In this conversation with my friend and colleague Chris MacLean, we talk about her life and career as a singer/songwriter, community choir leader, retreat host, circle singer and so much more. We talk about the logistics of running a choir, fear of death, how to make a living and how we both believe it is everyone’s birthright to sing.

Here is how you can find out more about Chris, her recordings, retreats, performances and her choir. Chris MacLean

Here is how you can find out about Circle Singing.

Here is how you can find out more about the end of life singing know as Threshold Choirs

And here's the link for my final in person event of the year!

Click here for the messy transcript

In this quick solo episode, I'm exploring boundaries and how to speak up and set yours.

Q. Do you feel like you can stand up for yourself?

Q. Can you speak up to defend others?

Here are a few ways that I'm suggesting that you might check your boundaries.

1. How does your body feel in the moment? Hot? Clenched stomach? Are you making a fist? How is your breath? Give yourself a moment to feel into it and try to get clear on what has made you feel uncomfortable? Take a few slow breaths, let your system get regulated again. Take your time, you don't have to respond in the moment.

2. Before you say yes to someone else are you saying no to yourself at the same time? Take the time to check in and see if this way of spending your time or energy is really aligned to your path, your goals?

3. Communicate with clarity. Keep it brief, when you are making it clear to people. Generally use fewer words.

4. Get comfortable feeling uncomfortable. Growth is uncomfortable, honest self expression can be excruciating.

5. Be prepared for pushback. Not everyone is going to like you setting your boundaries and saying "no" and that's ok.

“The more brightly you shine your light for other people, the more you show the way of kindly setting boundaries and clearly communicating your needs, you are demonstrating that for other people.”

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On this episode of Your Free Voice, I’m delighted to bring back into the studio celebrity voice coach and founder of The Voice Straw, Mindy Pack!

You may have listened to episode #32 where I talked to Mindy about her experience being a celebrity voice coach, well we ran out of time to talk about straws so I had to get her back again.

We’re going pretty deep into how to use the straw for rehabilitation after a cold or injury and how to prevent injury doing video game call outs and efforts prepping with the straw!

I met Mindy about 5 years ago when she was co-hosting a conference in LA for voice teachers and singers with Dr. Reen Gupta. I loved her energy and generosity from day one and have been using straws with my clients ever since.

You may have attended a workshop or listened to Episode 7 which gives you the basics of straw phonation, but if you haven’t, listen to that one first, it’s ever so short.

Here’s why I’m such a fan of straws and this version in particular…

“The Voice Straw is the complete training tool for singers, actors, speakers, school teachers, and other frequent voice users. Using your voice should be effortless! Our straws are uniquely designed to release tension, relieve strain, and reduce vocal breathiness, cracking and flipping.

The Voice Straw is backed by over 20 years of scientific research that has proven to benefit voice users by encouraging more efficient vocal fold movement, adjusting the vocal tract into peak position and creating vocal balance.” www.voicestraw.com

“My dream as a child was to be the world’s first “singing heart surgeon.” Medical school didn’t quite pan out, but throughout my career, I have combined my love of singing with my interest in health and physiology to help vocalists of all levels meet their potential.

Clinically certified both in Vocology from The National Center for Voice and Speech, and as a licensed massage therapist, I specialize in vocal structural integration. In my coaching, I aim to not only help my clients connect in the industry, but to help them develop in their artistry through collaboration to find the best possible solutions for their career.

In 2019 I applied my knowledge of voice science and vocal production to create The Voice Straw, a vocal training tool for singers, actors, and speakers that has been clinically proven to help relieve tension, strain, breathiness, cracking, and flipping in the voice.

With locations in Salt Lake and Los Angeles, and virtual worldwide clients, my roster includes singers, artists, voice over actors, professional speakers, rehabilitation, newscasters, and transitioning voices. I would love to connect with vocalists of all levels!”

Taken from https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-pack/

More links and discounts…

Follow Mindy on instagram here

Follow me on instagram here

And here’s my 10%discount coupon for you for the Voice Straw https://voicestraw.com/discount/JULIANORTON

If you enjoyed this episode PLEASE share it with a friend and help me get the word out!

Happy voicing!

My interview with my friend and colleague Ruth Phillips. 

Ruth Phillips is a modern and baroque cellist, a mindfulness coach, founder of The Breathing Bow and co-founder of InsideOut Musician and a writer. Alongside her rich and diverse career as a concert cellist and teacher. Ruth is internationally sought after as a performance coach and meditation teacher, helping people who suffer from tension, stage fright or lack of focus overcome the physical and mental strains of the music profession. 

Ruth primarily works with instrumentalists, but her insights into the source of suffering when we practice, how the body holds and moves with the breath and how to prepare for performance using meditation and loving kindness are very powerful and equally applicable to singers and actors. 

I do hope you enjoy our conversation where we talk about all these things and more. ❤️

You can find more about Ruth at:

Ruth Phillips

On Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ruth.phillips.752

And Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/ruthphillipscello/

Like and subscribe and share this episode with a friend!

If you would like to work with me on discovery a full and free connection to your voice visit my coaching website  

or sign up for my newsletter here to get the inside scoop on workshops and voicey insights.

