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Patrick Watters's avatar

As we negotiate this Anthropocene and its decay, we need such advice.

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Krissy Delaney's avatar

As an individual with diagnosed OCD, which centers around distress in my somatic experience, I always appreciate attention being called to healing the nervous system. How many of our issues would be relieved with increased healing!

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the modern betsy's avatar

Fitzmaurice Voicework®️teachers investigate the autonomic nervous system as a tool to deepen one’s understanding of the breathing experience, and ultimately, the human voice. This practice is a powerful tool that every body needs to have in their toolbox!! Understanding why & where we hold tension in our body, so that we can let it go is essential. But, so is understanding how to create and use that same energy & tension to, safely and confidently, be in the world. Plus, FV is really active and fun. I’ve been practicing FV for many years, and I love the practicality of it! I love that it’s not asking me to slow down or speed up. It just allows and tunes me into being very present and powerful. Good stuff! Krista needs to interview Catherine Fitzmaurice, if only to listen to the healing sound of her speaking voice.

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Atmanjeet's avatar

I have done all manner of somatic work to strengthen/regulate the nervous system but none that focuses solely on the voice. I am curious about it now.

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the modern betsy's avatar

It is fascinating to look at the nervous system through the lens of voice work. I highly recommend Fitzmaurice Voicework®️ there isn’t any other somatic voice practice that compares because FV is comprehensive, research based, and holistic. It’s also delightful to do!

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Dana Lamm's avatar

Hi Betsy,

I’ve just spent an hour on the Fitzmaurice Voicework site. I’m quite interested and curious if you studied or were coached by a particular person.

Thanks for bringing this to my awareness!

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the modern betsy's avatar

Hi Dana,

I studied with Catherine Fitzmaurice, and many other master voice teachers, in the certification class of 2002. The website is great. I highly recommend reading some of the articles posted, as well as looking at the teacher’s bios. There is probably a FV teacher quite close to you who holds classes or has a private practice. I currently teach on Zoom, but I do recommend working with someone in person because it is such rewarding & fun work to do live. “Breathing is Meaning” is the sensibility I learned to embody from my experience of working with Catherine, Saul Kotzubei and other wonderful people who study & teach this life changing somatic practice!! We contain multitudes, so let’s use it all up! Let’s really use everything we’ve got to be present & heal & transform what doesn’t work into something that we love & feels good.

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Christine Ahh's avatar

As a singer and sound energy healer who's into the science of sound and voice work for vagal reset, I'm amazed to only just now learn about this (diving in)! I posted my favorite tools to soothe our nervous systems: Your Voice is Medicine

https://heartsquest.substack.com/p/your-voice-is-medicine-5-tools-to

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Tony Stern's avatar

Healing our minds bodies souls…

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Ruth's avatar

Is this Crista Tippet’s On Being?

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The freedom of curious Tully's avatar

Calming the amygdala long enough to bring our executive function online takes repetition & patience. With our vary levels of deep trauma, etched in our DNA, shifting the gears of our nervous systems automatic response, to sensory input, takes a lifestyle & choices, unfortunately society struggles to accept is required for healing. Thank you, important work.

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Lila Sterling's avatar

This is so so good. I’m an ardent devotee of the nervous system. I’ve been so blessed by so many guided body scans, the one linked in the article might be my all time favorite. I will keep this to use again and again and again. 🌹🌹🌹

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Farrah Nayka Ashline's avatar

Thank you for the body scan! #FarrahNaykaAshline

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Mo Issa's avatar

The part that grabs me is how the pandemic might still be affecting us even if we don't realize it. It makes sense - all that stress and uncertainty can take a toll on our bodies. Thanks for sharing this!

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Sylwen's avatar

I have 22 years of experience with this. It really does a number on one. Though it is not impossible to deal with it. Just very difficult on ones own. Though breath work sure helps. To be honest without doing a crazy amount of inner work the past three years, I really would not have been well. Though for me the covid days felt like another Tuesday.

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Prajna O'Hara's avatar

Beautiful to reorient to our inner life

Thank you

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subsomatic's avatar

Really appreciated this conversation again today. I love the idea of one's nervous system being "activated" rather than disregulated.

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