Music
Community Singing
Singing is good for your body and mind, and the benefits have nothing to do with how “good” or “bad” you think your voice is! Research shows that singing increases positive emotions, reduces fatigue and stress, stimulates immune function, increases pain threshold, improves lung function, cognitive function and speaking ability. And all these benefits multiply when you sing with other people. Even if you’ve never done this before, I invite you to try it out by joining me or one of the growing number of people around the world leading community song circles.
Vancouver Aphasia Singers
The Vancouver Aphasia Singers is a recreational singing group for people with aphasia. The group formed in 2016 when Lisa and Felix Fernando met at the Sea-to-Sky Aphasia Camp. Felix was a professional touring musician who had to retire his band "The Manila Boys" after having a stroke. The Vancouver Aphasia Singers sang together weekly for four years and is currently on hiatus until in-person singing can safely resume.
The group enjoyed leading singing sessions for various stroke recovery programs, including a regular monthly sing-along at the Shaughnessy Stroke Club. A highlight was performing in 2017 and 2018 at the Roundhouse for the March of Dimes’ Art After Stroke gala fundraiser event. You can see and hear glimpses of us in the video below.
“He who sings frightens away his ills.”
— Miguel de Cervantes
View Events
See how Lisa Barker Counselling actively works to improve the lives of stroke survivors, and their families.
Testimonials
"Lisa Barker is a wonderful leader and singer. She radiates joy and harmony! She ran an online singing group for Century House Association that felt like we were all in the same space sharing together. COVID created distance and Lisa and her co-leaders helped a group of seniors find the beauty of song together.
— Shelly Schnee, Seniors Program Coordinator, City of New Westminster, BC
‘I have personally taken part in Lisa Barker’s song leading throughout the past year during our group Therapist Hour. During our recent uncertain and stressful year, Lisa’s singing and music helped lessen feelings of isolation bringing our group together socially in an informal and intimate way. I found it improved moods helping to release any repressed emotions. It was extremely therapeutic and relaxing. What a welcome and wonderful distraction in these unprecedented emotional times. Thank you Lisa!’
— Lori C.
Lisa’s song leading served as a beacon of light when the darkened days of COVID begin in 2020. I was expected to present at a conference in Los Angeles, CA, but due to travel restrictions was unable to leave my home in Boston, MA. So instead of cancelling the conference, we decided to go live on Zoom! This is when the inspiration for the Therapist Hour began and Lisa joined us every week, week after week, ending each hour with song that united all of us from continent to continent. Lisa’s music helped us feel brave when we were really scared and brought a sense of unity to our hour, uniting therapist from countries all over the world. She is the one who brought tears to our eyes, joy in our hearts and hope that one day we’ll all be together again.