The MI Story
Musical Intervention (MI) is the brainchild of Adam Christoferson. Using his challenging experiences in life to motivate a healing movement though the arts, Musical Intervention was born. Through his work in inpatient-psychiatric hospitals, addiction treatment programs and school systems, Adam saw the need for people to connect with a broader community in a safe and productive way.
The dream (MI Studios) was realized 15 years after its conception. It had provided a safe haven and sober creative-collaborative space two hundreds of incredibly diverse people. He has presented at international symposiums, A TedX Talk and continues to consult with agencies around the world on this beautiful and inclusive program….
Services
Mobile Studio
We come to you and facilitate a variety of music creation groups.
MI Event (International Make Music Day) in 2018 where 100 people came together and each sang one line of Bill Withers’ Lean On Me
MI Studios
We provide everything: recording, live stage, lessons, videos etc.
MI Studios is open to the public, free of charge, throughout the week thanks in part to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Research
We collaborate with agencies to measure impact of the arts on mental health.
In partnership with Dr. Philip Corlett’s Belief Lab, and Yale’s PRCH, we were awarded a NIH grant to study our program’s impact on hallucinations.
Featured Video
Emmy Award Winning
Featured Video –
– NBC
Testimonials
Hear from the people who’s lives were impacted by our program
“It made me realize I can do anything, see anything I want. I don’t have to be shy about it. It helps me express myself is so many ways. Thank you, Adam.” Fiona
“I really appreciate having the opportunity to focus on my own music but also to feel encouraged to work as a team and in a group. I was given access to professional equipment and to test what it’s like in a professional environment – to have the full experience.” Ellie
“I meet people, all different kinds of people, every age, color, creed, you name it. I think it’s really awesome because it’s better than church in a way that we all come together because we love music. So, we all enjoy something and it’s something tangible … It’s something that brings us all together so it’s a community like that. It bypasses all that stuff. You’re just there because it’s your spirit. That’s most important.” MI Participant
“Musical Intervention says people are creative whether they are homeless, have a mental illness, or another dis-ability, or not; that music is a special language which is not so much therapeutic as life-giving; and that people with talent should be recognized and remunerated, when possible, for the creative work they do. Adam Christoferson and company, located in a storefront wedged into a parking garage in the small city of New Haven, have a great idea.” Michael Rowe, PhD Professor; Co-Director, Program for Recovery and Community Health; Principal Investigator, CMHC Citizenship Project
Adam was ECMH Keynote Speaker at 2020 Online ECMH Conference and again, with Jeremiah Brown, at 10th European Conference on Mental Health in Lisbon, Portugal in 2022. Both of these Keynotes raised a lot of attention, questions and emotions. In Lisbon, their Keynote was a wonderful start for the whole conference and the atmosphere they created lasted during the whole conference.
Based on our evaluations and feedback, it is obvious that Musical Intervention is potential method to improve mental wellbeing and mental health among different communities in different countries. We are committed to share the idea of Musical Intervention in our global networks.
Finally, we are deeply grateful for the good and warm collaboration we have with Musical Intervention, we do our best that it can continue also in the future. Our values at ECMH are Equality, Friendliness, Trustworthiness and Joy. Musical Intervention fits perfectly in ECMH Family by showing in practice how these values can come true in a global learning and education event.
Liisa Kallio
Chair of Organizing Committee
European Conference on Mental Health
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“In Musical Intervention, Adam has created a powerful outlet for unharnessed creativity. It transforms people who can sometimes find working together with others to be daunting, and who may lack self-confidence. Music, and Adam’s approach to it, is infectious, uplifting, and unifying. His program is changing lives, and enriching our community, by reaching people who can find it hard to participate and helping them redefine themselves and their purpose. This is not just a promising luxury, it is essential and already successful. I can’t wait to watch it grow.”
Philip Corlett, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at Yale University
“I would like to endorse this program. It has potential cognitive, interpersonal and intrapsychic benefit. People develop their own songs and participate in sharing their songs (and stories ) with others. It is not only social but in my view provides a kind of narrative therapy. I also think rhythm and song is good for the brain. I leave it to you all to discuss possibilities.”
Morris Bell, PhD
Yale School of Medicine; Senior Research Career Scientist Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Rehab R&D;