New Approaches to Overcoming Performance Anxiety and Building Resilience
Thursday 23rd November 2023, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
'Chairwork' represents a collection of experiential methods that use drama, movement and dialogue to bring about change. Central to Chairwork is the transformational power of action and the benefits of working with different ‘parts’ of self, including problematic subselves (e.g. critical or demanding parts) and vulnerable subselves (e.g. fearful or self-conscious parts).
Chairwork has been used within psychotherapy for over a century and has recently been incorporated into a growing number of coaching approaches. Research also supports the use of Chairwork: individuals who participate in these methods often describe them as deeply memorable, emotional and effective.
This experiential workshop will introduce you to the basic ideas or ‘pillars’ underlying Chairwork. Using a combination of didactic teaching, interactive exercises, practical examples and live demonstrations, we will demonstrate how Chairwork can be used to overcome different aspects of performance anxiety, including self-criticism and fear of negative evaluation. We will also explore how Chairwork can help students develop and nurture their own compassionate inner coach.
By the end of the workshop, you will feel confident experimenting with Chairwork in your practice and adapting it to different contexts, including ‘online’ settings.
Matthew Pugh
Matthew Pugh is a clinical psychologist, researcher, international trainer and Chairwork practitioner. He has worked in mental health settings for over 15 years...
Tobyn Bell
Tobyn Bell is a psychotherapist, researcher, lecturer and Chairwork practitioner. He has worked within mental health settings for over 15 years, including NHS and private organisations.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, 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.
Thursday 26th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 1st July 2025
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Page Stephens
There are evolving expectations for vocalists, who now need to perform in a variety of styles beyond traditional classical music. In this two-part course, Page Stephens argues that voice teachers should incorporate contemporary repertoire and techniques into their lessons to help singers grow in expressivity, flexibility, and economic opportunities. The course will cover industry trends, cultural pressures, and economic benefits of contemporary music, and provide tools for integrating new music into vocal education. Interviews with professionals will highlight the strengths and weaknesses observed in the field, and strategies for teaching new music will be discussed.
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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The identity politics of accent learning!
Jenru Wang
Jenru Wang has an MFA in Voice Studies with distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London - in this session, he will begin to explore the complexities accent coaches might face in their work, examining the intersection of language, identity, and cultural sensitivity. Participants will explore how to navigate challenging situations in different contexts and understand what to do—and avoid—when working with diverse clients and materials.
Thursday 3rd July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Vocal “Decathletes” – inside the hidden world of Session Singing!
Kim Chandler
What is a session singer? Officially it’s a freelance, short-term “singer for hire” brought in to be part of a live or recorded musical project. However, it’s more generally understood to be the “behind-the-scenes” singer who is regularly booked for paid recording work. The type of work (and pay) varies a lot. Session singing is a side of the music industry that is largely hidden from the public and isn’t easy to find out much about, even online. Join Kim Chandler as she unpicks this topic, based on 35 years of session singing!