Certificate in Gender-Affirming Voice & Communication Coaching with Gillie Stoneham
Join Gillie for a deep dive into coaching transgender voices, drawing on her specialist knowledge to deliver introductory and orientation material right through to professional competence and vocal coaching implications – and everything in between.
Winter Immersive
Wednesday's 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st January, 7th and 14th February 2024
5-7pm London Time
- Fully online
- Live classes led by Consultant in Gender Affirming Voice and Communication, Gillie Stoneham
- Accredited by The Institute of Training and Occupational Learning (ITOL)
- Upon completion of the course, you will receive an official ITOL-accredited certificate, a badge for your website/social media and a profile on our student page
Overview
Welcome to Voice Study Centre’s Voice Professional Certificate programme. We will be offering a series of micro-credentials to develop learning, teaching and boost your CV. This is one of them!
Tutor: Gillie Stoneham
Gillie Stoneham has over 20 years’ experience in voice and communication, including as a Senior Lecturer at Plymouth Marjon University and an Advanced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at the Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) in London. She has specialised in trans and non-binary voice and communication since 2006; this includes co-authoring two books that have the voices of trans and non-binary people at their heart – The Voice Book for Trans & Non Binary People (2017) and Voice & Communication Therapy with Trans & Non Binary People (2021).
In 2021, she established a voice service at the West of England Gender Identity Clinic and she has now works within her independent practice.
Gillie has published a variety of journal articles and presented at conferences and symposia both nationally and internationally. These include the European Professionals Association for Transgender Health and as a member of the British Association for Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS). Her research interests include applying improvisation and singing in trans and non-binary group work, and trans-masculine voice therapy.
Outside of her gender affirming voice specialism, Gillie has (since 2002) been a director of ActorFactor Ltd, a company specialising in using bespoke theatre and improv techniques for exploring voice and communication skills within personal impact development, and also operates a small voice coaching practice. With a unique skill set as a coach, a speech and language therapist (SLT) and an actor facilitator, Gillie provides specialist voice and dialect coaching in both corporate and clinical contexts.
Join Gillie for a deep dive into coaching transgender voices, drawing on her specialist knowledge to deliver introductory and orientation material right through to professional competence and vocal coaching implications – and everything in between.
This six-part ‘Gillie Stoneham Certificate in Coaching Transgender Voices’ runs on Wednesdays (5-7pm London time) from 10th January – 14th February 2024 and offers a great way to develop your learning and boost your CV with an ITOL-accredited certificate.
This course is fully accredited by The Institute of Training and Occupational Learning (ITOL).
Upon completion of the course you will receive an official ITOL branded certificate to confirm your accreditation.
Wednesday's 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st January, 7th and 14th February 2024
Class Times: 5-7pm London Time
Syllabus
Session 1
Gillie Stoneham will be joined by a guest tutor with lived experience
Introduction and orientation to working with gender affirming voice:
Setting up the learning environment.
Competence & confidence.
Collaborative practice, and what this means.
Professional boundaries: vocal coaching and voice therapy.
Cultural context:
Humility and sensitivity; cultural change; trans joy, dysphoria and euphoria.
The trans community.
Social role change and broad aspects of transition process including legal aspects.
The gender construct and terminology.
The self and unconscious bias: cisheteronormativity and allyship.
Reflective activity:
Inclusion and exclusion, responding to others.
Experiential Voice Workshop I:
Vocal profile and voice change, voice & identity - authenticity and the vocal journey.
Embodying the voice and what this means.
Singing versus speaking range.
Portfolio guidelines
Reading for session 2: Vincent B. 2020 Non Binary Genders: Navigating Communities, Identities and Healthcare.
Session 2
Gillie Stoneham will be joined by a guest MDT professional
Transgender health:
HRT, surgeries, mental health and risk factors.
ICD and DCM classifications.
WPATH Standards of Care.
Services and pathways available.
Anatomical & physiological considerations
Vocal parameters: power, source, filter; parameters of own voice - resting pitch, modal pitch, singing versus speaking range.
Pitch surgeries, and what that involves.
Risks for vocal exploration e.g. hyper function.
Principles of practice:
Play, repetition, motor learning theory, contrastive practice, hierarchy, and feedback.
The Second Train - film
Experiential Voice Workshop II:
Vocal parameters: power, source, filter; parameters of own voice - resting pitch, modal pitch, & resonance.
Voice in lived experience & social contexts.
Reading for session 3: Jackson Hearns L. 2018 One Weird Trick: A User's Guide to Transgender Voice. The Voice Lab Inc.
Session 3
Intonation & expression:
Code switching and what that means.
Imposter syndrome.
Self-perception questionnaires.
Experiential Voice Workshop II:
Objective and subjective measurement including the use of apps.
Recording voice for playback.
Visual feedback systems, and what these are.
Session 4
Social communication:
Non-verbal communication.
Social dynamics, voice groups and improvisation.
Cognitive load, and what this means.
Telephone / communicating online.
Experiential Voice Workshop III:
The singing voice, including voice onset and qualities.
Improvisation and code switching in social communications.
Creative arts and voice.
Assertive voice, the risks, being seen & heard.
Reading for session 5: articles on neurodiveristy and trans voice; Mills M. & Stoneham G. 2021. Voice and Communication Therapy for trans and Non-Binary People: Sharing the Clinical Space. Jessica Kingsley
Session 5
Gillie Stoneham will be joined by a guest tutor with lived experience
Intersectionality & Inclusivity
Working with differences - neurodiversity, hearing impairment; mental health, ageing voice.
Community and vocal journeying.
Experiential Voice Workshop IV:
Improvisation and vocal contexts.
Projection and twang
Reading for Session 5: Rodenburg P. Presence; watch Amy Cuddy Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges
Session 6
Professional competence and competence:
Bringing it all together!
Vocal coaching: implications for the singing voice.
Portfolio guidelines - reminders.
Experiential Voice Workshop IV:
Presenting, public speaking & performance.
Feedback mechanisms.
Wisdom chair / Q&A
Resources and further learning
Affirmations
Feedback
Assessment
Assessment:
Your assessment will consist of a Case Study and Reflection.
Please note you do not need to have an existing coaching practice at the time of attending the certificate.
Course Details
Where will the course take place?
Online
What time will the course take place?
The course will run over a six-week period, and you can attend it in real-time or watch it on catch-up.
Course Dates: Wednesday's 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st January, 7th and 14th February 2024
Class Times: 5-7pm London Time
Cost: £895
Class Instructor: Gillie Stoneham
Please note that to ensure participants experience this course to its full potential, we will limit the class size to 20.