Short Courses & Events / Archive

Introduction To Vocal Psychotherapy

Thursday 8th September 2022, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)

Vocal Psychotherapy is a new model of music psychotherapy which uses the breath, natural sounds, songs and vocal improvisation.

Vocal Psychotherapy takes place within a client therapist relationship and promotes intrapsychic and interpersonal growth and change.

I believe the voice is the primary instrument and the reasons for this belief will be discussed and illuminated.

This presentation will also describe the genesis of this model and include experiential games and exercises that will further clarify aspects of vocal psychotherapy.

Examples of vocal holding and free associative singing, two of the main methods of this model, will be played and discussed along with adaptations that are possible.

There will be time at the conclusion for Q&A.

Dr. Diane Austin

Dr. Diane Austin, LCATĀ is the Director of the Music Psychotherapy Center in NYC, NY, where she has maintained a private practice in music and vocal psychotherapy as well as analytically oriented psychotherapy for more than 40 years.

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.

Simultaneous Singing and Dancing in Musical Theatre: A Cross-Disciplinary Evidence Review
Tuesday 17th February 2026
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(London Time)

Simultaneous Singing and Dancing in Musical Theatre: A Cross-Disciplinary Evidence Review

Debbie Winter
Dr Claire Thomas

This short course invites participants to critically examine the latest cross-disciplinary evidence on the physical and vocal demands of musical theatre performance. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review conducted by Debbie Winter and Claire Thomas (Voice Study Centre, University of Essex), the course explores research from voice science, dance medicine, sports science, and performance pedagogy.

It’s not a virus! Reconceptualizing and De-pathologizing Music Performance Anxiety
Thursday 19th February 2026
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
(London Time)

It’s not a virus! Reconceptualizing and De-pathologizing Music Performance Anxiety

Rebecca Herman

Performance Anxiety is one of the most widespread and debilitating challenges facing musicians across all ages, nationalities and musical genres. Despite decades of research and the development of numerous interventions, we do not yet have an established way of supporting performers experiencing performance anxiety. Aimed at performers, teachers, researchers and students, this presentation will first summarise the current state of play in performance anxiety research, before exploring alternative ways to think about performance anxiety, drawing on new research outside of performance psychology...

Performing Pain: Vocal Health in Emotional Roles!
Thursday 19th February 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Thursday 26th February 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
(London Time)

Performing Pain: Vocal Health in Emotional Roles!

Louisa Morgan

How connected are acted emotions to our real-life emotions? Are they expressed differently? Do they feel different in the body? This 2-part course with Louisa Morgan looks at the potential impact of acted emotion on vocal health, why we should consider it as voice practitioners, and how to care for our performers needing to work with it.