Voice and Presence

My unique combination of training, skills and experience can help you understand how you can make use of your own voice and the words of literature, liturgy, scripture and your own inspiration to communicate in the most effective way possible to groups, families and congregations.

And even if all you want is to have fun finding out how your voice, your body, can help you enjoy playing with language sounds, I can craft a workshop for you or your group.

My sessions will help you -

to understand how your voice works; to feel and work with its resonance, to develop its musculature, to deepen its breath, to improve its articulation.

to look at text carefully, exploring its precise meanings and constructions, identifying key actions and shapes, understanding its freshness and importance

to anticipate, plan, prepare, and open to the situation you are to hold, and to step into it in the confidence that as you have worked, so you will be held.

to find out how to enjoy the spoken word in a way you've never done before!!

Sessions can be one-to-one or for groups of up to 10, and can range from single, hour-long sessions to half- and full-day single or series of workshops.

Click on the buttons to find out more.

Voice is, for the most part, the key to good communication.

If you understand how your voice works, how you can look after it, prepare it, use it;

if you can appreciate and expand the range of pitch and pace and colour in your voice;

if you can sense your voice as the tool with which to reach out, touch, move, convince,

then you will be in the best position to make the most of your speaking.

Everything we use in the act of speech has a primary use which is fundamental to life: breathing, eating, moving.

And the most important organ of articulation is the heart:

if your heart is not engaged with the words you utter, even the best modulated voice will fail to convince.

Voice

Text

Whether the text you have to communicate is

liturgical – provided by an external authority for use in this situation;

scriptural – sacred, gifted words;

words written by inspired poets,

or the fruit of your own creation

it deserves the close attention which will ensure that you understand as fully as possible its meanings and its potential effect.

What is this text about? What is its activity – storytelling, instruction, description, exhortation, comfort? Who is speaking? What are the important words, the key ideas? What is its shape?

If we have not paid due attention, then we cannot expect those who hear us to do so.

Presence

From the moment you walk into the space at the front of a group or congregation, stand up within the circle of a worship group or assume a celebrancy role by a font or in a crematorium, it is your responsibility to hold that space for these people in this situation with sensitivity, compassion and strength.

It's your responsibility to make room for the Divine, to be the channel through which these people can hear and be touched by Grace.

The more evident you are, the less room there is for this essential communication.

And here’s the magical paradox:

the better you are at creating the space, constructing the activity, communicating the ideas, the less evident you will be.

If you are confident in your bearing, clear in your conduct, focused on the intention to communicate, skilful in your expression, then there is nothing to distract the people from your message, from the Divine’s reaching out for connection.

Workshops

Workshops are a new venture!!

The first prototype will run at the Silver Sky Festival at Gaveston Hall, Sussex, in July 2025

Come back to find out more