The Ick
It really gives me the “ick”. Blowing my own trumpet is deeply DEEPLY uncomfortable to me. It feels like showing off and just “not something we do” or need to do. Like how people who are happy in their relationships are the ones who talk about them the least.
However the realisation that I’m not actually sharing what I do, and what offer means am admitting that I do actually need to blow my own trumpet more.
So I’ll write this and pretend no one is going to read it. I’ll share what I just said to Amy in our chat.
My Uniqueness
The Own Your Spoken Voice Workshop, on 1st Feb, was something that only I could offer. It was a mix of therapeutic work and voice work with a large dollop of acting, clowning all served over the ability to create and hold a safe space.
There are plenty of singing teachers and vocal coaches who are experienced at working with resonance and who give vocal massages. Loads of singing teachers are adept at working with and understanding trauma and/or neurodivergence. Plenty of voice coaches have studied anatomy and understand which exercises to use at what time with each person and have a bank of seemingly endless exercises to choose from.
In Relation To Breath
There are plenty of voice specialists who have trained in accent method (https://tidsskrift.dk/ARIPUC/article/view/130980/176593 ) but also learned about MDH (https://en.breathingcoordination.ch/) breathing and attend regular breathworks classes with Alchemy of Breath. https://alchemyofbreath.com/free-breathwork-sessions/
In Relation To Healing
I doubt there are many voice practitioners who have been privileged to work with the phenomenal healers I’ve been blessed to work with,https://www.gularavincent.co.uk/ and Deborah Ackroyd https://www.collegeofhealing.org/uk-healers-directory/deborah-ackroyd-bahons-mcohma-dip-psyth-hyp-plrt-nlp-para-psychol/
There is a voice in me saying, “yes but there are plenty of voice practitioners who have done equally cool stuff” and to that voice I say, “yes, there are. There are voice practitioners and voice teachers who are brilliant and doing brilliant work. The people who are right for me to work with will find me and we will be the right fit.”
Anyway, back to the trumpet blowing.
In Relation To Acting
I am pretty certain that there is no one who is bringing all of that and also trained as an actor and works as an actor and also brings in the work they’ve learned in clown training, including an incredible workshop about archetypes that has deeply and yet subtly impacted my work (https://www.petalily.com/courses.html)
What We Actually Did
I’ll share some of what we did in the bespoke/afternoon section of the workshop on 1st Feb so you can see how the workshop was truly unique.attended.
One person had an enormous amount of energy in her body so we all moved about each other whilst she spoke so that she felt able to move about.
Another played with being the 4 year old version of herself whilst remembering the things that brought her joy at that age. Using that experience to bring her childlike wonder to the communications she’s struggling with now.
Another person spoke to us about the things she needs to promote for her business. She left the workshop with several videos that she can use on social media. Instead of doing the standard introduction to her business she talked about what exactly it is that brings her joy. It is so much easier to be free when we are genuinely attached to what we are saying.
With another participant we all worked on resonance, vocal massage and abdominal breathing.
With another person I gave her some text to speak to free her to connect with the words and then we worked on connecting breath to voice (which is the basis of the earlier work in the morning).
So overall the afternoon was a combination of voice technique, personal exploration, role play and connecting with other parts of ourselves who are freer.
I guess blowing my own trumpet means acknowledging that it was a very uniquely me workshop. And I’m proud of myself and I’m going to continue with this important work.
What happens in the workshop – own your spoken voice
get in touch for more info, book your spot on the April workshop, places are very limited.