Ava’s story

Music helps Ava to process emotions and resonate with others

Ava is a year 9 student, and she struggles with anxiety and low self-esteem. At times, she can experience intense negative thoughts which have sometimes led her to harm herself. Attending school can be difficult for Ava due to her anxiety, and friendships have been challenging as she often feels unappreciated or taken advantage of. This leaves her feeling that her friends don’t fully accept her for who she is.

But Ava loves to sing, and she was referred to music therapy to help work through her anxiety and self-image, as well as to help build her confidence.

Ava has music therapy sessions with therapist Bethan, and together they sing and write songs.
When singing, Ava chooses songs with emotionally meaningful lyrics to help express how she’s feeling. She’s highly perceptive and often reflects on the challenges of becoming a teenager, recognising that things were simpler as a child. Now, as she navigates her teenage years, she’s aware of friendships becoming more complex and of societal pressures around beauty standards. One of the songs that Ava connects with is Keane’s ‘Somewhere only we know’ with the lyrics “oh, simple thing, where have you gone? / I’m getting old, and I need something to rely on,” reminding her of the simplicity of being young compared to the confusion and difficulties of adolescence.

Ava also uses songwriting as a way to process her experiences and share her story. Through her original songs, she hopes to help others who may be facing similar situations. Her song “You’re Beautiful” reflects on how children grow up believing they are enough, without questioning their worth. But that as teenagers, they often face peer pressure to conform in various ways which leaves them feeling inadequate. She hopes that many people will hear her song and believe that they are beautiful no matter what others tell them.

When we grew up, we thought that we were enough.

But when we grow up, we think that we are not enough for anyone.

We thought that we were beautiful.

Now we don’t.

– Lyrics from ‘You’re beautiful’, written by Ava

Music has helped Ava to build her confidence and express herself freely through song. She uses music to uplift her mood and energise herself in the mornings. And beyond music therapy, she’s even joined an amateur dramatics group, allowing her to explore her talents and creativity outside of her sessions.