Intro by King Musa
“Yo, what it is? You know what it is? It's your Man King Musa! Welcome to First Impression Nacogdoches. The podcast that's all about showcasing the vibrant local businesses, unique brands, and hidden gems right here in our incredible town. I'm here to help students, parents, and visitors discover what truly makes Nacogdoches special. I'm your host, King Musa, and today we're diving into another local favorite that you need to know about. We have a very special guest who's truly making a real impact in our local scene, and we're excited to learn more about Casey Muze, the cognitive healing therapist. But before we jump into that chat, let's learn a little bit more about him. Introducing Casey Muze!”
Getting to Know Casey Muze
King Musa: “Disclaimer, before we jump into everything, Casey and I have a really, really good relationship. Our dynamic, sometimes we might speak in codes. Sometimes we might go off the rails, but we promise y'all, y'all will learn what you need to learn about. Before we jump into everything, though, my icebreaker question for you: Fourth of July is coming up, right? I need to know, what are you going to do? What is the best thing you've ever done? Or what is the tradition you usually do?”
Casey Muze: “Traditions look different now because of my marriage; I've been married for a little over a year. My traditions usually start with hanging out with my wife and my father-in-law, who lives with us. What’s really cool about that dynamic is we have this BMW dynamic, which is military terminology for a safe, non-biased jury. We have me as a Black person, my wife as Mexican, and my father-in-law is a white guy. It's so great because we just go places and hang out. For my birthday last year, my father-in-law, who collects vintage cars, had an old Ford Model A and a Model T. We all piled into the Model T and drove to a Model T hangout club with a bunch of old white men. It's great. I love it.”
Can you introduce yourself and what you do here and around Nacogdoches?
“The intro called me a cognitive healing therapist, right? Essentially, I do music therapy specifically to help those with cognitive barriers, like dementia, as well as neurodivergency (autism, Down syndrome, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and oppositional defiant disorder or ODD). I also help people unlock and process trauma. I discuss the science behind where trauma is stored in the body, how it's processed out, and your capacity for discomfort. I do all of this using the bilateral approach, which connects both sides of your brain—left and right—for executive functioning. This helps with emotional and cognitive fluidity, central nervous system regulation, and emotional regulation. I use a lot of rhythmic sequencing and patterning for all my clients, whether they're neurodivergent, have dementia, or are dealing with trauma.”
Background and Passions
Where did you grow up, and what was your family dynamic like? Did your parents do the exact same thing, or did you just start fresh?
“I grew up in Longview, Texas, and spent a lot of time here in Nacogdoches. I provide many services here in Nacogdoches, though I don’t currently reside here. I do a lot of in-person classes and private client sessions here, as well as other places, and also many Zoom sessions. I lived here for six years in Nacogdoches and now reside just outside of Tyler, Texas, in a wonderful place called Flint, Texas.”
Who gave you this inspiration around this stuff, or how many siblings did you have?
“I have one biological sibling, my younger sister Kelly. I also have a few non-biological siblings who have been with me through important seasons of my life. A few of them live right here in Nacogdoches. One, Enrique Monilla, I hope you'll have on your show.”
What are your interests and hobbies outside of work?
“Family is my main passion. I also love watches. It's not just the watches themselves, but the concept of time and processing it. I love the nuances and building all the movements that exist within watches. I might even start a watch company someday. My current daily pattern is to work for about three hours, spend 30 minutes watching watch videos on YouTube, work another three hours, and then another 30 minutes of watch videos. It’s not TikTok, it's about movements and sapphire crystals. I guess it's a grown man thing—a pre-old man thing. My wife and I have this habit of watching TV together before bed, and if one of us gets sleepy first, we'll playfully tease each other about being old. It’s just stupid, corny, fun marriage stuff. I also do this weird impression of a manatee sound, and it’s become such a part of us that my father-in-law buys me manatee memorabilia when he's on vacation. It’s cool.”
Starting a Cognitive Healing Practice
Can you explain how you got started and what your mission is?
“I’ll give you some bullet points.
- I've been playing drums since age two, then transitioned into being a musician, specifically a percussionist, and later a professional percussionist.
- I studied music production, sound engineering, and music theory for a large portion of my life.
- I spent 10 years doing co-occurring disorder work, meaning all my clients had both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder simultaneously (e.g., amphetamine use disorder and schizophrenia, or alcohol use disorder and bipolar).
