Artist Jocelyn Arndt on Using Music to Overcome Anxiety

Musician Jocelyn Arndt is using music to overcome her anxiety.

“Every day, I have some sort of anxiety symptom. You know, I’m biting my nails or I’m tapping my foot or something like that,” she stated. “I don’t want to be defined by my anxiety. I want to be defined by my music.”

To reduce her stage fright before a show, Arndt says she’ll perform little rituals like hand-writing out the set list. She says it helps her get in the zone pre-performance and organize what will be happening on stage, giving her a sense of control.

Arndt started piano lessons when she was four, then started getting into jazz and more modern music. She started a band with her brother Chris in middle school, and have been playing together ever since, while also maintaining a close relationship. She credits him for helping quell many of her anxious symptoms.

“For me, ‘cause I got to a point where the performance and the ‘show nerves’ were kind of letting me cover up what was actually anxiety—was like full blown anxiety,” she stated. “I want to be who I am on stage all the time. The most powerful, the most fun, most awesome, cool, strong, assertive version of myself that I know is in there because I see it when I go on stage.”