VOICE COACH PHOBIA

When you only need to hear the words ‘voice’ and ‘coach’ to want to run for hills…

I get it. I know voice and accent work strikes fear in the heart of many of you.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been nervous about working with an actor I admire only to meet them and realise they are SO much more nervous about working with ME (and often super surprised to discover that I’m not a blue rinse sporting, phonetics chart touting, RP spouting, stuffy old dear).

Voice Coach Phobia is rife amongst actors. This needs to change.

Voice and accent work doesn’t have to be scary. 

I know how you feel. I was an actor myself so I’m very familiar with the feelings of uncertainty, insecurity and not being good enough that can come with a life of actor training, auditions, self taping, as well as from having the ‘wrong’ accent.

But, you see, it’s not just actors that get the voice and accent fear.

Over the last few years I’ve been working incredibly hard but staying small, quiet and under the radar because I felt some uncertainty about the way I coach.

I felt uneasy because I was very aware that my coaching style was just that; my style and not, perhaps, 'the way you’re supposed to,’ or, I assumed, ‘the way that everyone else is doing it.’

Nevertheless I kept going because, whatever I was doing, it was working.  

The results, feedback, ever growing client list and heaving inbox spoke for themselves. And, of course, any self doubt would just evaporate when I was actually working with you lot because, once in the room with you, my instincts would kick in and it would all just …work. 

But, still, I kept my head down, because, honestly, there was a huge part of me that was scared I would be ‘found out’. 

Almost every technique I use is a creation of my own making, something that’s morphed from years of working with hundreds, if not thousands of actors - creations of necessity, trial, error and instinct.  

My reactions in sessions always feel much more instinctive than intellectual. I’m dyspraxic so maybe it’s my neurodiversity that makes me reach outside the box for solutions (Something I see happen all the time with my many many neurodiverse clients. A more common occurrence than you may think; one in three actors is dyslexic and/or dyspraxic).

Don’t misunderstand me here; I’m not dismissing my education, training or the wonderful work of my teachers, colleagues and predecessors.  They provided the foundation; the groundwork. I can only do what I do today BECAUSE of all that came before. After all, all instinctive reactions rely on knowledge and experience. I had to start with all of that stuff. I had to take it in, use it, and play with it before I could subconsciously mould it into something else entirely; into whatever it felt that my clients were calling for.

But for years I thought doing things ‘my way’ was something to be ashamed of.

I stayed small, did very little in the way of self promotion, felt no desire to integrate with other coaches, and sat on my desire to share my ideas and discoveries with anyone outside of my client list, even though I thought it likely that many would find them useful. 

It wasn’t until I confided in a trusted friend (who looked at me, blinked, and said, “You know that’s innovation, right?  That’s nothing to be ashamed of. That’s the golden ticket.”) that I started to think I was on to something and really ought to think about sharing it instead of staying quiet.

For far too long voice and accent training, and indeed a lot of actor training, has been held in an almost religious regard.

It’s seen by many to be a space of black or white; wrong or right. A space in which you’re either in the know or you aren’t, you have the knack or you don’t, you were born with the right accent or you weren’t.

But, of course, there isn’t one right way to coach voice and dialect, just as there isn’t one right way to express yourself. There are as many ways in to learning an accent or connecting to your voice as there are people on the planet.

Which is why, after nearly a decade of quietly working behind the scenes coaxing many an actor to push past their fear and find their voice, I’ve decided (after quite a lot of being coaxed myself!) that it’s time to let my voice out into the world too. 

I might listen for a living but I’ve also got a lot to say about voice, accent, acting, film, TV and theatre. I love them all but there is a LOT about this industry that makes me very unhappy and I think needs to change.

I want to do more to facilitate this change. More than just quietly help people from my studio.

I want to share my discoveries, reach more people, get more voices heard and do my little bit to make our world, and indeed our industry, and fairer and more just place. 

Voice and accent coaching isn’t supposed to alienate you. It’s supposed to connect you.

It’s also not just for a privileged few. 

That’s really why I created this blog and this site. I want to provide free resources, guidance and opportunities for all.

Yes, I run a business and make money. I’m very proud and incredibly grateful to get to do that while helping people and doing what I love. But I also want to be transparent and accessible to everyone.

Which is why I have decided to be upfront about my rates. There is no need to email me for a quote, all the info you need is here, upfront, honest, and completely transparent. 

That is how I want to run my business, influence our industry, and empower you all to explore your voice without fear.

So why not pop all of your old ideas about voice and accent coaching to the side, grab a cuppa and join me for the ride?

The best way to stay connected is to make sure you sign up to my Voice-Mail to get my weekly blog posts, exclusive offers, updates on my courses and resources and more — just enter your name and email. Most of the time, you’ll only hear from me on Wednesdays unless something is time-sensitive or important.

But I’d also love to hear from you! Feel free to drop me an email or pop any questions or thoughts in the comments below.

That change starts here.

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