Short Courses & Events / Archive

Introduction to gender-affirming voice coaching

Tuesday 21st January 2025, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM (London Time)

This introductory short course is aimed at those who work in voice coaching and/or therapy who wish to develop some basic knowledge and skills in working with trans and gender-diverse people to support voice and communication exploration. The course outline has been co-created with an expert by experience and it is anticipated that there will be a short contribution during the session. We will begin with the cultural context and how vocal coaches, voice teachers and voice and communication therapists can build a gender-affirming practice.

We will explore broader aspects of vocal identity and expression before considering:

  • The vocal parameters within power, source and filter, for example pitch, resonance, vocal weight, including a brief look at apps and measuring pitch.
  • The principles of gender-affirming voice exploration, for example motor learning, contrastive practice, hierarchy and feedback, play.

The course will offer a blend of theoretical discussion and practical demonstration and participation, encouraging participants to explore their own voices within the context of gender, identity and behaviour change.

Finally, we will broaden out again to explore transferring vocal behaviours into social interactions, and the challenge of sustaining change in more complex communication settings, such as the telephone and assertive skills. We will include the value of both individual and group work, and using improv and role-playing methodology.

We will look at some recommended resources including online sites.

 

Suggested course pre-reading: 

Jackson Hearns L. 2018 One Weird Trick: A User's Guide to Transgender Voice. The Voice Lab Inc.

Mills M. & Pert S. 2024 Working with Trans Voice: A Guide to Support and Inspire New, Developing and Established Practitioners. Routledge.

Mills M. & Stoneham G. 2021. Voice and Communication Therapy for trans and Non-Binary People: Sharing the Clinical Space. Jessica Kingsley. 

Mills M. & Stoneham G. 2017 The Voice Book for Trans & Non Binary People. Jessica Kingsley.

 

🏷️ Price £30 (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

Gillie Stoneham

Gillie has many years experience as a lecturer and specialist practitioner in voice & communication and counselling skills. She began practicing in the field of gender affirming voice and communication in 2006 and established a voice service at the West of England Gender Identity Clinic in 2021 as Consultant SLT.

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Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.

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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.

Certificate in Acting Approaches for Singing Teachers
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1:00 PM - 12:00 PM
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Tuesday 2nd September 2025
1:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Tuesday 9th September 2025
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Tuesday 16th September 2025
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Tuesday 23rd September 2025
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(London Time)

Certificate in Acting Approaches for Singing Teachers

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Are you a singing teacher looking to elevate your students’ performances? Join our very own Louisa Morgan, as she takes a deeper dive into acting approaches that singing teachers can use to integrate powerful acting techniques into singing lessons. This 8 session course is perfect for those who want to help their singers connect deeply with the story behind the song. Gain practical tools and techniques that you can immediately apply in your teaching! Come along live for an interactive experience, or watch on playback at your leisure.

The Cannabis Question: What Voice Practitioners Need to Know!
Thursday 18th September 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)

The Cannabis Question: What Voice Practitioners Need to Know!

Dr Dann Mitton

As cannabis use has become more common, socially accepted, and legalized, voice professionals are increasingly fielding questions about its effects. This two-hour session with Dr Dann Mitton offers a clear, research-informed overview of what we currently know about cannabis and the singing voice. The session is built around real-world questions voice teachers and singers are asking: Does smoking cannabis dry out the vocal folds? Is vaping safer than smoking? What should I know if my student uses cannabis for anxiety or pain? Could some voice types be more at risk than others?

How to Put the Perceptible Breath at a Singer's Disposal
Tuesday 23rd September 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)

How to Put the Perceptible Breath at a Singer's Disposal

Tanya Aspelmeier

Join the renowned Tanya Aspelmeier in this breath-related workshop specifically designed for the singer and singing teachers. Participants will learn exercises based on Professor Ilse Middendorf's therapeutic breathing method "The Perceptible Breath". This somatic discipline trains a person’s skills of perception to learn about their individual breath, body and nervous system and how they can regulate it by harnessing their own mental powers.