THE HEALTHY SPEAKING AND TENSION RELEASE INTENSIVE
Join Elissa and special guests for an 8 week immersion to identify your personal vocal tension habits so that you can release them and speak (and sing!) with ease
What we'll cover in this intensive...
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What breath support really is…. And what it isn’t. (Hint: There's more to it than just “breathing with your diaphragm.”)
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Which muscles may be blocking the flow of your voice as it comes up and out.
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Why your voice gets hoarse and raspy, and what to do to alleviate vocal fatigue.
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How to quickly correct your effort when you start feeling like you're straining your voice.
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How to improve your voice quality so it sounds as resonant and full as you want it to.
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What you can do to reset your nervous system so you can speak with a powerful and confident voice anytime.
The Healthy Speaking and Tension Release Intensive is led by Elissa Maas Weinzimmer, founder of Voice Body Connection.
I’ve dealt with vocal tension issues (muscle tension dysphonia) since 2007 when I experienced a sudden voice loss episode.
Since that time, I've done an enormous amount of research and ongoing practice to manage my vocal stamina. Quickly I realized it was my mission to help people understand how their voice works...I want you to be able to use your voice better so you can communicate with ease! I've been teaching vocal health and presence skills for thirteen years. In this work we'll draw upon theatre voice techniques, singing pedagogy (useful even if you're not a singer!), speech science, somatics, and trauma-informed practices.
Meet the Guest Instructors
David Ley, Theatre Voice Professor and founder of Vibrant Voice Technique
David Ley holds an MFA in performance from York University with a diploma in Voice Teaching. He is a Professor in the Drama Department at the University of Alberta where he teaches Voice and Speech, Dialects, and Acting. David has extensive experience in private practice teaching vocal skills to a wide array of professional voice users from schoolteachers to politicians and has taught many voice workshops both across Canada and abroad. He spent ten seasons as a Voice Coach at Canada’s Stratford Festival and continues to be a regular instructor in Stratford’s Birmingham Conservatory.
Melanie Tapson, Speech Language Pathologist and founder of Melanie Tapson Voice Care
Melanie Tapson is a professional singer, Singing Voice Specialist, and Speech-Language Pathologist based in Toronto, Canada. Her practice is specifically focused on voice assessment and therapy for professional voice users and performers. Melanie’s superpower is diving deep into clinical voice research and then translating it into fun, approachable language. She regularly gives workshops to voice users, voice teachers, and fellows SLPs around the globe.
Intensive Curriculum
| Session | Date, Time, and Details |
|---|---|
| ✪ INTRO |
Wednesday March 27th, 12-1:30pm Eastern time > FREE INTRO SESSION: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR VOICE Most of us wind up pursuing vocal health training after things have gone too far. If you've lost your voice or you're struggling to get to where you want to be with it, join this free intro session. We'll also talk more about what we're going to cover throughout the class, so feel free to join if you have questions and want to learn about releasing vocal tension and having a healthy speaking voice. |
| ✪ CLASS 1 |
Wednesday April 3rd, 12-1:30pm Eastern time > Breath support practices First things first: We'll go over the anatomy of the torso to understand how freedom of movement and specificity of effort can support the production of sound. Even if you've studied breathing for a long time, you'll hear something new today that will give you the foundation to have a healthier, less tense voice. |
| ✪ CLASS 2 |
Wednesday April 10th, 12-1:30pm Eastern time > Tension release practices We'll cover anatomy of muscle in the chest, shoulders, neck, and skull that are likely culprits for your vocal fatigue, and learn practices to release habitual tension. You'll leave this day of the class with greater clarity about where you hold your personal tension. |
| ✪ CLASS 3 |
Wednesday April 17th, 12-1:30pm Eastern time > When to seek clinical support, how to find it, with guest instructor Melanie Tapson Melanie Tapson is Voice Body Connection's resident Speech Language Pathologist and a master translator of navigating the clinical voice world so you can find the care you truly need. Join for a crash course about how to find the right clinician, what to expect, and how to advocate to get the care you really need. |
| ✪ LAB |
Friday April 19th, 12-1:30pm Eastern Time > Spotlight coaching on breathing and tension patterns Share your questions and challenges around breath and muscle tension for direct feedback from Elissa. This session will include time for Q&A as well as coaching individuals in front of the group. |
| ✪ CLASS 4 |
