Local podcast spotlight: "Music Therapy"

We just finished Mental Health Awareness Month, but mental health is still on our mind as we turn our podcast spotlight to "Music Therapy."

The mission: Musician and therapist Jessica Risker launched the podcast during the pandemic to explore creativity and music in tandem with mental health.

The sound: Deep, personal, one-on-one conversations with fellow musicians and therapists that last about an hour.

The topics: Recent episodes have tackled toxic people, using music to process emotions, and returning to live performances.

Biggest surprise: "The level of vulnerability people will share about their own mental health journeys," Risker tells Axios. "Some people share some deeply personal issues, and I'm honored to give space to those stories and share them with others."

Risker's aim: "I want people to feel encouraged to follow their music dreams and to be more informed and proactive about their mental health care." And, she says, it's not just for musicians.

Podcast she's listening to: "I'm sort of obsessed with the news, so right now I'm pretty into Ezra Klein. And 'Sound Opinions' and ''This American Life' are always excellent."