Sony Music Publishing Launches Songwriter Assistance for Counseling & Mental Health Wellness
Photo Credit: Nick KarvounisSony Music Publishing is launching Songwriter Assistance. It’s a new program to help its roster of songwriters and composers connect with mental health professionals.
Sony says the program will begin on February 1 and will provide 24/7 counseling support via global hotlines. It will also offer ongoing counseling services for emotional health issues like stress, anxiety, depression, and family & relationship problems. Let’s face it, some of the best music we enjoy today comes from the raw emotional pain experienced by songwriters.
“We are committed to providing you with services that matter,” says Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt. “The importance of wellness cannot be overstated, and with Songwriter Assistance, we look forward to offering a whole new level of care and support.”
Songwriter Assistance will give songwriters unlimited access to customized resources for tackling their lives. That includes finding childcare and eldercare options, navigating life transitions, co-parenting, budgeting, and much more.
The program is intended to expand upon the Forward Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program, which Sony Music Publishing established last year to give legacy songwriters new earnings opportunities.
“We are passionate about taking care of Sony Music Publishing’s songwriters and composers and providing them with the best level of support. As we continue to expand our services with Songwriters Forward, we are proud to implement SMP’s Songwriter Assistance initiative,” says Amy Cranford, Senior Vice President, Publishing Administration, Sony Music Publishing.
In March 2021, Sony Music Publishing partnered with Silence the Shame to launch ‘The Soundtrack of Mental Health.’ It’s a multi-year program that offers songwriters, employees, and the greater music community more support and educational training surrounding the realm of mental health.
That program offers a wide range of workshops for self-care, including coping techniques, stress and anxiety management, and a wellness curriculum for leaders. Silence the Shame says it plans to train 10,000 creatives, musicians, and executives by 2023.
