Brei Carter on Using Music as a Bridge to Understanding Autism

Welcome to Why Not Me the World?
Podcast hosted by Tony Mantor, broadcasting from Music City, USA, Nashville, Tennessee.
Join us as our guests tell us their stories. Some
will make you laugh, some will make you cry. Real
life people who will inspire and show that you are
not alone in this world. Hopefully you'll gain more awareness, acceptance,
and a better understanding for autism around the world. Hi,
I'm Tony Mantor, and welcome to Why Not Me the World.
Today's guest joined the army as a soldier and then
became an officer. Before that, she got a doctorate in theology.
Before that got a master's degree in international relations, and
before that got a bachelor's degree in business. Now she's
a singer songwriter living right here in Nashville, Tennessee, recording music,
releasing music, and most important, she's using her music as
a platform to help others as well.
So welcome to the show, Bree Carter.
Thank you so much Tony for having me. It's such
a delight and there's no other place that honestly rather
be right now than talking to you discussing the issues
that are going on.
Well, I appreciate that I always like talking with people
that have great stories to tell. But I also like
talking with people such as yourself, that do things for
others with whatever they're doing. And in this case, you're
using your music with a music is medicine correct.
Yes, sir. So that came to me only because one
music where we is medicine and that's the name of it.
In the fact that there's just so many healing properties
that music provides to all of us if we truly
take the time to tap in and literally with May
was Mental Health Awareness Month, and I just decided to
launch the blog then and every day just give a
story about mental health, you know, and music and how
it can make a difference, whether it's someone learning to
play an instrument. And then I even had an opportunity
to write an article on autism.
Oh that's awesome, and I'm sure where you're from music
that it concluded music in it as well.
Music really helps people with autism as well, just due
to the sensory you know, issues and the things that
they face. It really makes a difference, you know, just
the sound of music. It allows them to a person
with autism to kind of get more in tune to
their emotions. And what have you and kind of have
a better understanding and they're able to maybe feel a
little bit more since there are sensory is shoes and
what have you in touch and different things like that.
And whether it's someone with autism learning to play an
instrument or listening and finding the right sounds to actually
allow them to open up and communicate just a little
bit more, and I think it just allows them just
to focus just a little bit more.
Absolutely, And I'm so glad to hear you use the
word understanding. When I first started this podcast, my goal
was autism awareness and acceptance, but I never saw the
word understanding. So I felt that if I could make
autism awareness, acceptance, and understanding my slogan, that maybe those
who are not in the autistic world could learn and
gain more knowledge and a better understanding for those who
are in the autistic world, and maybe we can just
break down some of those barriers and help people get along.
A little better.
I completely agree. I think there are honestly more people
that are involved in the world of autism than people
honestly realize. Whether it's you know someone in their immediate
family or friend, like I have friends that have you
know children that are autistic, so you know, initially early
on they face challenges people trying to understand, and then
just the interaction you know with the kids, and then
obviously as they grow up in different things like that,
and I know there are different tools, and it just
kind of having conversations with some of those friends, it
just brought it to home, you know what, there are
other things that can be done to actually help and
then make a difference. And I think the more awareness
that it's out there and people getting involved, I think
things are just a little bit different today where knowledge
is just key and it can make a difference, and
whether it's knowledge for yourself or it could be knowledge
for a friend or family member to make a difference
in someone's life that that has.
Autism, absolutely and that just brings us back to understanding again.
I think that's probably the most important thing is for
people to understand others, understand themselves, and if they're going
through something, then all they have to do is ask
for help because there's plenty of that will help.
Self awareness is the first thing in anything, and just
as someone like myself just becoming more aware as I
get older and different things like that, as I look back,
maybe there were some behaviors that could have been you know,
someone could have assumed that were maybe autistic or different
things like that from other people or even myself. You
just don't know just the land that the world looks
at people and how they view people on different things.
And I think the biggest thing is, like you just said, understanding.
