Harnessing the power of music in Mark’s mental health therapy and recovery
Mark Dark
‘Mark Dark’ has brooding deep tones reminiscent of Johnny Cash and a way with words that conjures the lyrics of Nick Cave. It’s hard to believe this is not the description of new talent in the Triple J Unearthed line up.
Mark is a client at the Creative Expression Centre for Art Therapy (CECAT) who has been working with Andrew Miller, Senior Occupational Therapist, to harness music as part of his mental health therapy and recovery.
With a love of music having played in bands since he was a teenager, Andrew’s talent for instruments, production and sound-engineering has found a synergy with his professional life. Over the past few years, he has been setting up a small recording studio at CECAT and now works with clients to help them express themselves through music.
Mark is a prolific poet and has been learning to play instruments, now a quite a dab hand on the keyboard. With Andrew and Allied Health Assistant Una McAneney on the bass and drums and Mark on keys and vocal, they have laid down a whole album of tracks with Mark’s mesmerising lyrics as the soulful star.
Andrew and Mark are also now working with Catch Music to help Mark make connections with music-communities across Perth to pursue this new love and great talent.