- That plus that plus that equals me!”
Running a business, doing therapy, all these practices, it's not easy. What are the challenges you face?
“Explaining what I do is a constant challenge. Having repetitive conversations and getting people to truly understand is difficult. But the real challenge is finding people I can serve appropriately and ensuring every client receives the specific care they need. This means making sure all their needs are met and that I’m providing excellent work. For neurodivergent clients, they often experience sensory overload. Depending on the type of autism, a hand drum’s low sounds might be overwhelming, so I might switch to a melodic steel drum. I have to individualize my approach for each client’s long-term progress. When working with ADD or ADHD, attention spans are limited, so I work in pockets of time and shift my focus between the client and their parent or grandparent. The really cool thing about my programs is the education I provide to families. This empowers them to continue sessions independently after I’m done, ensuring the long-term benefit of the work. My absolute goal is to equip families to continue providing the support without me.”
What is the future? What are some achievements, some goals? What's the vision?
“I’ve established a strong presence in Colorado, doing extensive public speaking seminars on trauma and emotional regulation, using the bilateral concept. I’ve achieved similar success in the ARLA-TEX region (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas). Outside of Texas, those are the states I serve. I’ve also had conversations about bringing this awareness and education to other states, with the goal of expanding nationally. I'm currently in talks with at least three or four other states about bringing my public speaking talk, 'The Pulse of Healing,' which covers trauma, its storage in the body, processing it out, and identifying individual healing methods.”
Casey Muze & His Audience
For Visitors:
- Simply go to my Facebook page and follow it. You’ll find all my content there. If you’re hesitant and just want to get a feel for what I do, social media is the best way to start.
- You can then visit my website to explore my services.
- I offer free consultations if you’d like to chat, learn about my services, and see if they’re a good fit for you, your child, or your family.
- If you’re new to Nacogdoches, Tyler, or Flint, and you have a child with ADD, ADHD, or autism, I’d love to speak with you.
For Students:
- Many college students struggle with ADD and ADHD.
- I help you understand how to manage your work pace to be effective daily, even with distractions, and how to recenter yourself.
- I can help you increase your attention focus level. If you can only focus for 20 minutes, we can work to extend that.
- We also identify and reduce distractions. Maybe working from home isn't ideal; perhaps a coffee shop or the library (King Musa's favorite spot on the SFA campus!) is better for you.
- You can find your ideal workspace, where there’s enough activity but also enough focus. You might work for an hour, take a 10-minute break, work another hour, take another 10-minute break, or go for a walk. Limit conversations to about 10 minutes, then get back to work!
For Parents:
- I have interactive Facebook groups specifically for parents, including an autism group and a mom's group that addresses autistic stemming and sensory issues. Get tapped in! These are free services offering valuable information and wisdom.
- Understand that people need assistance and resources, and I am here to work with those who need it.
Upcoming & How to Stay Connected
Upcoming Events & Services:
- Adolescent Male Mentorship Conference: This event in Tyler, Texas, is called "Crowned and Called" and is for ages 13 to 22.
- I will also be running Zoom mentorship groups throughout the year. The conference isn't the only way to get mentorship; I run individual sessions year-round.
- The 13 to 22 age range is crucial for young men transitioning into adulthood, a period often lacking mentorship. We're creating a space for young men to be loved, cared for, and taught that mental health can be explored healthily. We advocate for them year-round, not just at the conference.
Connect with Casey Muze:
- Website: https://caseymuze.com/
- Text: For a consultation about the mentorship program, text "mentor" to 936-234-9470.
- Facebook: Follow my Facebook page. Look for groups on autism and a mom's group.
Shout-Outs:
- Tim Bryant
- Enrique Monilla
- Casey Sizemore
- Grant Menzies
- CC Khan
- Shoutout his father, and his wife, Kimberly Muze
Outro by King Musa
“A massive thank you to our amazing guest, Casey Muze, the amazing cognitive healing therapist. Now I completely know what that means. For sharing your amazing story and giving us such a great insight of what you do around. Remember, our town is full of unique local businesses and hidden gems, and First Impression Nacogdoches is here to help you find them. Subscribe, stay connected with us on social media, and join our community. Until next time, this is King Musa signing off. And go explore Nacogdoches, please.”
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