Frequently Asked Questions
Do you give discounts?
I don't generally give discounts unless people are members of a low earning household. If you really want sessions but feel you simply can't afford the quoted rates just let me know and perhaps there are ways to make the process work for both of us, whether it means simply doing sessions less often, with more time in between for you to continue the work yourself, or grouping sessions in a block at a reduced overall hourly rate. Another possibility is splitting the cost and taking joint sessions with a friend or colleague who has similar questions or is simply interested in the same process as you.
What can you guarantee?
I can't guarantee miraculous results! I can guarantee that I will do my level best to accommodate and help you address whatever issue you present. I can guarantee that you will get practical doable exercises and tools to help develop your voice, and that I will give you my full and personal attention. I hope to help you find your way towards greater self awareness in regard to your voice, including technical know-how, and to find a degree of confidence and skill in using your voice in a healthy and effective way, connected and meaningful to both you and the listener. I can guarantee you tools, insights and exercises, and the benefit of my observations and awareness of your voice.
I can't guarantee that you will instantly like or even fully understand all the exercises to begin with, or at all! I can't guarantee that you will instantly find the work beneficial, or apply it consistently enough to benefit yourself!
I can even guarantee that some of the work may induce mild discomfort, and even meet your resistance, mentally or physically. I guarantee to take all your questions seriously.
What's involved?
It really depends on your needs. For example, for accent reduction, the work may not be quite so physical in terms of involving the whole body, and for other vocal issues, the work can be far more physical than people might often expect. For work involving vocal presence, impact and skillful speech, a large element of the work also involves dealing constructively with the nervous charge that comes into play in any situation involving communication under any kind of pressure, social or otherwise. Some of the work is purely practical and pragmatic, to do with content and structure of speeches, dealing with practicalities such as microphones, podiums and stages etc.
Do you follow a particular method?
Yes and no!
I draw on a range of contemporary approaches to voice. Alongside approaches inspired by Patsy Rodenburg and her teacher Cicely Berry, alongside Michael McCallion, I am also heavily influenced by the work of Kristin Linklater, through teachers who have trained with her. The most significant approaches in recent years that have shaped my own, in addition to the above, have been both my extensive experience of Roy Hart voice work (influenced heavily by his own teacher Alfred Wolfsohn), and my more recent in-depth training in (Catherine) Fitzmaurice voice work. I work using a blend of analysis and intuition, to suit the individual. I seek the tools and approaches that best seem to fit each person, and this may mean exploring one approach in depth over time, or using different methods in each session.
All of the approaches I use, originally spring from approaches to actor-training. This is common to pretty much all approaches to voice all over the world, whether or not it is adapted to meet the needs of the corporate environment, or otherwise.
How many sessions will I need?
Experience has told me that this really depends on the person, what they are looking to address, and how they like to work. I would suggest that where voice development is concerned, things generally take time to evolve in any meaningful, lasting way, and there are usually no 'quick fixes', even if lots of the exercises explored can be very simple.
It's certainly possible to work superficially, and sometimes this is all that someone wants or needs. I am happy to work this way too, though again in my experience working in more depth can lead to more satisfying and lasting results, even if they happen so gradually over time, that one doesn't even notice them at first.
Some people find that a few sessions really helps them unlock something for them, and walk away, happy that they have some tools that can help them continue to find their own way. Others take longer for things to 'click'. Often a client will come on a regular basis for a period, and then leave things lie for a while, and come back for a "top-up" so to speak, if and when they feel the need. Certainly in my experience it's only after a few sessions that you might be in a better position to tell whether or not this is something that is helping you. The first few sessions will reveal a lot, both to you and to me, in terms of what helps you, and how to proceed.
A very large factor is in how much and how consistently you apply the work yourself, between sessions.
I'm certainly not interested in fostering dependancy, or stringing people along. I also appreciate that giving oneself the time to address this area, the voice, can represents a significant investment for people. I would hope that each session can at least give some practical doable exercises and tools to 'take away', and the chance of more insight into one's voice and body, that can help, moving forward in some small way, if not a significant way.
Ideally I would suggest a period allowing for around ten sessions, and then to review. For me, this represents a relatively decent immersion, from which to take away a more useful level of personal understanding of one's voice and a body of work that can be then applied effectively alone, without guidance, over time.
Either of us may decide after an initial session, that the 'fit' is not quite right.
For me, it's highly satisfying to work with people who recognise the validity of sustained application of the work introduced, and who take the initiative through a real sense of need, to take more personal responsibility to address this area for themselves. That being said, I often work with (and enjoy very much) people who simply want to dip their toe into something, to try something, or to treat themselves to a new experience, or follow a whim to see where it leads them. I understand too, that despite the best intentions, the pace and nature of modern living often prohibits sustained immersion and application in the area of self development.
Should I take notes?
Also for the first few sessions, I tend to send some brief follow up notes summarising what we've covered, sometimes with additional comments, and ideas, on my own reflection of your process after the session. I encourage people to take notes themselves also during sessions, as often this helps in setting ideas in stone a little, and remembering details so the work can be more easily continued at home. On the other hand there is that old wisdom that "we tend to remember the things that are really important when we need them anyway".
What should I wear?
As so much of what is explored in voice work, is breathing, it can be really helpful to wear clothes that don't overly restrict the belly, or the breath.
Very tight jeans for example, may prohibit the best exploration of breath work, and restrict bodily movement in a way that diminishes benefit. It's not a strict rule, however, and I appreciate many clients may be restricted by work requirements, in their everyday clothing style.
