WhAT IS Mindfulness?

According to mindfulness pioneer Jon Kabat-Zinn, “Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”

But what does this look like from a practical perspective? Mindfulness is a skill learned through practice. It can take the form of:
• formal practice: meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong
• informal practice: bringing mindful awareness to everyday activities, pacing and tracking

Mindfulness practices focus on awareness of breath, body, thought, and emotion. Over time, it helps builds somatic awareness (awareness of the body).

Why Mindfulness for Voice?

Based on our clinical expertise, personal experience, and original research, we believe that mindfulness can help facilitate vocal change and healing. The somatic awareness that mindfulness encourages is essential for creating vocal change.

Catherine’s research, published in Journal of Voice as “Effects of an 8-Week Mindfulness Course in People With Voice Disorders,” indicates that an 8-week mindfulness course shows promise for reducing stress in people with voice disorders, lowering voice handicap, and improving quality of life.

For information how mindfulness can benefit singers, read Catherine’s article in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Inter Nos newsletter entitled, “How Mindfulness Can Help Us Process Vocal Setbacks and Regain Agency in the Face of Change.”