs with some soulful musician friends on an EP called Raised My Gratitude produced by Walt Wilkins in Austin, TX. You can listen for free online or I can send you the CD if you just send me a note. I hope some part of these songs resonate with you and helps you on your journey is some small way. I also hope that you gain from my story that you're never too old to follow your dreams. Like Billy Joe Shaver always said, "If you don't like what you're doing, then move over and do something else." He was right. Sculpt your life the way you want it and live your purpose. Jumping off the cliff with no net can be scary, but when you learn to fly it's so very worth it. You'll never know unless you try.
I took a step back from performing and continued to write songs and make art while I pursued nonprofit work full-time. In 2009, I founded a 501(c)(3) program, The Austin Harmony Project, Inc., that fulfilled my passion for working with people with developmental disabilities. Once I got that off the ground and sustainable, I went back to school to get a masters degree in clinical mental health and art therapy. When I entered that program, I felt a great sense of happiness and peace from knowing that I had finally found my purpose. This is what I was meant to do. Everything came together like alchemy and my fodder for art became richer and more expansive. That's what was missing for me before and I finally found it. Life sculpting.
My songs began to reflect the deeper well within myself and I felt the enthusiasm return. The break from performing was what I needed to spend more time learning, growing and developing as an independent woman. Now I feel like I have something worthwhile to say to those that choose to listen. As June Carter-Cash so eloquently put it, "I'm just trying to matter."
I put together a small collection of those songs with some soulful musician friends on an EP called Raised My Gratitude produced by Walt Wilkins in Austin, TX. You can listen for free online or I can send you the CD if you just send me a note. I hope some part of these songs resonate with you and helps you on your journey is some small way. I also hope that you gain from my story that you're never too old to follow your dreams. Like Billy Joe Shaver always said, "If you don't like what you're doing, then move over and do something else." He was right. Sculpt your life the way you want it and live your purpose. Jumping off the cliff with no net can be scary, but when you learn to fly it's so very worth it. You'll never know unless you try.
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Photos by Robbyn Dodd Photography
Raised My Gratitude was produced by Walt Wilkins & Ron Flynt at Jumping Dog Studio in Austin,TX in 2018. The musicians that worked on this project added their heart, soul and talent to each song and helped create a sound that can only be described as Americana country blues.
John Carroll, electric guitar
David Carroll, upright bass
Ray Rodriguez, percussion & drums
Walt Wilkins, acoustic guitar & backing vocals
Tina Mitchell-Wilkins, backing vocals
Bart deWinn, piano & whurly electric piano on Should Be Moving On
Ron Flynt, piano on Let It Shine, Dan Electro baritone on Raised My Gratitude & Should Be Moving On, whurly electric piano on Iron Rain
Susan Gibson, banjo on Should Be Moving On
Lloyd Maines, steel guitar on Wish I Was
Songs:
1. Should Be Moving On- Tressie Seegers
2. Iron Rain- Tressie Seegers
3. Wish I Was- Mickey Newbury
4. Raised My Gratitude (inspired by the gospel according to Ray Wylie Hubbard)- Tressie Seegers
5. Let It Shine- Tressie Seegers
Photography by Robbyn Dodd
www.robbyndoddphotography.com
Brazos Cane Records
Honey Sorrell Publishing, 2018 all rights reserved
John Carroll, electric guitar
David Carroll, upright bass
Ray Rodriguez, percussion & drums
Walt Wilkins, acoustic guitar & backing vocals
Tina Mitchell-Wilkins, backing vocals
Bart deWinn, piano & whurly electric piano on Should Be Moving On
Ron Flynt, piano on Let It Shine, Dan Electro baritone on Raised My Gratitude & Should Be Moving On, whurly electric piano on Iron Rain
Susan Gibson, banjo on Should Be Moving On
Lloyd Maines, steel guitar on Wish I Was
Songs:
1. Should Be Moving On- Tressie Seegers
2. Iron Rain- Tressie Seegers
3. Wish I Was- Mickey Newbury
4. Raised My Gratitude (inspired by the gospel according to Ray Wylie Hubbard)- Tressie Seegers
5. Let It Shine- Tressie Seegers
Photography by Robbyn Dodd
www.robbyndoddphotography.com
Brazos Cane Records
Honey Sorrell Publishing, 2018 all rights reserved
videos
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Live at C'boys, Austin, TX. December 2017
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photos
Photo by Robbyn Dodd Photography