Singing
In a nutshell…
Most of us sang long before we learned to speak.
Somewhere along the way many of us stopped.
Not because we lost our voices…
…but because we lost confidence in using them.
The good news?
Your voice is probably still there but perhaps a little bit shy… or, maybe, simply waiting for an invitation.
Whether you’re singing in the shower, joining a choir, preparing for performance or simply curious, I’d love to help you discover how singing can become easier, freer and more enjoyable.
WhatsApp is usually the easiest way to reach me:
☕ Join me for five minutes…
If you’re sitting down with a favourite cuppa, read on…
Around thirty years ago I wrote a book called Singing, Health and Happiness. Life, as John Lennon observed, is what happens while you’re busy making other plan…and the book was never published.
At the time I was writing largely from experience.
Thousands of lessons.
Hundreds of singers.
People standing a little taller.
Breathing more freely.
Smiling more.
Sometimes laughing.
Sometimes crying.
Often leaving feeling lighter than when they arrived.
Today something rather lovely has happened.
Science has caught up.
Why sing?
Researchers such as Dr Daisy Fancourt, together with the late Dr Michael Mosley and many others, have helped uncover a remarkable body of evidence.
Singing appears to support:
- mood
- breathing
- confidence
- social connection
- general wellbeing
Studies suggest it may reduce stress hormones, improve mood, strengthen social bonds and support aspects of immune function.
There is also growing evidence that it may help some people living with chronic pain, lung conditions, anxiety, depression and dementia as part of a broader approach to health and wellbeing.
Imagine that.
What fascinates me most…
Singing doesn’t seem to help through one single mechanism – so many different things are happening at once.
We’re…
- breathing.
- listening.
- moving.
- communicating.
- remembering.
- feeling.
- connecting with other people.
- expressing something deeply human.
Perhaps that’s why one of humanity’s oldest activities may also be one of its healthiest.
No auditions required
Whether you’re singing in the shower…
joining a choir…
or quietly humming while making breakfast…
five minutes of singing each day may be one of the simplest investments you can make in your own wellbeing.
No auditions.
No pressure.
No need to “be good”.
Just a willingness to begin.
☕ Something on the house…
Coming soon…
A short guided humming session.
Five gentle minutes.
No accompaniment.
No music to read.
No one listening except you.
Just enough to discover what your own voice feels like today.
If any of this resonates, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
WhatsApp is usually the easiest way to reach me:
07930 323057
Breathing Coordination
Helping you breathe with less effort and more ease.
Whether you’re troubled by breathlessness, stress, a tight voice, persistent tension, or you’re simply curious about how breathing works, this approach begins with a simple question.
What if breathing isn’t something we need to do better… but something we could interfere with a little less?
My work brings together over fifty years of Alexander Technique teaching with a lifetime in singing, voice and performance, together with ongoing professional development in Breathing Coordination.
WhatsApp is usually the easiest way to get in touch:
07930 323057
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☕ Over a cuppa…
If you’re sitting down with a cuppa and have five minutes to spare, I’d love to tell you why breathing has fascinated me for much of my professional life.
For years I thought I was simply helping people breathe more easily.
Gradually I realised that breathing was rarely the whole story.
Again and again it led into movement, posture, voice, confidence, performance, stress and the remarkable ways in which the whole person works together.
If you’re curious, do scroll down…
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A practical approach to breathing, balance and the nervous system
Breathing is one of those things we assume should look after itself.
And often it does.
But under pressure — physical, emotional, or simply habitual — it can begin to interfere rather than support.
A tightening here.
A holding there.
A sense of effort that doesn’t quite match the task.
Or might there be an easier way?
Where does this approach come from?
My interest in breathing has developed over more than fifty years of Alexander Technique teaching, alongside a lifetime in singing, voice training and performance.
More recently I’ve continued that exploration through Breathing Coordination, including current professional development inspired by the work of Karl Stough. Along the way I’ve also been interested in approaches such as Holographic Breathing.
Each has offered a slightly different perspective on the same fascinating question:
How does breathing organise itself when we stop trying to organise it?
People often come because…
At first glance it can seem to be a breathing problem.
But perhaps it’s worth asking another question.
Is it really the breath itself that needs fixing…
…or could it be the way we’re organising ourselves around it?
How do we work?
Sessions are practical, relaxed and exploratory.
Sometimes lying down.
Sometimes sitting or standing.
Often involving very small changes in direction and attention.
Rather than learning breathing exercises, we explore the conditions in which breathing can reorganise itself more naturally.
A little less interference.
A little more space.
And often, something begins to shift.
A note on health
This work may support general wellbeing, regulation, comfort and performance.
It isn’t a replacement for medical assessment or treatment. If you have persistent or concerning symptoms, it’s always sensible to consult your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.
If you’re curious…
If any of this resonates with you, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
A short conversation is often enough to decide whether this approach feels right for you.
A WhatsApp message is absolutely fine — there’s no need for anything formal.
07930 323057
A final thought
Breathing has an extraordinary capacity to reorganise itself.
Sometimes the most useful thing we can do isn’t to try harder…
…but to interfere a little less, and allow the body to remember what it already knows how to do.
- they feel they can’t quite get enough air
- breathing has become tight or effortful
- the voice tires more quickly than it used to
- anxiety or stress seems to affect the way they breathe
- they simply have the feeling that something isn’t working as comfortably as it once did.