Welcome to Your Free Voice Episode 51!

A couple of years ago I had the great pleasure of being approached by a young award winning documentary film maker called Colette Ghunim. She was recording voiceover for her latest film Traces of Home and was looking for some voice coaching. I helped her with that, but also we dove into the subject matter of her film,  and how to process generational trauma through shadow work, how to manage vocal stress during protest marches, and how to not lose your voice during a gruelling film circuit. 

She is one of the most courageous, generous, heart filled and joyful people I have ever had the privilege to get to know and I really hope you enjoy this interview. 

BIO

As a documentary filmmaker and nonprofit co-founder, Colette Ghunim’s soul purpose is to use the power of film and storytelling for those oppressed around the world to be seen, to be heard, and to heal. Her first documentary, The People’s Girls (2016), received over 2 million views and won Best Short Documentary at the Arab Film Festival for its bold spotlight on street harassment in Egypt. In co-production with Kartemquin Films and funded by Latino Public Broadcasting, she is directing Traces of Home, her first feature-length film documenting her inner quest to find home through unearthing her parent’s forced migrations from Mexico and Palestine. Colette is also the co-founder of Mezcla Media Collective, a nonprofit organization aimed to cultivate a thriving landscape for over 700 women and non-binary filmmakers of color in Chicago. Her work has been highlighted on international outlets such as Huffington Post, Al Jazeera, Univision, and TEDx. Colette was selected as a 2023 Obama Foundation USA Leader, 2024 Sundance Institute x ISF Fellow, and was featured on Arab America’s “30 Under 30” list.

When we recorded this interview it was only a few days after bombing resumed in Gaza. . I deleted the first 15 minutes of our conversation because it was too tender to share here, but we cried together and laughed together and then got back to the work of sharing stories together. As Colette so beautifully puts it in this episode our job is Radical Love …and also action. 

Thank you so much for listening!

Here is where to find Colette and how to support her storytelling mission.

www.tracesofhome.com

 www.coletteghunim.com

@cocos.sanctuary

 @tracesofhome

Here is how you can support her efforts to finish the film Traces of Home

please reach out to Colette if you have connections to film festivals or colleges or universities where she might be able to share the film and speak about the journey.

Finally, if you are interested in the visualization she did with me about finding your true self behind the wall, you can get that here. 

Please share this episode far and wide and help Colette bring her message of hope and healing to as many people as possible.

Hello,

Welcome to episode 50 of Your Free Voice!

I can hardly believe we're here, but we are. Thank you so much for listening ❤️

In this episode I wanted to revisit what it means to have a FREE Voice and I listened back to my first episode and thought, yeah, I'm gonna share that again. There's a chance you weren't here at the beginning or you didn't hear all the episodes anyway, and I think it clarifies my purpose somewhat so here you go. You might even get something new out of it listening again. I'd love to hear from you if you did. :)

Oh, and before I forget here's the link to my small coaching group for public speaking skills called From Stage Fright to Spotlight. It's a very small group with limited places available so jump in if you're interested.  From Stage Fright to Spotlight. 

Episode 50

In this episode, we're going to consider the notion of what IS a FREE voice?

It has all kinds of connotations from the metaphorical to the literal, and we can look at it in terms of the mechanics of the voice, and we can look at it in terms of how much we feel able to speak our truth.

“Physical awareness and relaxation are the first steps in the work to be done on the voice. The mind and body must learn to cooperate in activating and releasing inner impulses and dissolving physical inhibitions. Actors must develop bodies that are sensitive and integrated rather than super controlled and muscular. They must educate the voice into the union of self and body. The voice communicates the inner world of the psyche to the outer world of attentive listeners, both on the stage and in life."

Kristin Linklater - Freeing the Natural Voice

In order to have a fully 'free' voice, and by that I'm going to say, a voice that is unencumbered by physical tension, doesn't fatigue easily, recovers quickly from hard effort... to have a 'free' voice you need to take into account the spiritual, the psychological and the physical.

So in this podcast, I'm going attempt to bring those different approches together.

I'm going to invite some super people on, to talk more about areas of vocal expression that they're passionate about, and give you lots of actionable steps to try along the way, from meditations to journalling prompts, vocal exercises and re-imagining of old stories.  I'm so glad you're here with me. 

