Caring for your voice can be a complex task. Our daily lives are incredibly busy and many of us are juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, which can lead to generalised fatigue as well as vocal fatigue. If you are trying to balance singing lessons and vocal coaching sessions alongside work in another field, it can be a challenge to know just what and how to prioritise your vocal health and wellbeing. For anyone with caring responsibilities and complex relationships, finding the time to attend to your voice through healthy practices such as vocal steaming, daily warming up and cooling down, can feel very low down the list of priorities. If you are working on a programme of vocal rehabilitation, navigating this can feel even more challenging. The physical demands placed on your speaking and singing voice during this time can feel overwhelming, frustrating and upsetting. Not being able to use your voice in the way you wish – with confidence, clarity and strength – can feel disempowering. The psychological impact of voice care and voice difficulties are real and, just as with other aspects of our mental health and wellbeing need to be taken seriously.
At Bristol Voice Care, we understand the multifaceted nature of these challenges. We have listened to many clients: singers, actors, amateur performers, teachers, professional voice users, and heard their frustrations. We have listened to what they say is helpful and what they tell us is not. Knowing that there cannot be a one size fits all approach to voice care, rehabilitation and training, we have developed a range of services and strategies to meet a variety of needs. Part of this commitment to seeing the whole person, and working with people in compassionate and caring relationships, is to acknowledge that often a multidisciplinary team is needed. To support this collaborative approach, we have created the Bristol Voice Care Referral Network.
This developing network aims to connect you with the professionals you need to support your vocal journey. The practitioners who are part of the network have been specially invited to offer complementary skills to the vocal rehabilitation, vocal massage and vocal coaching offered by Bristol Voice Care founder, Jenna Brown. You can find out more about these practitioners by visiting the about page on the Bristol Voice Care website. You may also connect with them and the growing network by looking for the Bristol Voice Care Referral Network badge on practitioners’ own websites.
Over the coming few blog posts, we will be getting to know the practitioners, their interests, work and how they can help you with your vocal needs.
The first practitioners we are welcoming are:
Claire Williamson – Speech and Language Therapist
Anupa Paul – Music Performance Anxiety Coach
Jo Reader – Psychotherapist and Body Acceptance Coach
Collaborating with them, and others who join the network, will allow us to better meet your holistic vocal needs, expand and deepen our learning and understanding, and work together for positive change.
