For Jeff Desender, his music is inextricable from his mental health advocacy. While music was always a part of his life, his passion for it and the seeds of his business came when he was in addiction recovery. That was when he started writing his own music and expressing his own story through song, using music to help with his journey.

He didn’t jump right in to the business, however. It wasn’t until he had a career-ending injury while working construction that he made the leap of following his dream to own and operate a recording studio.

“Any song you write is a direct expression of who you are,” says Desender, and most of the artists he works with are involved in the mental health aspects of the business as well as the recording and artist management. While not all his mental health initiatives are music-based, he does see a strong connection between music and mental health, not just through the songwriting aspect but through the experience of playing or listening to music as well.

Desender’s Light the Flame for Mental Health Initiative is currently running a series of workshops in Neepawa focusing on helping people understand how addiction, trauma, and mental health can be intertwined, and fostering empathy for people who are struggling. He sees the stigma around talking about mental health lessening, but also suggests there is still a long way to go, especially with young people and within the education system.

In partnership with Neepawa Tourism, Desender is organizing a Rockin’ the Riverbend concert next July which will feature many artists on the Frozen Fire roster as well as other local musicians. The slate for two days of live music in the park is already full.