The thriving singer's podcast - Shirley Tennyson on the most common vocal disorders in vocal performers. The mechanisms of the Passagio, the importance of posture in singing, the dos and don'ts of vocal hygiene and vocal conservation, and the importance of a healthy speaking voice.

Shirley Tennyson on the most common vocal disorders in vocal performers. The mechanisms of the Passagio, the importance of posture in singing, the dos and don'ts of vocal hygiene and vocal conservation, and the importance of a healthy speaking voice.

06/15/22 • 93 min

Shirley Tennyson, MA, EdM CCC-SLP, is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist with a particular interest and training in voice disorders. She graduated with Master's Degrees from Ohio University and Columbia University.

Her specialty is working with people who have voice disorders caused by such things as polyps, nodules, or cysts on the vocal folds, a paralyzed vocal fold, atrophied vocal folds, as well as voice problems resulting from neurological conditions, e.g., spasmodic dysphonia, Parkinson Disease, etc.

As a singer/actor herself, she particularly enjoys helping singers of all genres, actors, and performers resolve their vocal issues. Anyone who relies on his or her voice to earn a living is considered to be a professional voice user. This would include teachers, clergy, attorneys, salespeople, and receptionists just to name a few.

In our discussion today we talk about the most common vocal disorders in performers i.e nodules, polyps, vocal fold hemorrhage, and Edema, what they are, and how they form.

How problems with the singing voice can often be traced back to how you use your speaking voice. We discuss the mechanisms of the Passagio. We discuss why posture is so important to accessing your optimal sound, the dos and don’ts of vocal hygiene and vocal conservation, and last but not least breath.

Connect with Shirley Tennyson, MA, EdM CCC-SLP

Linkedin | email mentioned at the end of the interview

Links to resources mentioned:

https://www.essentricstv.com
Alexander Technique
Feldenkreis

In our discussion today we talk about the most common vocal disorders in performers i.e nodules, polyps, vocal fold hemorrhage, and Edema, what they are, and how they form.

Connect with Shirley Tennyson, MA, EdM CCC-SLP

Linkedin | email mentioned at the end of the interview

Links to resources mentioned:

https://www.essentricstv.com
Alexander Technique
Feldenkreis

Previous Episode

undefined - Dr. Benjamin Asher on how the psycho-emotional state of singers can keep them stuck, trauma, grief, fear, stage fright, self-sabotage, abusive teachers, and finding your true “Why”

Dr. Benjamin Asher on how the psycho-emotional state of singers can keep them stuck, trauma, grief, fear, stage fright, self-sabotage, abusive teachers, and finding your true “Why”

Today’s guest is Dr. Benjamin Asher a New York based, board-certified Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgeon.

In addition to being a highly- regarded conventional physician and exceptional diagnostician, he has been at the forefront of applying alternative methods to Ear, nose, and throat disorders since the beginning of his medical career over thirty years ago.

Dr. Asher’s conventional training includes the University of Iowa which is the preeminent Otolaryngology residency in America, where he was selected to serve as Chief Resident. Harvard Medical School, where he completed a fellowship in Pediatric ENT. He has served on the faculty of Harvard, Washington University, and Dartmouth medical schools.

His study of complementary healing modalities includes cranial osteopathy, hypnosis, myofascial therapy, the Feldenkrais Method, the Alexander Technique, and various energy medicine modalities. Dr. Asher works in cooperation with acupuncturists, chiropractors, and somatic healers as well as Ayurvedic, homeopathic, and naturopathic physicians.

Dr. Asher is credited as the physician who discovered that boosting Glutathione, a substance naturally produced by the body, had a profoundly positive impact on the voice and could often be used in place of steroids or vocal cord surgery.

His unique ability and steadfast desire to protect performers from the harsh, long-term side effects of conventional medical approaches have made him a valued team member for numerous theatrical, concert, film, and television performers. He has served as house physician for the New York City Opera and the New York City Ballet.

In our discussion today we talk about how western medicine is not all that great for treating chronic illness and how understanding people from the level of spirit and looking at the bigger picture is a foundation for how Dr.Asher works with people.

We talk about how psycho-emotional issues such as grief and trauma keep performers stuck. Self-sabotage, and the inability to move forward with one's career. We discuss wrongly diagnosed acid reflux and how antacids can have bad long-term health implications. How the process of singing and learning voice can be traumatizing because of abusive teachers and how fear and stage fright can develop because of it and why listening to your inner voice and knowing your “why” is crucial in the performing arts and so much more.

Connect with Dr. Benjamin Asher:

Facebook | Website

Links to resources mentioned:

“The undiscovered self” by Carl Jung
“The body keeps the score” by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
Immune boosting supplement: “Immunokinoko”
Dr. Gallands TLC: Black Cumin seed oil
Trauma Therapy: EMDR, Somatic Experiencing based on the work of Peter Levine, Hakomi

Next Episode

undefined - Ingela Onstad on how thoughts and emotions are not facts. Improving our self-talk. Breaking down overwhelming goals. Finding other ways to financially support ourselves and how our habits impact our performance and anxiety.

Ingela Onstad on how thoughts and emotions are not facts. Improving our self-talk. Breaking down overwhelming goals. Finding other ways to financially support ourselves and how our habits impact our performance and anxiety.

Ingela Onstad is a High-Performance Coach for performing artists and other professionals in the public eye, as well as a professional soprano, psychotherapist, and board-certified coach.

Her coaching business, Courageous Artistry, supports performing artists in their quest to perform at the top of their abilities. She helps performers address emotional wellbeing and mindset in order to help them take massive action towards creating or maintaining their dream careers.

She has thousands of hours of clinical experience as a therapist with a variety of ages and issues, but helping performers is her true passion.

Ms.Onstad has presented on the topic of performance anxiety at dozens of institutions across the United States and Canada.

In addition, Ms. Onstad is a soprano who has enjoyed a varied international career in opera, concert work, and contemporary music. Operatic highlights include performances throughout Germany, Canada, and the United States.

She continues to maintain an active performing career.

In our conversation today we talk about how to deal with our natural tendency to break into fight or flight mode. We talk about how thoughts and emotions are not facts and how we can better our self-talk and thought patterns so we don’t end up standing in our own way.

She guides us through breaking down big overwhelming goals, like getting an agent, into manageable steps. We talk about how we as singers are entrepreneurs and that we are essentially running a business with every single role that entails.

How there is no shame in finding alternative ways of supporting oneself while you build your career. And lastly how every single aspect of our lives contributes to our well-being or not, and how being vigilant about building good habits may help your anxiety.

Connect with Ingela Onstad, MM, MA, LMHC, BCC

Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Linkedin

Resources Mentioned: