Short Courses & Events / Archive

Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) for Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) (3-week course)

Monday 20th January 2025, 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
🏷️ Price £150 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available

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.

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The vocal folds need a high degree of humidity to be able to vibrate at their normal high frequency. Hydration makes the tissue more flexible and more turgid. The moisture of the tissue is one of the first factors that is lost when there is a pathology or when an unusual overload is suffered. Voice professionals often deal with stress, anxiety, fatigue, and changes of temperature and environment like the dryness of the performing spaces, due to factors like air conditioning or heating. All these factors affect the voice and can make the performer activity more difficult!