Every Tuesday in Durham Region, people gather around music. Some play, some listen, and many keep coming back for the friendships they've made.

The Durham Mental Health Services (DMHS) Music Therapy Program is now in its ninth year of offering a welcoming space where people experiencing mental health challenges can support their emotional, cognitive and mental well-being, according to Lakeridge Health, which highlighted the program in a recent post.

A program built in memory of a musician

The program grew out of a family's loss. Shakier, a longtime volunteer, and his wife, Laura, first connected with DMHS while supporting their youngest son, Neil, through mental health challenges. When Neil, a gifted and well-known Durham Region musician, died by suicide in 2016, donations from family, friends and fans were directed to DMHS in his memory, with the hope of helping other musicians experiencing mental health challenges.

The Music Therapy Program began soon afterward, and Shakier became involved as a volunteer. What started as a way to honour his son has grown into something much bigger, he says.

I've formed so many lasting and dear friendships through this program. There's something powerful about knowing there's a place you can come each week, make music, connect, and feel supported.

"I've formed so many lasting and dear friendships through this program," Shakier told Lakeridge Health. "There's something powerful about knowing there's a place you can come each week, make music, connect, and feel supported."

A personal support system

For the family, the connection to DMHS began long before the program did. During some of their most difficult moments, the DMHS Family Support Program was there for the entire household.

"They stood by our family through an incredibly difficult time," Shakier told Lakeridge Health. "Having people we could turn to, who listened and helped us navigate what we were going through, meant more than I can put into words." After Neil's death, the DMHS community continued to support the family through their grief.

Shakier and Laura have been with the program since the beginning, and some of its earliest participants still attend each Tuesday.

Music may be what brings us into the room, but it's the people who make you want to come back. It becomes a personal support system. You build friendships with people who understand, care about you, and are there for one another.

"Music may be what brings us into the room, but it's the people who make you want to come back," Shakier told Lakeridge Health. "It becomes a personal support system. You build friendships with people who understand, care about you, and are there for one another."

Support across Durham

The program reflects the broader mental health and addictions services offered through Lakeridge Health, which supports people experiencing mental health challenges as well as their families and loved ones.

For Ajax residents and others across Durham, the message from the program is a simple one: healing can begin with knowing you don't have to navigate the journey alone — and sometimes that connection starts with music.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. The 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent medical support, call 9-1-1.

Durham Region residents can also contact the Durham Mental Health Services Crisis Access Linkage Line at 905-666-0483 or 1-800-742-1890. Free and confidential support is available around the clock.