a documentary screening & clinical mental health presentation where psychosis meets creativity: the experiences of 8 musicians with psychosis
CIARecords Recroomarts
Evidence-based Mental Health & Addiction
Treatment that’s convenient and accessible
Our Approach
We seek to understand each person in their environment to ensure we meet their treatment needs. By hosting a broad base of experienced therapists, we create opportunities to connect individuals with highly specialized and integrative support unique to The Lovett Center. We provide clients with the ability to access clinicians who operate in private practice, as well as sliding scale, low-cost counseling service from clinicians.
Treatment Options:
Individual therapy, Couples therapy, Family therapy, Group therapy
The Pathos Intensive Outpatient Program provides mental health intensive outpatient program services. We have a team approach to therapy that utilizes highly skilled clinicians with a wide variety of expertise who provide appropriate clinical hours of therapy per week to meet each client’s needs. For enrollment in this program, clients participate in a well-rounded initial evaluation that provides a thorough assessment of their individual needs. This information is used to pair clients with several members of our clinical team for individual therapy, recovery support, and couples or family therapy.
What it s Like Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to removing mental health stigma through the arts, education and community engagement.
ORIGIN OF THE PROJECT
In early 2016, Nikki Hune attempted suicide. After her attempt, she sought mental health treatment. With little relief from intrusive thoughts of suicide, she made the choice to fully engage with these thoughts rather than to avoid them. As an artist and musician, she began seeking abstract freedom through her own artistic expression. After experiencing a novel form of relief, she began encouraging others who suffer with their mental health to create and express themselves in the local Houston, TX community.
Nikki sought to portray the experience of “what it’s like” to experience mental health. She teamed up with Cailey Baker and Andrew Robinson who had similar experiences to begin the groundwork. In addition to Cailey and Andrew, she recruited Jeff Thompson, Misty Cooper, Jackie Foster, and Edward Odom to comprise the founding team of the What it’s Like Project. After the overwhelming success of the first two events, EXPOSIS and VOXIS, Justin Anderson, Jose Cortes, Jennifer Van Antwerp, Dan Workman, Ava Bates and Rafael Rojas joined the team.
www.whatitslikeproject.org
DONATE: http://www whatitslikeproject org/donate
My work with creatives is based on two ideas: 1) that creative people have an additional layer of complexity in how they process themselves and the world, and 2) that creatives need to have a positive relationship with their talent in order to enjoy their best mental health.
In addition to being a psychotherapist, I'm a record producer and artist, with a history of working on platinum albums and Grammywinning performances. Producing music informs how I work with my patients to find their best life.
The MendCenter is dedicated to de-stigmatizing serious mental health disorders through treatment, education, support and advocacy.
At the heart of our organization lies a profound commitment in helping patients shape the lives they aspire to lead. We firmly believe that every person, regardless of diagnosis, deserves the opportunity to reclaim their sense of self and purpose. Through our integrated services, we strive to provide effective, supportive care that empowers individuals to regain confidence, independence and long-term stability.
Comprised of 16 specialized clinicians and staff, we offer a diverse array of supportive, diagnostic, and clinical services. Our services range from residential care, intensive outpatient programs, individual therapy, and acute stabilization. We treat schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bi-polar disorders, depressive disorders with psychotic features, obsessivecompulsive disorders, dissociate disorders, personality disorders, and other co-occurring addictive disorders.
REC ROOM ARTS
Rec Room Arts energizes a new generation of audiences for the performing arts. This has been the fundamental charge since our founding in 2016, and remains true after more than 150 productions, events and other creative gatherings. We produce powerful theatre that Houston deserves. Our productions remain of the highest quality and feature the most creative, artistic, and technical talents in Houston. The space is still intimate, wholly unique, and fully accessible. Our goal is to make theatre a shared pastime in our city to turn Houstonians on to live performance, to get them out of their houses and off their devices, and into our modest, eclectic space. We aspire for our city to be a national, tenacious hub for theatre, filled with innovators, risk-takers, and big hearts.
