Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) for Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) (3-week course)
Monday 3rd June 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Monday 10th June 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Monday 17th June 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
In this updated three-part course, you will learn how to detect symptoms of music performance anxiety (MPA) among your students/clients and whether those symptoms are problematic or not. You will also learn about Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), an evidence-based psychotherapy and coaching model that aims to promote mindfulness and acceptance of one’s MPA symptoms, while also enhancing performance skills by increasing actions consistent with a musician’s values.
ACT can be used in non-clinical settings by practitioners other than psychotherapists, and when applied non-clinically it is called Acceptance and Commitment Training or Coaching. Newer research suggests ACT coaching may be a promising intervention for treating MPA by singing teachers with no formal training or education in psychotherapy (Shaw, Juncos & Winter, 2020; Brussel, 2022; Kutsal, 2022; Mahony, Juncos & Winter, 2022; Paul, 2022; Ballard, 2023; Heasman-Cossins, 2023; Zenobi & Juncos, 2023). You will learn ACT techniques that are safe for use in non-clinical settings to help your students effectively manage their MPA.
Part 1: Defining and Detecting Problematic Levels of MPA
- MPA definition
- Detecting problematic levels of MPA using categories of MPA symptoms
- Understanding how problematic MPA develops and is maintained
Part 2: ACT Skills for Effectively Managing MPA & Increasing Artistic Presence
- Ethical issues in doing this work as a non-clinical ACT practitioner
- Mindfulness
- Acceptance
- Defusion
Part 3: ACT Skills for Taking MPA Less Personally & Enhancing Overall Performances
- Cultivating a More Flexible Sense of Self & Musician Identity
- Identifying One’s Performance or Practice Values
- Committed Action
Dr David Juncos
David Juncos, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, lecturer, performance coach, author, and music performance researcher based in Philadelphia, PA. He has 20 years of experience in treating a variety of clinical problems, including anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders.
Sorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Wednesday 14th October 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Thinking Outside the Voice Box: Adolescent Female Voice Change
Dr Bridget Sweet-Manternach
Join Dr Bridget Sweet for this 2 hour session as she unpacks this fascinating topic. The purpose of this course is to bring attention to adolescents who experience an estrogen-dominant voice change and to encourage new and holistic ways of thinking about [assigned at birth] female voices. While considering physical changes during adolescence, we will unpack basic vocal anatomy and physiology and then discuss what happens to the vocal mechanism during voice change for females vs. [assigned at birth] males.
Monday 19th October 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 20th October 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Introduction to Vocal Acoustics for Spoken and Sung Voice
Gökçe Kutsal
This course is designed to break down the fundamentals of acoustics for both spoken and sung voice in a beginner-friendly, accessible way — so you can easily understand and apply these concepts to your teaching or research.
Tuesday 20th October 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Practical Magic*: The Art & Science of Balancing Voices with SOVTs and VFEs
Melanie Tapson
Through live demonstrations, group practice, and peer coaching, you’ll learn how to teach SOVTs and VFEs with clarity and precision, integrate their principles to support vocal health, recovery, and stylistic flexibility and troubleshoot challenges and adapt exercises for individualized results.