The Music Industry Therapist Collective (MITC) has launched a new stress management course for the dance music sector.
The Music Executive Stress Management Programme is a six-month therapeutic course that has been sponsored by leading dance music agent Maria May of CAA, who will also provide a one-to-one mentoring session for each participant.
The programme will provide free support to five entry to mid-level dance music professionals, in a course designed to reduce the risk of burnout and build long-term career sustainability.
“Burnout is sometimes worn as a badge of honour,” said MITC in a statement. “However, evidence shows that chronic stress affects both emotional regulation and cognitive functioning, making it harder to think clearly, manage pressure and recover effectively.”
This programme is designed as a preventative intervention. It supports participants to build self-awareness, strengthen resilience and develop practical strategies to sustain both wellbeing and performance over time.
The programme is delivered by the Music Industry Therapist Collective CIC (MITC), a clinically-led international non-profit specialising in mental health support for the music industry.
MITC is a global network of psychotherapists, psychologists and performance specialists who combine clinical training with lived experience in the music business. The collective has supported tours including Radiohead, Dua Lipa and The Last Dinner Party, and works with organisations such as AEG, SJM and leading management companies.
This industry is built on passion, but passion on its own is not always enough to protect people from pressure and overload
Maria May
The new programme was developed in collaboration with MITC’s operations director, Laura Newton (formerly an electronic music agent) and MITC’s founder, music industry therapist Tamsin Embleton, formerly a venue and festival booker.
“This industry is built on passion, but passion on its own is not always enough to protect people from pressure and overload,” said Maria May. “I wanted to support a programme that invests in professionals as whole people, helping them build careers that are ambitious, healthy and sustainable.”
“I’ve seen first-hand how exciting and rewarding this industry can be, but also how easy it is for stress and unhealthy working patterns to become normalised,” said Laura Newton. “We designed this programme to support emerging professionals at a critical stage in their careers, helping them to develop life-long skills that will have far reaching personal and professional benefits.”
Applications can be made via an online application form on the MITC website. The programme will then select a small cohort of five participants. Applications close on June 1, 2026, with interviews and assessments taking place during June and July.
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