 

Episode One: Journaling Prompts

1. How do you feel about speaking up or singing in public?

2. How easy is it for you to 'color outside of the lines' when you use your voice?

3. How does your voice feel after extended use? 

4. If you could do anything with your voice, what would it be?

5. What do you think is stopping you from doing that right now?

 

Also, if you're interested here is the link to the IAVMT

In this episode I’m talking with actor and voice coach Sarah Weatherwax about her journey as a Linklater teacher. It’s hard to move in the realm of voice work without coming across the legacy of Kristin Linklater’s work. I know it was threaded quite purposefully through my training as a Voice Movement Therapist.

Kristin’s  influence as an actor and a voice coach can’t be underestimated and I recommend everyone who is interested in the foundations of vocal freedom, gets themselves a copy of her book Freeing the Natural Voice.  Although she passed away in 2020, her legacy continues through a global network of designated voice teachers, like my very special guest today.

Freeing the Natural Voice by Kristin Linklater

and all Sarah's links can be found here https://linktr.ee/sarahweatherwax

Also in you are in the Toronto area...

 📆 please be sure to check out Sarah's upcoming in person intensive workshop in Toronto from May 20 to Fri. May 23, 10am to 5pm, in downtown Toronto. 

🎤 If you would like to join me for my upcoming online class on freeing your singing voice, all those details can be found here Permission to Sing - combining Shadow Work, Voice Movement Therapy and practical voice technique to set your voice free!

 

Did you know that 75% of the population rate public speaking more scary than death, spiders and heights! So if you get a little anxious when the time comes to speak up in a meeting or pitch to a new client (or be interviewed on a podcast), you are NOT alone!

In this episode I'm talking about my experience of performance anxiety and how I help other artists, entrepreneurs and leaders transform the stories running in their unconscious minds, so that they can step onto the stage and shine. 

If you're interested in grabbing a spot in my new public speaking class you can find out more and snag yourself a seat here, a word to the wise this is going up by a chunk next round so join us now if you want the discounted rate 

www.yourfreevoice.com/speaking

 

I loved chatting with my lovely friend and colleague Daisy Tennant from beautiful Florence Italy last week.  We talked about all things Alexander Technique ❤️ I first came across Alexander Technique when I was working in a natural health center in North London. I loved the focus and the expansion I felt in my ribs, soon after I got another dose during my Voice Movement Therapy training, and have been using tiny, but powerful, fragments with singers ever since. 

Daisy however has been practicing and teaching the Alexander Technique for over 20 years. She first came across it while studying theatre at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Daisy is also a working voice actor and specializes in teaching AT to fellow voice actors.

You can find out more about Daisy and sign up for her workshops below. 👇 

Thank you for listening. Please subscribe and if you can write a review for this podcast so that it can be found by other voice users. 

To be added to my mailing list to be the first to hear about in person workshops and online training sign up here.  ❤️

Daisy Tennant VO website: www.daisytennant.com

Alexander Technique website: www.goldenmeanstudios.com

Next Intro to AT Course on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intro-to-alexander-technique-tickets-1144569400889?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

When was the last time something slipped out of your mouth before you knew what on earth was happening and you didn't even know where it came from?

In this episode I'm talking about dealing with the shame of these outbursts or slips and offering that instead they might be offering the treasure of self knowing. 

In Jungian psychology slips or outbursts are often seen as opportunities for growth. By examining what they reveal about our unconscious, we can integrate disowned parts of ourselves and move closer to individuation—the process of becoming whole.

There's a lot of muscular armoring around the voice that comes from the school of "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." So exploring the unconscious material or shadow, with an experienced guide can open your voice and self expression in ways you simply might not have expected. 

Practice: think of a recent incident when you really wished you could have walked those words back into your mouth before you said them. Were you feeling defensive, insecure, protective? What was underneath the impulse that might be calling for your attention? 

 "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." — Carl Jung

Don't forget to subscribe and share if you enjoyed this episode. :)

In this episode I'm pondering ...maybe goal setting is just annoying?

But seriously, why aren’t we achieving our goals?

Some of my thoughts include:

1. Because they were unrealistic in size or amount of time given to them.

2. Because we didn’t really want them enough, or because they were 'shoulds' instead of things we really wanted.

3. Because our unconscious conditioning said "hell no!".

4. Because we picked too many things ...  and none of them brought us joy! 

5. Because we’re framing our goals by telling ourselves off - “don’t eat so many sweets” is different from "eat more healthy foods".

6. Because we aren’t checking in on them every single day ...writing them down, singing them, and breaking them down into smaller achievable tasks. 

“Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.” James Clear Atomic Habits

1. Decide. Decide it’s going to happen. Schedule time every single day to get you closer. 

Share your fabulousness with the world, your joy, your goodness, your jokes, we need it. ❤️

If you enjoy this podcast please subscribe and share it with your friends. You can also stay in touch with all my happenings by joining my newsletter community, I never share my list and you can unsubscribe any time you like.  Just click here to sign up. 

https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/786581/113567292814525624/share

 

In this short episode, I share what the Winter Solstice means to me and invite you to try my reflection and dreaming practice.

I do love this time of year and it's so important for us to take time for ourselves to reflect and dream, to feel the sorrow or loss, but also to find joy in the darkness.

If you would like to develop a stronger connection to your voice next year, make sure you're on my mailing list to be the first to know about my workshops and private coaching offers.

Here's the link to sign up.

Thank you for listening!

Have a wonderful festive season and I'll be back in the New Year!

Julia xox

 

 

This episode is about Gratitude practices that I enjoy, and thought you might too.    Robin Wall Kimmerer's 'Gratitude Inventory' inspired by our connection to nature.  • Step outside • Take in your surroundings • Send gratitude to a few things you see or smell or hear. • Remember how connected you are to this abundance in nature and send some gratitude back to yourself.    Here's her book Braiding Sweetgrass - indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants.   Here's the Wall visualization   Start by finding a quiet place to relax with your eyes closed for about 10 minutes, take a journaland something to write with, then listen to the guided visualization  Aftwards, journal about what happened and then write a list of everything you had accomplished on the other side of the wall …   Strong voice, loose body, successful narration career whatever it was…   Then every single day for the rest of the year write these gratitude’s as if they had already happened in your journal or notebook before you start your day like…   “I’m so grateful for my strong flexible voice” “I’m so grateful for booking 5 Voice Over jobs this month” “I’m so grateful to  be able to connect authentically to my audience and my family/community etc”   Then you walk around reading or singing these gratitudes out loud once through every single day!   Oh and finally the Cranberry Curd Tart recipe from NYT Cooking  Here it is  in case that link stops working, it really does look like that!

• Cranberry Curd Tart from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

• For the Hazelnut Crust

• 1¼cups/180 grams raw hazelnuts

• 1cup/125 grams rice flour

• ¼teaspoon salt

• ½cup/112 grams sugar

• 6tablespoons/100 grams softened butter, more as necessary

• For the Cranberry Curd

• 12ounces/340 grams cranberries

• 1cup/225 grams sugar

• Peel (orange part only) and juice of 1 orange (about ½ cup)

• 4ounces/113 grams softened butter (1 stick)

• 2eggs plus 2 egg yolks

• Step 1

• Make the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until skins darken and crack. Put roasted nuts in a clean towel and rub off skins. Discard skins and let nuts cool.

• Step 2

• In a food processor, grind nuts with half the rice flour until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining rice flour and salt and pulse briefly.

• Step 3

• Cream sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until pale and thick. Add nut mixture and combine until dough comes together. If it seems crumbly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons softened butter or a little cold water.

• Step 4

• Press dough evenly into a 10-inch tart pan; use half the dough for the sides and half for the bottom. Prick bottom with a fork and freeze for 30 minutes (or several days if desired).

• Step 5

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake chilled tart shell about 15 minutes until lightly brown. Cool.

• Step 6

• While the crust bakes and cools, make the cranberry curd: Put cranberries, sugar and orange juice and peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food mill or medium mesh sieve and press cooking liquid and solids into a bowl. (Alternatively, for the most vibrant color, purée the cooked cranberry and orange mixture with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Press through a fine-mesh sieve.) Whisk the butter into the warm liquid.

• Step 7

• Put eggs and egg yolks into a bowl and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together. Wipe out pot if necessary, return liquid to pot and cook over low heat until nearly bubbling and thickened, about 10 minutes. If using immediately, let cool to room temperature. If working ahead, cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap (press wrap against curd) and refrigerate. (Curd may be cooked up to 1 day ahead.)

• Step 8

• Pour cooled cranberry curd into the cooled prebaked tart shell and smooth top with a spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to set curd. Cool on a rack. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

In this conversation with my friend and colleague Chris MacLean, we talk about her life and career as a singer/songwriter, community choir leader, retreat host, circle singer and so much more. We talk about the logistics of running a choir, fear of death, how to make a living and how we both believe it is everyone’s birthright to sing.

Here is how you can find out more about Chris, her recordings, retreats, performances  and her choir. Chris MacLean

Here is how you can find out about Circle Singing.

Here is how you can find out more about the end of life singing know as Threshold Choirs

And here's the link for my final in person event of the year!

Click here for the messy transcript