Enter The Therapy Room, A New Mix Series That Checks On The Mental Health Of DJs

How are local DJs really doing? The Therapy Room sheds light on this (Credit: Therapy Room)

We need to talk about the mental health of those in nightlife. With activities ripped to shreds and prospects in seemingly perpetual limbo, it’s extremely hard to stay optimistic. The waning of government support and lack of understanding hasn't been beneficial either, and for those who rely on the reopening of the industry for financial stability, it’s been a complete downer to say the least.

But one often-invisible aspect of life that we don’t address enough is the toll all this takes on one’s mental health. This damage manifests in different ways for everyone, and keeping it bottled up without the avenue to vent is the worst way to handle it. The Singaporean music scene has always been rooted to the idea of community, and it’s these connections that’ve made dark times less bleak. In this isolating period, it’s crucial to keep these connections open, and in doing so, raise awareness about how others’ mental health have taken a hit in individual ways that we may all relate to. This is where the Therapy Room comes in.

Launched by industry veteran and former CÉ LA VI resident, Deepak Prashad, Therapy Room is a new video series that is both a performance space for DJs and a platform for discussion about mental health. The series broaches topics that pertain to the current headspace of artistes and their coping mechanisms in this ongoing turmoil, spanning talking points such as identity crisis, career adaptation, positive vibes and the future of the scene. With weekly episodes already scheduled till the end of 2021 – including a debut episode that featured fellow veteran, Kenneth Francis – you can expect to hear raw, honest insights from some of your favourite artistes. These intimate conversations are slotted in between live-recorded sets, giving the guest acts a semblance of normalcy as they crank out soundtracks close to their hearts.  

Therapy Room was launched by industry mainstay, Deepak Prashad (Credit: CÉ LA VI)



“The Therapy Room was started as a passion project by a group of friends who are long-standing members of the entertainment industry of Singapore,” Deepak shares. “Sensing a unique opportunity to directly improve the mental health of peers in nightlife, The Therapy Room hopes to bring the DJ community closer from the comforts of their own studio through its weekly live-stream.”

“The Therapy Room was born out of the realisation that most entertainers are continuing to experience dips in their emotional and psychological wellbeing since the last year. With the COVID-19 pandemic not seeming to end and with no work in sight, The Therapy Room aims to be a safe space for entertainers to come together to have a jam, and to better manage their mental health by telling us how music has kept them sane through these difficult times.”

(Credit: Therapy Room)



The Therapy Room will be broadcast every Wednesday on YouTube. Follow their Facebook page to stay updated. And furthermore, if you are struggling with mental health, there is always an opportunity to reach out.