she is one of your most loyal and honest advisors
When I talk to people about voice activation and the combination of voice coaching with inner work, I often receive curious looks and questions:
"That sounds interesting. How does that work? What do you do? What a unique combination, what does that look like? (...)"
So for me, first of all, the reason I am offering it this way is that, for me, the voice is a reflection of your soul-body-mind and it became increasingly unsatisfying for me to offer "just voice lessons" without the bigger picture. Since I have the background of emotional healing, psychology, energy work, channeling and all that jam, I want to accompany you in looking beyond "just singing". I want to accompany you in meeting and dissolving your insecurities, your tensions, your fears and challenges that will inevitably come up in a context as intimate as voice coaching.
And that's why, when you ask me for voice lessons, this is what you get: All of it - all of me.
What does this look like in real life?
Here's a story from a recent session with one of my mentees:
We began the session with a short check-in. How was the week? What life situations and emotions did you move through? There had been challenges, as she is in a big transition in her overall life. She's a very skilled coach and healer herself and so she knows to hold herself through it and shared with me some proud moments of showing up for herself. I felt and loved that!
Regardless, when we began with some vocal warm-up exercises, I could clearly sense the tension that was still in her system. The voice is always honest.
So, what would happen in a regular voice lesson is maybe you'd adapt some vocal exercises, but ultimately, you'd continue working with the voice and somehow getting through the singing lesson, trying to get voice and body to obey even through the tiredness.
That's not how I operate. That is sometimes how I must operate myself, when for example I have a show to sing that day etc. - and it is good and helpful to have the right tools for that - but this is not how I operate in everyday life or how I would ever want to teach you to treat yourself or your voice!
Here's what we did instead: Gentle humming while moving the body. Letting movement and sound merge to bring space into the body and its tense areas.
"I'm starting to feel softer, more relaxed," my client said. Then: "Wow, I am just realizing how much exhaustion I feel in my body. Like, the kind of 'almost crying exhaustion...'"
Aren't we all familiar with that state of being?
Instead of looking to perfect the sound in any way, I guided her through a toning exercise - one that feels like an energetic massage from the inside of your body. "Like balm for my being" my client said...
Then something happened. The sound shook something loose and I must have said something intuitively - I don't remember what it was - and tears started coming.
Maybe you're thinking to yourself: Oh my! I don't want that to happen to me in a voice lesson. This sounds a bit intimidating...
Let me tell you that, often, this is the best thing that could happen:
(1) actually allowing that repressed, blocked emotion to come out of hiding and move through you. It might be uncomfortable at first, but then, it is a big, big relief! You know this feeling of coming home from a stressful day, just tossing your bag in the corner and dropping yourself on the couch and letting out a big fat sigh? Yeah. That kind of relief. :)
(2) having somebody witness your pain and relate to you in that very moment. See, when you are always alone in our pain and keep it to yourself, you are depriving yourself of an essential element of healing: connection. community. care.
This beautiful client let me in and allowed me to be present with her in her emotional release. I am grateful for these moments. "You know," I said to to her "I understand that you cannot make room for that kind of emotion all day everyday, but it is very healing to make that space at least sometimes. And if that time is now, it is now."
I encouraged her to be with her body and inner world for a little more and when the first waves of emotion subsided, something else happened: A Channeling asked to come through.* What followed was a channeled song and soul language of soothing, holding and hope. I saw soul family connect with that person. connection was established. healing. so beautiful.
The session felt round and complete. Again, it went a completely different route that what we both had expected. But it was exactly what was needed.
I cannot give you half of me and I will not leave you alone with your pain and tension when I sense it wanting to be liberated. It is the most beautiful gift you can make yourself and your voice.
Take care and always keep singing!
xoxo
Friederike
* If a channeling comes through during a session, I make sure to record it, so you can listen to it again later if you want. More on Sound Channeling here.