I don't generally give discounts unless people are members of a low earning household. If you really want sessions but feel you simply can't afford the quoted rates just let me know and perhaps there are ways to make the process work for both of us, whether it means simply doing sessions less often, with more time in between for you to continue the work yourself, or grouping sessions in a block at a reduced overall hourly rate. Another possibility is splitting the cost and taking joint sessions with a friend or colleague who has similar questions or is simply interested in the same process as you.
What can you guarantee?
I can't guarantee miraculous results! I can guarantee that I will do my level best to accommodate and help you address whatever issue you present. I can guarantee that you will get practical doable exercises and tools to help develop your voice, and that I will give you my full and personal attention. I hope to help you find your way towards greater self awareness in regard to your voice, including technical know-how, and to find a degree of confidence and skill in using your voice in a healthy and effective way, connected and meaningful to both you and the listener. I can guarantee you tools, insights and exercises, and the benefit of my observations and awareness of your voice.
I can't guarantee that you will instantly like or even fully understand all the exercises to begin with, or at all! I can't guarantee that you will instantly find the work beneficial, or apply it consistently enough to benefit yourself!
I can even guarantee that some of the work may induce mild discomfort, and even meet your resistance, mentally or physically. I guarantee to take all your questions seriously.
What's involved?
It really depends on your needs. For example, for accent reduction, the work may not be quite so physical in terms of involving the whole body, and for other vocal issues, the work can be far more physical than people might often expect. For work involving vocal presence, impact and skillful speech, a large element of the work also involves dealing constructively with the nervous charge that comes into play in any situation involving communication under any kind of pressure, social or otherwise. Some of the work is purely practical and pragmatic, to do with content and structure of speeches, dealing with practicalities such as microphones, podiums and stages etc.
Do you follow a particular method?
Yes and no!
I draw on a range of contemporary approaches to voice. Alongside approaches inspired by Patsy Rodenburg and her teacher Cicely Berry, alongside Michael McCallion, I am also heavily influenced by the work of Kristin Linklater, through teachers who have trained with her. The most significant approaches in recent years that have shaped my own, in addition to the above, have been both my extensive experience of Roy Hart voice work (influenced heavily by his own teacher Alfred Wolfsohn), and my more recent in-depth training in (Catherine) Fitzmaurice voice work. I work using a blend of analysis and intuition, to suit the individual. I seek the tools and approaches that best seem to fit each person, and this may mean exploring one approach in depth over time, or using different methods in each session.
All of the approaches I use, originally spring from approaches to actor-training. This is common to pretty much all approaches to voice all over the world, whether or not it is adapted to meet the needs of the corporate environment, or otherwise.
How many sessions will I need?
Experience has told me that this really depends on the person, what they are looking to address, and how they like to work. I would suggest that where voice development is concerned, things generally take time to evolve in any meaningful, lasting way, and there are usually no 'quick fixes', even if lots of the exercises explored can be very simple.
It's certainly possible to work superficially, and sometimes this is all that someone wants or needs. I am happy to work this way too, though again in my experience working in more depth can lead to more satisfying and lasting results, even if they happen so gradually over time, that one doesn't even notice them at first.
Some people find that a few sessions really helps them unlock something for them, and walk away, happy that they have some tools that can help them continue to find their own way. Others take longer for things to 'click'. Often a client will come on a regular basis for a period, and then leave things lie for a while, and come back for a "top-up" so to speak, if and when they feel the need. Certainly in my experience it's only after a few sessions that you might be in a better position to tell whether or not this is something that is helping you. The first few sessions will reveal a lot, both to you and to me, in terms of what helps you, and how to proceed.
A very large factor is in how much and how consistently you apply the work yourself, between sessions.
I'm certainly not interested in fostering dependancy, or stringing people along. I also appreciate that giving oneself the time to address this area, the voice, can represents a significant investment for people. I would hope that each session can at least give some practical doable exercises and tools to 'take away', and the chance of more insight into one's voice and body, that can help, moving forward in some small way, if not a significant way.
Ideally I would suggest a period allowing for around ten sessions, and then to review. For me, this represents a relatively decent immersion, from which to take away a more useful level of personal understanding of one's voice and a body of work that can be then applied effectively alone, without guidance, over time.
Either of us may decide after an initial session, that the 'fit' is not quite right.
For me, it's highly satisfying to work with people who recognise the validity of sustained application of the work introduced, and who take the initiative through a real sense of need, to take more personal responsibility to address this area for themselves. That being said, I often work with (and enjoy very much) people who simply want to dip their toe into something, to try something, or to treat themselves to a new experience, or follow a whim to see where it leads them. I understand too, that despite the best intentions, the pace and nature of modern living often prohibits sustained immersion and application in the area of self development.
Should I take notes?
Also for the first few sessions, I tend to send some brief follow up notes summarising what we've covered, sometimes with additional comments, and ideas, on my own reflection of your process after the session. I encourage people to take notes themselves also during sessions, as often this helps in setting ideas in stone a little, and remembering details so the work can be more easily continued at home. On the other hand there is that old wisdom that "we tend to remember the things that are really important when we need them anyway".
What should I wear?
As so much of what is explored in voice work, is breathing, it can be really helpful to wear clothes that don't overly restrict the belly, or the breath.
Very tight jeans for example, may prohibit the best exploration of breath work, and restrict bodily movement in a way that diminishes benefit. It's not a strict rule, however, and I appreciate many clients may be restricted by work requirements, in their everyday clothing style.