Wednesday April 24th, 12-1:30pm Eastern time > Healthy speaking practices: Triage when things go wrong In today's class, we'll cover adjustments you can make in the moment when you become aware that your vocal tension patterns are inhibiting free and healthy speaking. |
| ✪ CLASS 5 |
Wednesday May 1st, 12-1:30pm Eastern > Tension release with and without vibration, with guest instructor David Ley David Ley is the founder of Vibrant Voice Technique, the practice of using vibrators for your voice. Since last teaching online David has completed a massage therapy certification and has many new ideas to share about when and how to use vibration on your tense muscles, and when to use other practices. |
| ✪ LAB |
Friday May 3rd, 12-1:30pm Eastern > Q&A and spotlight coaching with David Ley Ask David all the questions you've got, and receive personalized feedback if you'd like to share about your tension issues. |
| ✪ CLASS 6 |
Wednesday May 8th, 12-1:30pm Eastern > Healthy speaking practices: Preventing issues In this class, we'll talk about the ongoing lifestyle changes you can make and practices you can develop to support healthy speaking habits. |
| ✪ CLASS 7 |
Wednesday May 15th, 12-1:30pm Eastern > Improving resonance, tone, and articulation A huge part of having a healthy speaking voice is understanding how resonance and articulation work. Pay extra close attention today if you're curious about how to change the sound of your voice or enunciate more clearly... without over-efforting. |
| ✪ LAB |
Friday May 17th, 12-1:30pm Eastern > Q&A and spotlight coaching on vocal concerns Today is the opportunity to ask Elissa any of your remaining voice questions (if you can't make it to class live, you can submit a question to be answered). |
| ✪ CLASS 8 |
Wednesday May 22nd, 12-1:30pm Eastern >Nervous system reset: power and confidence anytime In our final session, we'll cover some information about how your nervous system works so that you can still access all the helpful things you've learned even when you're on the spot or feeling extra stressed. |
The investment for the eight week intensive is one payment of $599 USD, or four monthly payments of $159 USD.
BIPOC, artist, and economic scale discounts available.
FAQs
All classes will be recorded! It's ideal to attend the online sessions live if and when you can. But we know that it works best for many students to participate in class asynchronously. The course is designed to give you just as much value whether you are live in class, or watching the recording later. All class sessions will be uploaded to the course portal within 24 hours of the session, and you can also submit questions in the course portal to be answered in class.
Yes! We will never take the course materials away from you (unless the internet breaks, but that won't be on us! 😅). Class recordings will remain available in your Voice Body Connection library.
The content of this course is similar. However, we will covering things in a more succinct and condensed way. (We lovingly call this course 'Release Your Voice lite' behind the scenes.) In Release Your Voice, we go over every individual area of likely vocal tension in great depth. This intensive will cover vocal tension patterns in a broader fashion to help address healthy speaking habits.
(Existing Release Your Voice students are invited to participate in this intensive for no extra charge! Send an email [email protected] if this is you so we can get you registered.)
Yes. Full tuition for the intensive is $599 (pay in full) or four monthly payments of $159.
If you are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color) please use the coupon code BIPOC to receive 30% off your tuition.
If you are an artist and need financial support to make this program accessible, we offer a 25% discount for creatives. To qualify, please email [email protected] with the following information: Your name, where you reside, and a short (1-2 paragraph) statement about your creative practice and how you believe that this course will benefit you and your artistic development.
If you live in a so-called developing country and would like to join the course, we offer economic scale discounts that bring tuition to 4 payments of $29/month. To qualify, please email [email protected] with the following information: Your name, the country in which you reside, and a short (1-2 paragraph) statement about why you'd like to take this course and how you believe it will benefit you.
If you have experienced a sudden change of voice - either total voice loss or onset of hoarseness - then it is imperative that you make an appointment with an otolaryngologist (ENT). A good resource for finding a clinician near you in the United States is the Johns Hopkins database or the UIowa Voice Academy.
If you live outside the U.S., please search for a laryngologist in your local area.
If you are experiencing clinical voice issues, you must see a laryngologist and/or speech therapist (SLP) before enrolling in this course.
Important Disclaimer:
Please keep in mind that this course is being offered by a voice coach, not a clinician. This class is not meant to replace clinical treatment, nor is Elissa qualified to diagnose or advise on medical conditions. The course is offered for educational purposes only, and to share tools and techniques that may help you release vocal tension. There is no guarantee of results.
If you are concerned about whether you should participate in this course, you must consult your doctor.