Your voice reflects how you feel
Are you usually quite good in articulating your ideas, but do you suddenly speed up your speech, raise your pitch or start mumbling when all eyes are on you? Does it drain your energy when you speak in front of a group, or do you often forget to breathe when you tell your story? And does it seem like all of this happens outside of your conscious control? This is because our voice reveals our emotional state.
Posture, breathing, attention, thoughts and emotions all affect your voice, the impression you make, your message and its effectiveness. Together with a voice coach, you can reflect on your personal situation to get a better grip on your voice.
Our sense of safety depends on cues we get from those around us, such as facial expression and tone of voice. Through these cues, we communicate a huge amount of subtle but essential information about our state of being, mostly unconsciously. If we do not feel completely safe, our stress system gets activated and we speak with less variation in rhythm and intonation.
If the cues we receive are friendly and positive, we can regulate our nervous system and speak with more variation in rhythm and intonation. Then we are able to engage with others in a relaxed way, speak with confidence and more likely to be heard. In those moments, others are indeed drawn to connect with us and more likely to listen to us.
Personal coaching:
‘Get a grip on your voice’
In this course we take your request for help on the voice level as starting point for personal reflection on emotion regulation. We will map your autonomic nervous system, and how it affects your voice in different situations. You’ll learn to recognise your personal responses to stress, and get tools to regulate them. The method and exercises are embedded in polyvagal theory: scientific insights about the voice and the autonomic nervous system. Taking the course, you’ll get:
- Personally tailored coaching
- Five one-hour sessions
- Understanding your stress system
- Several exercises and interventions for emotion regulation
- A copy of my book VOICE
- Hand-outs with exercises, instructional videos and audio recordings
- Any interim feedback by email/phone
The sessions are offered in my studio in Amsterdam. Is my location too far away for you? In some cases you can follow the curriculum remotely, online. We can also alternate between remote and live sessions.
Who will benefit
This course is for you if you usually speak clearly and distinctly, but your voice changes in certain situations. Your voice reflects your emotions more than you like, or you have some form of performance anxiety. You want to find out why this happens, develop more vocal awareness and get started with body-oriented exercises. In this course, there is little room to focus on vocal techniques besides emotion regulation. Would you also like to work on vocal techniques? Be welcome to book a few additional sessions, or choose for ‘Let your voice activate personal growth’.
Clarity call
Are you interested in this type of coaching and would you like to know more? In that case I’ll invite you for a free, 15-30 minute clarity call by phone or via Skype. In the interview we will formulate your request for help and we can both decide whether I’m the right coach for you. During the call it is also relevant to find out whether your voice is physically healthy, or if your request fits better with a different specialist. Contact me to book your free clarity call, or for more information.
Prices 2024
The total investment for ‘Get a grip on your voice’ is as follows:
- €500,- including VAT for individuals and self-employed people /zzp’ers with income lower than average
- €650,- including VAT for individuals and self-employed people /zzp’ers with average income or higher
- €775,- excluding VAT for companies
There are several possibilities to finance the course. Does your employer offer a personal training budget, or are you eligible for outplacement? Feel also free to contact me to inquire about the possibilites if your budget is insufficient, like spread payments.
Testimonials
“I followed the program ‘Get a grip on your voice’, which was a great help in understanding my voice. I now know why my speech and communication style comes out different than I want in certain situations. In a relatively short time (5 sessions) I have made a lot of progress! It also helped for me that Laura’s exercises are well founded and that she has written a book about the subject, which offers necessary background information.”
Coen, senior sales account executive
“I came to Laura for help with a lifelong mumbling habit, and an overly fast, monotone way of speaking. I had done some work alone from books but couldn’t make anything stick. Laura’s sessions ranged from practical and physical exercises, to delving into the psychological and personal history aspects that influence how we express ourselves. She provided tools, accountability, as well as a safe setting to go deep into some unexpected mental places. One doesn’t get ‘cured’ from a lifelong way of doing something as fundamental as speaking, but I’ve been able to make very tangible progress and now have systems and practices (and more importantly motivation) to keep going. Once I started to work on speaking more intentionally it became obvious how many other aspects of my life I was rushing on autopilot. The implications of this have been pretty far reaching and positive for me. Thanks Laura!”
Marcus, project manager
“I came to Laura because of voice problems due to spasmodic dysphonia: a tremor in my vocal folds. According to doctors, speech therapy or voice coaching is of no use here because the cause is neurological. Nevertheless, after reading her book VOICE, I was eager to do a course with Laura. I absolutely made progress, which I am very happy about! Laura looks at the whole human being. Not only at the physical voice, but also at breathing, the nervous system and limiting beliefs. She observes and listens carefully, and is very knowledgeable. As a result, her approach is completely tailor-made. Moreover, Laura is an easygoing coach who makes you feel comfortable. My voice problem is now less present in several ways: I sound clearer and I worry less about how I sound. I can definitely recommend a programme with Laura, also if you have a vocal disorder.”
Sandra, counsellor
“Laura has helped me understand how my voice works, what kind of physical and mental blockages can influence how my voice sounds and how I can learn to reconnect with my voice. This all through practical techniques but also by becoming more aware of my emotions and how they influence how I express myself. This has helped me perform better at work which involves public speaking, but has also helped me express myself more effectively in general. I would definitely recommend voice coaching with Laura to anyone who is looking to improve their communication skills on any level. “
Carly, lawyer
“I’m looking back with great pleasure on the process with Laura. In speaking, she helped me to create peace and space. But she also challenged me in terms of emotional growth. Thanks to her, I am more in touch with my own emotions and therefore more connected to my environment.”
Anouk, Process analyst
“Laura doesn’t just focus on the voice, but also looks beyond. She has an eye for what can be improved on a personal level as well, and encourages you to take the right steps in this direction. Thanks to her empathetic abilities, she creates a safe place to practice things that feel vulnerable. She inspired me for instance to look at my anxiety with more acceptance (e.g. on stage). And she encouraged me to just be myself and show who I am (instead of laughing away my discomfort). It’s a process; and nice to have had Laura by my side!”
Grete, journalist/writer
“Laura has helped me in a pleasant and holistic way to make my voice heard, both literally and figuratively speaking. Thanks to voice exercises and by paying attention to mental blocks, I am now better able to express myself in stressful situation and in noisy environments. The atmosphere in the sessions was very pleasant and there was a good balance between comfort and growth. I can absolutely recommend this coaching program!”
Daphne, sustainability coordinator
“I learned that if you speak from the heart rather than from the head, your message will have more impact on the recipient. This is very helpful for me, personally as well as professionally!”
Marike, legal expert
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Book
VOICE: A Multifaceted Approach to Self-Growth and Vocal Empowerment