Breath-Focused One-to-One Singing Sessions as a Means of Developing Authentic Voice in Females With Anxiety: An Exploratory Multiple-Case Study Grounded In Aspects of Compassion Focused Therapy and Polyvagal Theory
January 1, 2024 Claire Turner
Anxiety can constrict breathing and voice, creating a cycle that affects psychological and emotional well-being. This study combined voice pedagogy, breathwork, compassion focused therapy, and polyvagal theory in one-to-one sessions with females who self-referred with anxiety. Over the sessions, participants experienced reduced breath- and voice-related physiological tensions, leading to greater ease, freedom, and flexibility in their voices. Their relationship with their voice also shifted toward compassion, joy, and curiosity. The findings suggest a need for further research and a deeper theoretical and practical understanding of breath's role for females with anxiety in voice pedagogy and singing for mental health.