Healing through music

Grant M. Jones was about 10 years old when he first thought about becoming a psychologist. A curious kid who enjoyed reading and was raised by his mother, aunt, and grandmother in the Mattapan area of Boston, he documented this ambition in his journal.

Later, he focused on psychology and began engaging in meditation to handle stress as a Harvard undergraduate. Now a doctoral student in psychology at Harvard, Jones contemplates how this personal practice transformed into the core of his professional journey.

“Gradually over time, the effects of the meditation practice on my life made it evident that I wanted to place meditation as a central element of not only my personal life, but also my professional life,” expressed Jones. “Clinical psychology emerged as a practical route to integrate the exploration of contemplative practices in my career and to extend those tools to others.”

For his dissertation research, Jones created music-centered mindfulness practices designed to reduce stress and anxiety among underserved groups. Having grown up listening to artists like Aaliyah, Destiny’s Child, Usher, and Tupac, he regards music as “one of my earliest spiritual endeavors.”

“Similar to mindfulness, music serves as a clear pathway toward presence, being centered, and finding balance. Many individuals within the Black community, and many in general, often don’t find mindfulness particularly engaging or welcoming for various reasons. Music is inherently intuitive. It can serve as a potential medium that people can use to access mindfulness practices for healing.”

Jones’ research inspiration flourished from classes in songwriting and performance he attended with Grammy-winning jazz musician esperanza spalding, who stylistically opts not to capitalize her name. Spalding, who served as a professor of practice in the Music Department from 2018 to 2023, offered courses that enabled Jones to sharpen his singing and songwriting techniques. Consequently, Jones was invited to contribute to spalding’s album “Songwrights Apothecary Lab,” a collaboration involving neuroscientists, psychologists, spiritual guides, and music therapists, described by spalding as “part songwriting, part guided research,” serving as a testament to her vision of healing through music.

In a way, those courses motivated Jones to generate, as part of his dissertation, music-based mindfulness interventions aimed at lessening stress and anxiety in the Black and other marginalized communities. Spalding, Matthew Nock, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, and prominent Black Buddhist contemplative Lama Rod Owens, M.Div. ’17, provided mentorship and support throughout his project, but the influence of spalding was pivotal, Jones noted.

“Esperanza truly was one of the most significant presences to grace my life. It felt like a fairy-tale moment where a personal hero offered me a chance to engage in a project dedicated to utilizing research to support the crafting of songs aligned with healing practices and intentions. In terms of our individual journeys, there were numerous parallels.”

In a voice message, spalding lauded Jones’ research for “connecting music and mental well-being as therapeutic instruments for individuals grappling with anxiety, depression, and various mental health hurdles.”

“I profoundly value and acknowledge how rare it is to find someone with such a unique combination of attributes, being rigorously grounded in scientific research,” stated spalding, “while Grant also brings his artistic and musical intuition to bridge the divide between those epistemologies, understanding how our physical selves and essence are nurtured by music.”

Spalding will be a musical collaborator in Jones’ dissertation project, which will feature an album containing music-based mindfulness interventions by Jones alongside guided meditations from Owens. A release date is forthcoming.

Post-graduation, Jones aims to serve as a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, but ultimately he desires to establish his own lab centered on meditation, music, and other contemplative methods, including psychedelics, to enhance mental health and wellness for marginalized communities. He views his efforts as part of a long-standing belief among African Americans in the therapeutic potential of music, encompassing traditions like gospel, freedom songs, blues, jazz, and rock.

“For Black individuals, numerous musicians and artists have played a crucial role in sustaining community and providing guiding lights during challenging times for our people,” remarked Jones. “My work aims to be of service to the Black community but also to any groups that can gain from it. It extends to anyone who finds solace in music.”