Too many times people don't understand, so they place whatever
label and I think sometimes they're afraid. But I think
just in the world and just us coming together, I
think the pandemic taught us more so than anything you
know about tomorrow not being promised and just that human
touch and that human interaction. So during the pandemic, there
wasn't a lot of human touch, a lot of interaction,
and I can imagine a lot of people were pretty
much they were I don't want to say going insane,
but they were just things that just wasn't right with them,
them not being able to have it. So I think
it allowed people to maybe empathize a little bit more
and to want to know and learn about other disorders
and things that are out there. And I think autism
was one that was on the forefront.
Yeah, And I'm just so glad that it was.
I'm seeing more autistic people that are on show Psychomeria's
got talent. They're out there, They're are afraid to show
that they're autistic, and I think that's a great thing.
I mean, I'm talking with a twenty something year old
music producer and he's going to be on my podcast,
and he was telling me that music is a big
part of his life and if it wasn't for music
being in his life, he didn't know if he'd still
be here today.
You know what, I completely agree. I think music has
saved a lot of lives out there if people are
true with themselves. Because it's like it's just the different
feelings that music that it'll cause someone to cause someone
to feel, you know, the happy times, the moments and
different things like that. And it's also true that music
can cause people to be a little sad, but it
also allows you to be in touch with your feelings
that from from one end of the spectrum as you said,
to the other end of the spectrum, from happy to
sad and all there in between, and knowing the triggers
as you mentioned earlier, like with the songs that cause
a little bit of sadness obviously when we talk about
mental health, knowing the kind of maybe with those songs
being triggers, kind of staying away from those things if
there are many feelings or emotions of sadness or discomfort
or depression and what have you, and leaning more into
the happy, the happier tunes and what have you, just
the feel good things. And we have to do what
we what we need to do, you know, to survive
and just to become stronger, because sometimes that music may
be the only thing that, as your friend told you,
that saved their lives.
Well, music is a very powerful tool.
We both know that because we've seen what it can
do and how it brings back memories and how it
creates memories.
There's just so much that music can do.
For sure. And I think one of the big things
with that is that there's just a lot more advocates
out there. I think sometimes celebrities when they have children,
or athletes and what have you, when they come to
the forefront, or someone like yourself, it brings more awareness
to it, and then you have more advocates out there
to actually that are fighting, you know, for people that
have autism, and you know, just thinking when I was
in the medical field calling on psychiatrists years ago, and
I'm still the medical field in addition to the music,
but it just made a huge difference talking to psychiatrists
and counselors and therapists and what have you, and just
their interaction and their understanding with autism and what have you,
and you talk about spectrums and then just how unfortunately
sometimes children and people get identified or put into a
certain bucket because they don't know necessarily what to do
with them, or they become so heavily medicated, and that's
not always the answer either. So just like them happy
now that they are more advocates, you know, people fighting
for their rights and just awareness and more education. That's
making a huge difference for people that help autism.
Yeah, And the good thing I like is the fact
that you've got people from all over the world starting
to understand more about autism. They're starting to bring it
more to the forefront, and it's giving more opportunities for
people to do a lot more things, and that's just
good for everybody involved, for sure.
I'm just happy that there are more opportunities for people
that have autism today. And with the research and the
different things that have been that have been done. There's
just more options now, you know, for people that suffer
from autism.
Absolutely, and I think that most people will find that
just because someone's autistic doesn't mean that they can't do something.
Everybody deserves an opportunity. I was talking with the lady
here the other day. She told me that she had
mentioned to a friend of hers that her son had
been diagnosed autistic, and the response was, oh, I'm so
sorry to hear that. She just looked out and said,
you know, he's born autistic, it's not a death sentence,
and he's very intelligent, and he's going to be able
to do just anything that anybody else could do.
I completely agree, and I would say that to anyone
that would wonder. There's greatness in people that have autism,
So don't discount it. Just because someone you know has
been labeled or has a diagnosis of autism, don't discount
them because there could be definite there could be greatness
in that person exactly.
So are you planning on doing more with your music
as medicine and expanding to reach more people that way?
