This Inner Voice

I never knew when I first sang this demanding piece as a student - and a nervous wreck - that one day I would feel so confident that I could just drop the score and actually enjoy it! "Thank you so much for your stunning performance in our performance of Mozart Great C minor Mass and Haydn Nelson Mass...Your rendering of Laudamus Te from memory and with its extreme range was simply stunning." I like to help other therapists, especially SLTS who would like to do more singing with their clients with their confidence to do so. Singing holds so many well-known, evidence-based benefits for our clients, and for ourselves.. I was going to write another looong list - but then again perhaps we don't need the science to know, just instinctively what feels so good must be good for us! You are the instrument - and as a vehicle, a channel for beautiful music - especially with others - that feeling is absolutely thrilling. Please join me at my next Christmas-themed workshops to build your singing confidence with clients, and to take home some fantastic resources - all designed to be easy to use, and in keys that people can actually manage with ease. Dec 9th 6.30-8pm Dec 10th 1-2.30pm https://lnkd.in/eg28ad-n Here's a link to my singing website if you would like to have a listen to some of the things I love to sing. https://lnkd.in/eFvWyTwa

Excited to add a pink, electric violin to my ever-growing instrument collection! This one has been inspired by a lovely new client - a young man who unfortunately suffered a very serious TBI on the road. At this early stage, I am focusing on building rapport, discovering his interests and lifting his mood. I have all sorts of plans for therapeutic goals - I'd love to help him with speech through singing, developing his fine and gross motor skills through neuro MT techniques, developing his working memory etc. etc. etc. However, none of this is possible if he is feeling unmotivated and too downhearted to participate. Last week, he smiled and even laughed in the session - mum and carers joined us - the time flew as we delighted in the music together, exploring everything from folk songs to jazz. I discovered that he liked a certain piece of music from a film we were discussing, and I was easily able to find it and play and sing it for him, there and then. I'll remember it for next time, so that we can build connections, create joy and inspire him to participate even more. One of my long-term client's parents told me: "I have never known my son not to enjoy a session, even when he wasn't feeling well." Pleasure, enrichment, engagement feel as though they are absolutely essential in best helping a client and their family through music therapy. I'm so fortunate that I work in this modality. www.thisinnervoice.com

A joy to attend this beautiful 'Ambassadors recital' last night given by incredible singers rachel nicholls and Stuart Pendred for Oxford Opera, raising awareness for this wonderful company.

Full circle moment whilst putting together the backing tracks for my lovely Christmas workshop for SLTs on 9th (6.30pm) and 10th December (1pm). Decided to record the lower harmony with my accompaniment for 'Silent Night' so that SLTs and their clients can easily enjoy the intoxicating feeling of singing in harmony with others, but in comfy keys. It takes me back to about 100 years ago when I used to do exactly the same thing using a tape recorder - as a child with a family who weren't particularly musical there was no-one else to sing in harmony with!! Loads more resources will be available on the day but let me know if you would like this track to use with your clients beforehand and I will send it over. It's so much fun!! https://lnkd.in/eg28ad-n

I'm getting very excited about the Christmas SLT singing and music therapy techniques workshop on Dec 9th at 6.30pm and 10th at 1pm. I've come up with 12 easy ways to sing and make music with your clients. We'll cover lots of Christmas songs - carols as well as fun songs like 'Jingle Bell Rock' (this is probably my most popular song with clients) and 'Walking in the air' where we will interpolate musical stimulation, rhythm work, mnemonic songs and associative mood and memory training techniques - to name a few. These are all methods that you can use with any songs, not just Christmassy ones.. Lots of resources to take away including backing tracks in keys that people can actually sing with ease! https://lnkd.in/eg28ad-n

Having a lot of fun putting together my Christmas workshops for SLTs. Can't wait to see you there! https://lnkd.in/eg28ad-n

Written by Naoki Higashida, a 13 year old boy, this gentle book offers articulate and delicate insights into the world of a nonspeaking child with Autism. A delightful book - I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

A little song I made up to replace horrible alarm clocks waking up my kids in the morning.. maybe someone else might find it useful!! I like making up songs to help with things that might be difficult for ND kids especially - like transitions. I've got a dressing song (which apparently works a treat!), going to sleep songs.. maybe I need a 'getting in the car' song. https://lnkd.in/eQF-x4Zg Valid until 1 Nov 2024

Such a lovely piece of feedback from Amrita Mahal who attended my free SLT singing confidence and music therapy techniques workshop recently.. I recently attended a workshop led by Serenna, and I was truly impressed. The workshop was well-structured and provided the tools I needed to get started with singing therapy. Serenna skillfully guided us through each step, showcasing how fun and accessible this practice can be for both me and my clients. Thanks to her guidance, I now feel confident to dive into this journey—something I had been avoiding for quite some time. I highly recommend her workshops to anyone interested in exploring singing therapy! Hope to see you at the next one, Amrita! https://lnkd.in/eg28ad-n

Erm - sorry if it's a bit early for Christmassy things but very excited to announce 2 new seasonal singing and music-making workshops for SLTs. 🎄 December 9th at 6.30pm and December 10th at 1pm. 🪗 A lovely, festive workshop where you will come away with some immediately-usable material, super-helpful resources and lots of ideas to facilitate Christmas music-making with your clients.. plus backing tracks for songs - in easily-singable keys!! 🪇 "This was a fantastic learning opportunity which has had an immediate impact on how to enhance my work with patients with dysarthria.” Ninette O'Mara Sarah-Jane Lewis Lindsay Shuttleworth Gillian Buckingham Radhika Menon Amrita Mahal Rebecca Boddington Joanna Stamogiannou Nasteho S. 🎸