Vocal Freedom Episode 21 -Paul John McKenna

My guest this week is Paul John McKenna.  With a background as a performing singer/guitarist and a deep interest in therapeutic interventions and performance coaching, Paul trained as a Speech & Language Therapist (SLT) in his early 20s, later specialising as a Voice Therapist working with both speakers and singers with complex voice disorders. Paul’s specialist voice work within the NHS has led to him co-leading one of the UK’s most established endoscopic voice assessment clinics for professional voice users at Wythenshawe Hospital in South Manchester.

Alongside his specialist voice rehabilitation work, Paul has spent nearly 15 years training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Hypnotherapy and is a certified Personal Development Coach and Master Practitioner of NLP, Hypnotherapy and Time Line Therapy.   I really wanted to speak with Paul about this and how he uses his special skills to helps others overcome their voice problems.   

Read full bio here

Quotes from this episode:

(Paul, on caring for the voice)

“Stretch and release…optimal hydration…warm up before singing…cool down after singing…manage your vocal load, don’t sing all day every day, give the muscles a rest you know, manage your reflux, if you’ve got reflux, that’s a real one you know, for the touring and gigging musicians especially, reflux is a real enemy for the voice if its not managed.” 

(Paul, on reframing anxious feelings)

“You’re not anxiety, you are just as much confidence as you are anxiety, it's just what you’re feeling in that moment”

Paul can be contacted for private sessions via his website http://thevocaltherapist.com

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Enjoy listening!