Yes, I'm planning on doing lots more. I mean, I
want to leave a legacy. I want to make a difference,
you know, like yourself in the world. I want to
make sure I'm a resource and I can do what
I can to make a difference in other people's lives.
And I do that through my music, but definitely also
through my platform. Music is medicine. Where I'm highlighting where
music helps people with mental illnesses, It helps people with autism,
and honestly, where we're going that leads me in the
conversation and the articles and the blogs. That's where I
plan to go with just music and it just honestly
overall the healing powers of music. I just want to
spread that and share that with the world.
Oh that's awesome. So your music is medicine. Are you
planning on just using your material or is there an
expansion in the future to where you might collaborate and
build it with other people involved as well.
That is a great question. Initially it's just been me
something posting the blogs and the articles, but that sounds
like something that would be really good to do, opening
it up and maybe having a chat on the site
or something like that for people to be able to
share their stories and what have you, and how music's
just made a difference in their life, even with healing
and regenerating sales and what have you. People with cancer
or other illnesses and migraines, and I know people with
migraines sometimes, I mean there is a huge light and
noise sensitivity, but there's some music that could definitely still
make a difference in people that suffer from migraines. So
that is a great idea. I'm going to have to
actually look more into that.
Well, every now and then I will come up with
a good idea. I just look at it from a
standpoint of expanding. Sometimes you start something out, you have
an idea, then someone else comes in and they might
look at it a little bit differently, but doesn't mean
it's wrong. It just they see it differently, and then
when you are open to doing different things, it can
just expand into something that you never.
Thought it could be.
For sure.
Well, bottom line is just about having an open mind
and seeing where something can go.
I like that. I'm definitely about Inclusion is just so important.
Everyone having a voice and having a spoken word in
any situation.
Absolutely. It's said that one in seven people worldwide either
know someone or have someone that's autistic. In their family.
So getting that spoken word out there to expand all
around the world can help so many people. So it's
very important that we keep pushing and doing this to
expand this around the world because by doing this, we
just might help that one person and make their life
just a little bit easier to deal with on a
daily basis.
I completely agree. That's what life is about, making a
difference in other people's lives. So if you don't know,
educate yourself, learn more about it, specifically autism, because there
are so many people that suffer from it, you know,
like Tony just said, one in seven. You know, do
your research, get involved with the community, get involved with
the different organizations out there, and make a difference in
the community for a lot of people, and you know,
just kind of giving back to other people beside yourself.
Absolutely, and I'm just so glad that you're using your
music to help others because music is really universal. It
can bring back memories, it can create memories, it can
change the way anyone feels at any moment in time,
and that power can unite people in ways that spoken
words just might not be able to do. So I'm
really glad that you're doing what you're doing. It's commendable.
I mean, it's getting lost in the moment. You hit
the nail right on the head. Honestly, I'm sitting here,
you know, and disbelieve, but I'm like, oh my goodness,
why did you take the words right out of my mouth?
Music allows me to get totally lost in the moment
and in time and whatever worries or woes that I
think I may have. Music just has a way of
making those those issues kind of evaporate and just kind
of go away.
It sure does.
Music is a very powerful tool, so in your travels.
And everything that you're doing.
One thing that I find when I'm doing my podcast
and doing my music is when I get people that
respond to it in a very positive way, and the
feedback just really helps me create more. So, have you
had that situation pop up where people will reach out
to you and tell you how what you're doing has
impacted their lives or changed their lives, and if it has,
tell us a little story about that that you can share,
because I'm sure people would love to hear it.
You know what I was. I did a show out
at the Listening Room out in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and
someone traveled. A few people travel to the show, and
after the show, they came up and they just hear
it with me that my song is stronger than that
kind of really helped them get through a lot and
smelling through the pain. They're like, oh, my goodness, that's
my story. I just keep smiling. Sometimes I'm just hurting inside,
but I just keep living life and keep going forward.
And it's just that sometimes the reality is that you
have to continue to smile through the pain. You have
to keep moving forward. And just that reminder, like the
person said that stronger than That helped them get through.
