Experienced sensitive musicians offering singing and music in the community and in social care
Devon
Naomi Blundell 
Musician (health and well being)
Naomi is a Devon based
musician and mother of two with a special interest in the role musical
participation can play in enhancing our health, happiness and wellbeing.
" I work with people of all ages and abilities, including people
living with dementia, Parkinson’s and visual impairment, children
and adults on the autism spectrum, and survivors of stroke. I provide
one-to-one tuition in violin, piano, guitar, music theory and singing,
with an aim of improving pupils’ confidence as well as their love
and enjoyment of music; group singing sessions including the Alzheimer’s
Society’s Exmouth branch of Singing for the Brain, the Exeter Stroke
Singing Group for the Exeter Stroke Peer Support Group, Singing for Wellbeing
at the Budleigh Salterton Community Hospital Health and Wellbeing Hub
in partnership with Home Instead Senior Care, and a number of dedicated
singing sessions and choirs in other community and residential settings."
Naomi strongly believes that while the music itself is of course essential,
its importance is equalled by our willingness and ability to connect with
individuals, understand and empathise with the challenges that they live
with, and offer genuine care, compassion and friendship.
" These days,
I am a positive and optimistic person! However, after experiencing bullying
during my time in secondary education, I lived with anxiety and depression
through my teens, 20s and 30s. On becoming a parent I developed greater
confidence in my own beliefs and opinions, knowing that to raise my own
children to be happy and confident I needed to understand how to achieve
this in myself. Probably the single most important step I took was becoming
a Singing for the Brain volunteer Support Singer when I was expecting
my second child in 2011, and subsequently making the all-important career
change from one in academic research to one in music. Alongside this I
went through grief counselling following the loss of my mother to pancreatic
cancer, and CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to help me develop tools
to manage my anxiety. I have also explored mindfulness, meditation and
pilates to further build my confidence and peace of mind. I am extremely
happy to be able to share my positive attitude and the wonderful benefits
of musical participation with the people I am privileged to work with."
MA
in Social Policy, PG Cert in Research Methods in the Social Sciences,
ABRSM Violin Grade 8, A-Level in Music (Grade A)
Naomi is 39 years old based in Exmouth Devon England
07740 467898 naomi@musicspeaks.co.uk
www.musicspeaks.co.uk
