Abstract
This ambitious book sets out a highly methodical approach to address a complex challenge: to ‘create and put into place an individual plan to make your voice your best therapeutic instrument’ (p. 51). It is written in an accessible, conversational style, inviting the reader to embark ‘on a very personal journey of exploration and discovery’ (p. vii) – the reader is expected to be poised and ready for action.
The introduction sets out the author’s key areas of enquiry and in just two pages touches on the multifaceted ways that a music therapist’s vocal awareness can impact their work – the intrinsic connection between the voice and the self, how this manifests itself in the therapist and client relationship, and the important role that self-exploration has on the capacity of a therapist to meet the needs of the client. It is clear early on that the authors feel passionately about supporting the therapist to find their authentic voice and use it as ‘a valuable tool in which the client can find assurances of trust, empathy and hope’ (p. viii). This is in keeping with my own approach (Warnock, 2011, 2019) and others’ including Sylka Uhlig (2006) and Diane Austin (2008) and is currently a fast-growing area of interest in the music therapy profession. I was therefore intrigued to see how the authors would approach these concepts through a practice-based manual.
The 15 chapters that follow are preceded by a down-to-earth yet dynamic description of how they would like the reader to approach the challenge: ‘just as with (spaghetti) sauce, you can work to make (your voice) more flavourful, richer and more satisfying’ (p. ix). Further visual imagery is offered to support the tasks to ‘Examine It’, ‘Explore It’ and ‘Experience It’, set at the end of each subsection.
The first chapter lays out a brief history of voice work practices in music therapy since 1965 – an interesting summary which describes how knowledge of the psychological impact of voice work in music therapy has evolved, and the consequent clinical techniques. In chapters 2–14, the authors dissect the vocal instrument with microscopic precision, analysing every aspect of the voice, from the essentials of vocal health to voice perception and the use of timbre, texture, pitch, tempo and dynamics, to name a few, and suggesting ways you can explore them for yourself. This is thus a unique consolidation of information about the voice relevant to music therapists, which is further enhanced by brief clinical examples to demonstrate to the reader how they relate to clinical practice. In chapter 15, ‘The clinical voice in action’, more detailed case vignettes bring the ideas from the book to life further and help to make the vastness of the challenge feel more digestible. In addition, there is a useful glossary of vocal terms and some pre-composed songs written or adapted by Elizabeth Schwartz to support some of the set tasks.
The more I read this book, the more I appreciated the level of detail and admired the authors’ vision to transform music therapists’ vocal awareness and hence vocal practice through this comprehensive toolkit. However, I felt there was one ingredient in ‘the sauce’ that has not been mentioned – the importance of other people to the process. The deep levels of transformation they are aspiring to for the reader felt potentially out of reach without the support and feedback of peers and more experienced clinicians. Over the past 25 years of giving close attention to my own voice, as a singer, music therapist and most recently training as a vocal psychotherapist, the most impactful and lasting changes have come about through others witnessing and sharing my process. So, I would suggest that to gain the maximum benefit from this book and have the best chance of maintaining the motivation needed to meet the challenge would involve sharing the experience with other music therapists who wish to follow the same journey.
To conclude, Schwartz, Boyle and Engen have encapsulated the wealth of their collective knowledge and experience in this book in a uniquely practical way, and I very much welcome it as a valuable resource for music therapists at any stage in their career as there is always more to learn about voice work.