It's actually helped me get through in the fact that
no matter what we've dealt with or what we go through,
we're stronger than any of those situations that we can
make it through. We have to, honestly, we have to
keep hope to You have to make sure that we
see the hope that's there, even if it's the even
if what we want isn't right in front of us,
or we can't see our way out, or we can't
see the light at the end of the tunnel, we
have to make sure that we continue to have that
hope within and through that hope and do that faith
that'll give us grace and we'll make it through and
we'll become we'll become victorious well versus the victim or
other things that we've dealt with that we will overcome
that situation absolutely.
And the one thing that I've taught with several different
people on my podcast and just in life is when
they're talking about dealing with autism and whether it's their son, daughter,
or them, they have to have that sliver of hope.
And I think that's a very important phrase. And I'm
glad that you brought up that word hope, because that's
lots of times is the only thing that keeps us going.
So that we know that there's a light at the
end of the tunnel, things will get better and we
can just keep carrying on and moving forward and just
doing what.
We do and just to know the difference and know that, hey,
you know what, there are a lot of people out
there that could actually benefit from this, and just trying
to make sure that I'm I'm being obedient to what
I think I'm supposed to do and kind of get
the word out to make sure that there are resources
out there for all people with mental health with autism.
You know, not just those with autism, but also the
family members because mental health and autism, it doesn't just
affect the person that's living it and dealing with it.
It affects the family members, the caregivers, the friends, and
what have you. It affects so many other people. So
just really touching across the board making sure that there's
that impact on all.
People absolutely make an impact, can really make you feel
good that you've helped someone. So you've done so many
things in life, and we've covered a lot of those
things and now you're doing your music. But before music,
did you work in the medical field helping autistic people
and guiding them to What was your life like doing that.
You know, Telly, that's a great question. So being in
the medical field for so long, I actually worked with
a lot of patients and people that suffered from mental health.
And I actually used to sell a pacemaker for the brain,
so I'd actually worked with the surgeons and actually help
people through neuro modulation and different medications and what have you.
And I was just led that, hey, it's not just
those things. Obviously, some people need to take meds or
there may need to take have a device and what
have you. But some people, through meditation and through music,
it can transform and change your lives. And God just
spoke to me one day and hey, you know what
music is medicine. What you're doing, you're touching the mass
is you need to dig deep. And that's when the
blog kind of evolved and came full circle and it
launched in May for mental health awareness, and then my
commitment was to make sure afterwards every month I at
least they had two postings every other week just to
kind of keep it going, just so someone would have
an outlet just to learn more and hopefully it would
help them in their daily lives.
So we are a collective of what we've done, what
we are planning on doing. We start at a creative
point and a certain point, then we evolve by talking
to you. Just in this brief short time, I have
listened to your stories and see how you've evolved in life.
I think it's a great thing that you were doing.
You are using your music, using your medical knowledge and
all the information you've learned to help others. So it
has to feel great to not only help yourself, but
also know that you're helping others as well.
I've always believed that I want to make sure that
I've made a difference in this world to leave the
world better off than how I came into it. In
other words, if I've helped one or two, I've done
what God has called me to do. And I just
think through music, through the message that I portrayed through
through my song or through someone else's song, I think
it touches so many lives and ideally the goal to
heal others and to help them get through whatever they're
going through in life.
Absolutely, and just by listening to you and watching what
you're doing on your website, it's very evident you're doing that.
I think your music is medicine.
Blog is a great platform for people to come to
to read, to learn, and then if you do eventually
open it up to where people can communicate, you can
have this great community where people can interact and help
each other, and it just can grow into something that
could be pretty darn outstanding.
I did a post today this is opportunity one of
three sixty five. So every day we get new opportunities
and it's just making the most of all of that.
And it was time one of those days popped up
where it was that opportunity to get to Nashville to
do what Dad was leading and calling me to do,
which was music.
Absolutely, and music is your life. There's no doubt about it.