Our Space
We occupy an intimate 60-seat theatre in Downtown Houston on the corner of Jackson and Franklin. Our theatre is a physically intimate space that houses big imaginations. We thrive within our spacial limitations to bring audiences one of the most creative theatrical experiences in Houston. Our stage allows everyone to feel connected to the performances. We also have a bar adjacent to the theatre.
100 Jackson Street | Houston, TX 77002 713-344-1291 | info@recroomhtx.com recroomarts.org
THE FILM
Follows eight musicians as they transform their struggles with mental health into raw, authentic art through the creation of Psychosis to Song, a groundbreaking compilation album. Recorded at Houston’s Wire Road Studios, the project captures the intersection between creativity and psychosis. Released on CIA Records and produced by Dan Workman in January 2025, the album and film challenge stigma, celebrate resilience, and showcase the inner world of musicians. Written and Directed by Daniel Garcia. Produced by The MendCenter.
ERIC GRAY
“Didn’t Want to Leave”
“It Wasn’t Me”
As a multi-instrumentalist, Eric has 10 years of percussion experience, over 5 years of guitar and bass guitar work, and 5 years ’ experience composing music and singing Eric has performed over 50 live shows in Houston, TX and the surrounding areas. He was the lead percussionist/ drummer for bands like Fleishwolf (2022-2023), A Distraction (2020), and Sunday Traffic (2016-2019). Since 2017, Eric has been an independent musician.
JONAH TRACHTMAN
“Green Hills” “Pressure”
Jonah Trachtman is a multi-instrumentalist musician and producer from Houston, Texas. He works as a music teacher at Bach to Rock, and is the guitarist of the band Pressure Code.
SONG LYRICS
“Pressure”
by Jonah Trachtman
Why bother
Another
Pen slips and Made a mess
Carvingn wooden spokes of time again
Asking if it’s time to make a friend
Longing bothering to come again
I think that it’s time to make amends
Can you handle the heat of the moment
Are you able to turn water into wine
Can you handle the heat of the moment
Or is the pressure too much for you to bear
Why bother
Another
Pen slips and Made a mess
Trying to come over to the end
I though it was all about the cred
Lost in all the thoughts inside my mind
Looks like it is time to start again
Can you handle the heat of the moment
Are you able to turn water into wine
Cand you handle the heat of the moment
Or is the pressure too much for you to bear
HENRY DARRAGH
“NotMyDiagnosis(Instrumental)”
“NotMyDiagnosis”
EVAN FORBES
“Angel’s Trumpet”
Evan Forbes is a Texas born and raised artist, from Montgomery county. He got his start in music playing covers at local folk festivals, and has been playing guitar since the age of ten. Eventually he got a gig at a local church playing guitar where he learned how to perform and play with other musicians. Eventually his style changed in 2019 when he had a spiritual experience listening to j-dilla and madlib and bought his first sampler. This project contains his first official release, but he plans to release more music in the future under the name dumb luck. Because no amount of planning can replace dumb luck.
CHANDLER THORNTON
“Babylon”
CHANDLER THORNTON
“BABYLON”
NICHOLAS RANDALL
“Reaching Out”
Nicholas is a musician with a lifetime of mental health challenges, and successes. He grew up wanting to be a famous composer or a rock star so he’d be remembered after death, but is now content with making worthwhile music with worthwhile people in his lifetime. Luckily, Nicholas has been psychosis free for over seven years and his mind continues to strengthen.
CAN’T TAKE A PICTURE
“Psychosis”
“Finish the Job”
Dan Workman became a fully-formed musical being when he joined Jim Craine and Perry Webb in 1980, forming the seminal art/noise/rock band Culturcide. He leveraged his indie rock credentials and became a recording engineer for world-renowned artists.
Nikki Hune is a creative polymath working in visual art, alternative theater, performance art, and music. Nikki also works as a clinician and researcher in mental health.
Dan and Nikki met while working in a mental health non-profit, liked each other’s music, and began composing and recording as Can’t Take a Picture.
In Loving Memory of Millie, the Best Dog Ever. We love you. May you rest in peace.
