When I was a kid, I had trouble managing my emotions. Joy, pain, excitement, anger... Everything I felt was a ten. I was even affected by other people's feelings with the same intensity.

I was always overwhelmed and found it extremely hard to express myself without breaking down into a mess of frustrated, angry tears.

The worst part was the crushing shame. I felt defective, inadequate, and broken, and with that came a sense of utter humiliation.

Things started to improve when I started taking piano lessons. My teacher was a brilliant and compassionate woman who asked us to call her by her first name, Kris. She would teach me, along with my four brothers and sisters, to deeply appreciate music.

However, the most important lesson I gained from her was that I could use music to channel and process my emotions.

It took some time, but I eventually learned how to do it. Now music has become both an emotional and creative filter for me.

Although I still feel everything at a ten now, I am rarely overwhelmed by this. Music gave me the keys I needed to balance my heart and mind together. So, I've been allowed a chance to escape the shame when it threatens to crush me.

Also, I found a way for me to understand my feelings and thoughts and those belonging to others. Being able to understand these well enough to express them has been an enormous relief, which is why I call music my Speech Therapy.