You have shown everyone that. And the great thing about
it is your music is not only growing, but it
is helping. So is there any one thing that you'd
like to leave us with with your music? Is medicine
blog so that everybody can tune in and start reading
it and seeing what it's all about.
I just want people to tune in to make a difference,
you know, to read the articles and then reach one,
teach one, help one, make a difference. It is about
paying it forward. It's not just about us. And if
there's any way that your listeners can think of that
I could help be an advocate or help or be
a voice for the voiceless, I'm all about it. Sign
me up.
Oh, I think there'll be a lot of people wanting
to sign you up. They've heard what you're about, they've
heard what you're doing, hearing your music, your blogs. You're
really making a pretty darn good imprint in Nashville, I
would say. So, do you have anything coming up in
the future or the near future, that would be focusing
on the charities that you support in regards to performances that.
Is on the forecast. Trust me that that is something
that I am hoping and wishing for, to be able
to go to one of the conferences and to sing
and to touch even more. I've done a couple of
shows since then, but I really want to make sure
I'm digging deep a little bit more. I've only kind of,
as they say, scratched the surface. I want to do more.
I want to go to some of the meetings. I
want to do even more in the community outreach programs
to help those with autism, with mental health and what
have you. To make sure that I am as they say,
or as I say, I'm in the trenches with them,
just to make sure that they're saying that then I'm
a doer of my word, and that I really am
passionate about it. Oh.
I think that's just great, because your passion absolutely comes true.
So I think you've just got to keep doing what
you're doing, and you know, you just never know what
can happen. I mean, I tell people when I'm talking
to them, do your best, because you never know. Who's watching,
and you never know who's around the next corner that
can help you. So in this particular case, you never
know who's around that next corner, then it might book
you or want you to be part of their show
or want you to be part of their program because
it's helping people that need to be helped.
So you just got to keep doing what you're doing.
So I would love to partner and to be a
voice for the voice. Was like, you like yourself and
if you have any events coming up, let me know.
I'd love to volunteer my time to be a part
of any of those things, and any one of your listeners,
if you have things, don't hesitate to reach out. I
would love to collaborate and partner with you to make
a difference.
Well, you just never know, because I've gone from musician
singer on the stage to producer recording people getting about
and then back to recording my music and then doing this.
You never know what's around the corner.
So if there was ever any any opportunity that came up,
I would definitely pick up the phone and give you
a call because I think that would be just awesome
to do.
I love it, But no count me in, Tony. You've
been a god sand I'm so excited, excited to work
with you.
Oh thanks, I appreciate that more than you know. So
we've had a great conversation here. So I'm sure you
must have a website, Yes, sir, I do. Okay, so
let's give it to everybody, because I'm going to tell
you you need to check this website out because it's
got a lot of information, a lot of great music,
and I'm sure that you will enjoy everything that she's doing.
Yes, music is medicine. Bree Carter, that's b R E
I c A r t e R. Go on, log on,
follow like love. Be a part of the community that
I'm building, that I'm a part of, and that I
want you all to be a part of as well. Well.
I'm definitely a part because I just love what you're doing.
And I've got to say, this has been a great conversation.
We've covered a lot of things. We've covered your music,
your music, it's medicine, your background. Just really really great conversation.
And I've just got to say I really appreciate you
coming on.
Oh my goodness, Tony, it was such an honor to
be here with you talking to you. I am a fan,
so I'm a fangirl now, Tony, Well.
I appreciate that you've got a fan right back at you.
I've just truly enjoyed it.
Awesome. But thank you so much once again, and just
continue just bring the word about autism and just educating
and sharing and just being an advocate for those without
a voice and for those with a voice. Just keep
doing what you're doing.
Absolutely and you too, because you are making an impact
not only here in Nashville, but around the world. Your
voice is being heard because you are showing that music
and your music can make a difference in other people's lives.
Thank you so much, and you have a great rest
of the day, you too.
It's been a pleasure having you here. And thanks again
for coming on my show. Thanks for taking the time
out of your busy schedule to listen to our show today.
We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we
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