Thank you for listening!

This episode is a bit of a first, because I am the one being interviewed!

Rush Dorsett reached out to me to be part of her Awaken Your Voice Summit in October 2023. It was a great series where she interviewed 10 different thought leaders around the singing voice over 10 days. There were some really great interviews with people I've admired for a very long time (Chloe Goodchild anyone?). I honestly felt very lucky to be part of this event.

We talked about many things including ...

• What got me into the Mind, Body and Spirit of the voice approach in the first place.

• Alfred Wolfsohn, Roy Hart theatre, Carl Jung and Voice Movement Therapy.

• Why it's not all about a 'pretty voice'.

• Our vocal conditioning or predispositions.

I also took her audience on a 10 minute guided vizualization to meet their Shadow Voice.

You can get your copy of that vizualisation by clicking here.

If you're interested in coaching with me privately set up a free 30 minute call here.

If you're interested in Begin to Sing all the details are at www.yourfreevoice.com/events

"Julia is an inspiration! I Took this remarkable course earlier this year and it opened my eyes and my heart and helped me to deal with, tame, and even banish self-imposed limitations that have gotten in my way for too long. It is a wonderful adventure and learning experience I confidently recommend." Maria Makis. Voice Actor/Singer NYC

Thank you so much for listening!

have a great week!

Julia

P.S You can find me and message me with questions or insights about your shadow voice on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/depthvoicecoachingwithjulia/

Join me in this episode for my personal reflections on 2023 and also some suggestions for how to have a more aligned, intentional focus for the year ahead. It doesn't actually matter when you listen to this episode, the exercises are relevant whenever you need to recalibrate and stop yourself from getting overwhelmed.

If you joined me in my Goal Setting Workshop in December, use this as another chance to make sure you haven't snuck sneaky 'shoulds' onto your list!

If you weren't able to join me, but would like to listen to the audio of the main body of the workshop and play along (which includes the Wall Visualization, but not the personal shares) You can grab that here.

Or if you'd just like to try the professionally recorded Wall Visualization 'cos it's only 10 minutes and you'd like a quick reset, you can grab that here.

Personal note: 😭 There is a LOT of shadow projection happening in the world right now and it is causing untold amounts of grief and tragedy. Let this be the year that we all do our part, learn about and integrate our own shadow material and do our part to reduce the suffering.❤️

This episode is not only long awaited … apologies again for the long break, but also a break from the usual. Instead of waxing lyrical by myself or interviewing an industry expert in voice or physical freedom, I’m interviewing a former Voice Movement Therapy client of mine, Chris Portka.

Chris came to me a number of years ago hating his job, not really loving life and generally feeling “What’s the point?” about everything. His ‘musician self’ was fully in shadow and he was riddled with anxiety at the prospect of revealing him. What’s more he could no longer stand the status quo. He was suffering. He realized “My desire to make music is never going away, it’s always going to be eating at me”.  He said it was finally, “more painful NOT to do it, than to do it.”

Over the last few years I have been watching him flourish ever more courageously in his life and am so impressed by his creativity and generosity. 

In this very candid episode Chris Portka tells us what it’s like to go from “crippled with anxiety” to someone who will release tracks of his shadow made bare, sing live on instagram in a bathrobe and santa hat and go on tour with the Al Harper a band all over the USA.

I loved this conversation with Chris, he’s real, raw and funny and his tunes are excellent too!

Here are links to his music and his bio:

Chris Portka Music

Chris on Instagram

Chris Portka, a musician based in the Bay Area, has channeled his lifelong passion and internal struggles into a unique genre he calls "trash music" - releasing the eponymous album on vinyl in 2023 and numerous other full albums throughout the years.   Initially a drummer drawn to 90s grunge, Chris was held back by crippling anxiety that muted his voice. At 31, he undertook a transformative five-year odyssey through Voice Movement Therapy, gradually unlocking the joy and power of his own voice. He now plays solo acoustic shows around cafes in the  bay area, in a relaxed robe on instagram Live, and is going on tour later this year, playing guitar and singing with the Al Harper Band.  Chris’ solo produced music oscillates between ethereal glitch rock and raw folk, often venturing into the avant-garde. With tracks like "Ambient Jazz Metal" and "A Candle is a Raging Fire," Chris delves into subconscious conflicts in his ongoing quest for self-acceptance.  Also known as djpants.eth in the NFT music community, the previous album "The #NFTBlues" reported on the ecstatic highs and vacuous lows of the never-ending simulation which exploded in 2021.

Pull Quotes / Articles

"...after hearing the radio for a few minutes, 'Trash Music' might just be the palette cleanser that you need" - Alt77

"' trash music' is akin to a grand canvas, a symphony of musical mastery, where Chris Portka artfully wields his brush and adds hues of both vivid brilliance and haunting darkness, giving birth to a truly peculiar and dreamlike album." - Indie Boulevard

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Julia Norton on Instagram

If you are ready to bring your singer or creative self out of the shadow I encourage you to join my transformative group coaching program called Your Free Voice Lab, details here, the next round starts in January.