Singing The Psyche--Uniting Thought and Feeling Through the Voice

Book excerpt: This book is about the use of vocal sound, melody, and rhythm to increase one’s sense of self and presence with others, and how to facilitate this process. We discover how the ten vocal principles and four non-vocal principles of Voice Movement Therapy work together, uniting in a single purpose: to facilitate a more embodied, flexible, durable, and versatile voice. Singing the Psyche: Uniting Thought and Feeling Through the Voice provides a basic understanding of Voice Movement Therapy and how it uses both spontaneous vocalization and the creation and performance of song, integrated with active body movement, to increase expressive and communicative skills. First-hand practitioner experiences offer a compelling and fascinating account of how our voices hold a core intelligence that can transform our lives from constriction to freedom and from trauma to compassionate understanding. Perfect for anyone dedicated to unlocking the therapeutic power of the voice, this book is an invaluable tool for therapists, counselors, singing teachers, speech and drama instructors, and speech-language pathologists. It's also a must-have for academic institutions offering creative arts therapies courses, music and drama conservatories, and parents and organizations supporting children with special needs and hidden disabilities. What people say - “As an artist and writer, I and my friends in many different disciplines are well acquainted with creative blocks both in art and in life. When a friend suggested that I may be interested in reviewing a book on Voice Movement Therapy, I said, “Well, OK,” expecting to read an informative, but unexciting tome. To my delight, this book clearly explains the basic principles of VMT in the first chapter, then presents five chapters of case studies by VMT practitioners who work with human situations worldwide read like stories. It is a great read and so interesting that I called a musician friend and read one of the stories aloud!” — Jo Walters, Visual Artist and Writer MA, MFA, University of California, Berkeley “This comprehensive volume will enhance therapists', educators’, caregivers’, and parents’ understanding of the intricacies of using our voices for expression and communication. Through practical guidelines woven together with current interdisciplinary practices, theory and research, Anne Brownell and colleagues creatively decode the language of vocal expression.” —Susan Loman, MA, NCC, KMP Profiler, former Director Dance Movement Therapy Program Dept. of Applied Psychology, Antioch New England Graduate School