By Gordon Durich
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/2/25 – The music industry has always been rife with insecurity, exploitation and pressure. Look at Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury, Whitney Houston and the list goes on and on.
Now, the music industry has an ally in the organization named MITC, the Music Industry Therapist Collective.
This is a groundbreaking new online mental health service is geared specifically to artists, performers and touring professionals.
It piqued my interest on two levels, as a perennial fledging musician (percussion) and someone who is interested in mental health. I’ve always dreamed of proverbially going on tour and being with- or better yet- in a band a-la- “Almost Famous” (the movie starring Kate Hudson).
MITC offers around-the-clock, seven days-a-week support. Founded by Tamsin Embleton, a psychotherapist, who was a festival booker and tour manager in her former life, MITC is dedicated to providing specialist support enabling artists and their crews to continue to do what they love soundly (pun intended). With high rates of burn out, and preceding- and ongoing- dueling issues of anxiety and depression, artists need neutral and professional support.
Artists can access easily confidential and flexible mental health support- and understanding. This comes from practitioners who really understand how this volatile industry works.
With short notice and expert-led coaching services, MITC offers counseling that is there. MITC’s Soundcheck platform represents a comprehensive mental health service for the live music industry. I was intrigued to know my psychiatrist is also a rock musician, albeit not on the road. It made me think about the connection between performing and psychology. Behavior and mind, and the vulnerability of artists, mentally and emotionally.
“Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual,” a book edited by Tamsin Embleton, with contributions from MITC therapists, was a Rough Trade Book of the Year, and is available on Amazon.
https://www.musicindustrytherapists.com
