Published Work

In addition to my book Wired for Music, my writing on health, science, pop-culture trends, music and visual arts has appeared in major newspapers and magazines in Canada and the U.S. A selected list:

Your brain on music is a wondrous thing “The ‘Mozart effect’ turned out to be hype. Yet something powerful is going on in musicians’ heads.” In this feature, adapted from my book Wired for Music, I explore what it takes to develop the neurological signature of a musician’s brain. (Cover of Ideas section, The Boston Globe.)

A Nobel Prize winner’s guide to living longer In her book, The Telomere Effect, co-authored with health psychologist Elissa Epel, molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn explains why slowing down cellular wear and tear through better lifestyle choices is easier than you think. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

For patients fighting cancer, PTSD is one more battle Cancer patients suffer from rates of post-traumatic stress disorder similar to those of combat veterans. Here's why. (Cover story, The Globe and Mail.)

The man inside: A wounded policeman’s life on the frontier of consciousness For nearly half his life, Ian Jordan lay in a hospital bed after a car crash left him with a devastating brain injury. He couldn’t move, speak or care for himself. But at age 66, in a session with a neurologic music therapist, Jordan showed the strongest response to communication anyone had seen in him for thirty years. (Cover story, The Globe and Mail.)

Tapping music’s power to heal the brain The science behind music as medicine. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

Could the DNA of these ‘super seniors’ hold the secret to healthy aging? A healthy lifestyle will only get you so far. To help us thrive past 85, scientists are uncovering the secrets of longevity in the DNA of “super-seniors.” (Cover story, The Globe and Mail.)

Cannabis and cancer care: What the science says For cancer patients, the medical cannabis industry offers both hype and hope. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

Growing up Hippie Maybe it was the earnest meditation practices or the homemade cardboard lunch box that made me rebel. As the adult child of flower children, I crave structure, tidiness, and lots of sugar. (Personal essay published in Elm Street, followed by Utne and a McGraw-Hill anthology entitled American Voices: Culture and Community.)

In the Downtown Eastside, a brotherhood of support Indigenous men in Vancouver’s downtrodden inner city told me how a peer support group called the Dudes Club has restored their self-esteem and improved their health. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

Hypnosis, grounded in science What if the power to cure debilitating anxiety, eliminate chronic pain or kick an addiction lay within our own minds? Hypnosis is not just a huckster’s stage trick — this mind-body therapy is making its way into hospital wards. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

Kids’ hospital uses mobile music studio as therapy How songwriting with music therapists can help children cope with the pain, frustration and emotional distress involved in serious illness. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

Couples consulting a referee to help merge their styles Till decor do us part? The search for balance among couples with clashing tastes. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

Art Entrepreneurship: Best Seat in the House Tired of stuffy concert halls and exorbitant ticket prices, cultural entrepreneurs in Vancouver are hosting high-calibre performances in their living rooms, for a tidy little fee. (Feature article, BCBusiness.)

Your last name may affect your kids Light-hearted piece on what it’s like to have Crapper or Schmuck as a legal name. (Feature article, The Globe and Mail.)

Click here for more of my work as a former staff reporter at Canada’s national newspaper, The Globe and Mail.