Recent Posts

The Necessity of Neurodiverse Celebrities

How the cast of "As We See It" showed my autistic son that celebrities (and role models) can be on the spectrum.

How the cast of "As We See It" showed my autistic son that celebrities (and role models) can be on the spectrum.

The Sound of the Speed of Anxiety

A personal perspective: Technology has stolen our time and confidence, leaving us with anxiety. By extending patience and kindness, we can help one another find our voice.

A personal perspective: Technology has stolen our time and confidence, leaving us with anxiety. By extending patience and kindness, we can help one another find our voice.

How to Negotiate Stress-Free

For many, negotiating is a fearful process. With this new method, it may not have to be.

For many, negotiating is a fearful process. With this new method, it may not have to be.

How to Reduce Social Anxiety

Some practical self-help ideas to lower stress in social situations.

Some practical self-help ideas to lower stress in social situations.

The Truth About Creative Expression

When we are present and attend to life with wonder, awe, curiosity, and humility, there is nothing that is not a creative act.

When we are present and attend to life with wonder, awe, curiosity, and humility, there is nothing that is not a creative act.

When You Need to Memorize Something

An approach that works and even can be fun ... well, kind of fun.

An approach that works and even can be fun ... well, kind of fun.

Welcoming Anxiety

Resistance not only makes our performance anxiety worse; it blocks our creativity, pleasure, and connection with others.

Resistance not only makes our performance anxiety worse; it blocks our creativity, pleasure, and connection with others.

Cultivating Mindfulness of Attachment to Praise

Is attachment to approval and fame interfering with your creative or performing artistry?

Is attachment to approval and fame interfering with your creative or performing artistry?

Creative Monogamy

Protect your creative process from outsiders, including the one in your head.

Protect your creative process from outsiders, including the one in your head.

Dealing With an Injury

Learning to navigate injuries with grace, patience, and tenderness toward ourselves is an important lesson. As well as critical to our healing.

Learning to navigate injuries with grace, patience, and tenderness toward ourselves is an important lesson. As well as critical to our healing.

Doppelganger-Based Training: “Fake It Till You Make It” 2.0

New research suggests that virtual reality-based "doppelganger avatars" that physically resemble an individual can help some people improve their public speaking.

New research suggests that virtual reality-based "doppelganger avatars" that physically resemble an individual can help some people improve their public speaking.

You Are Your Own Best Teacher

You are your best teacher. Others may have incredible amounts of knowledge to offer you — but it doesn’t become wisdom until you make it your own.

You are your best teacher. Others may have incredible amounts of knowledge to offer you — but it doesn’t become wisdom until you make it your own.

Singing, Auditioning, and Performance Anxiety

My recent conversation with the founder of Casting Depot about a career in the singing world, including the psychology of persistence and success.

My recent conversation with the founder of Casting Depot about a career in the singing world, including the psychology of persistence and success.

How to Heal From Painful Memories

What if the memory is a bad one and we want to heal? Fear, for example, is hard to forget, and dredging it up may change it in ways that make it more intense.

What if the memory is a bad one and we want to heal? Fear, for example, is hard to forget, and dredging it up may change it in ways that make it more intense.

Preferences and Pressure in Learning

We teachers hold our student’s hearts—and often their futures—in our hands.

We teachers hold our student’s hearts—and often their futures—in our hands.

Bad Days Are Excellent Days to Practice

What is it that you want badly enough that you’re willing to step up to the challenge?

What is it that you want badly enough that you’re willing to step up to the challenge?

Gust of Screen Fright? Make Online Speaking a Virtual Breeze

Let’s address some of the most common fears about virtual public speaking.

Let’s address some of the most common fears about virtual public speaking.

Social and Performance Anxiety in Children of Narcissists

Overthink social dynamics? Hate being evaluated or put on the spot? Here's why.

Overthink social dynamics? Hate being evaluated or put on the spot? Here's why.

Dear Anxiety, Please Drench My Armpits

We need to employ this absurd approach with Anxiety: to tell it what it doesn’t expect to hear. Ask for more worries, more symptoms, more discomfort… and we want it now!

We need to employ this absurd approach with Anxiety: to tell it what it doesn’t expect to hear. Ask for more worries, more symptoms, more discomfort… and we want it now!

Mental Blocks, Cognitive Techniques and Reward Theory

What fears and issues do performers deal with and what techniques are used to overcome them?

What fears and issues do performers deal with and what techniques are used to overcome them?

Brandi Carlile and Creative Authenticity

No more bending and breaking to fit the mold of what culture and others deem "in," beautiful, and marketable. It’s time to sing—and be—whatever and however we feel and please.

No more bending and breaking to fit the mold of what culture and others deem "in," beautiful, and marketable. It’s time to sing—and be—whatever and however we feel and please.

Wrestling With Anxiety in the Canadian Rockies

Speak directly to your obsessions with a simple, paradoxical message. Whenever you can engage the symptom without fearing it or fighting it, you have the best chance of beating it.

Speak directly to your obsessions with a simple, paradoxical message. Whenever you can engage the symptom without fearing it or fighting it, you have the best chance of beating it.

Getting Happier With Your Virtual Meetings

Tips on making them more successful and even pleasurable..

Tips on making them more successful and even pleasurable..

The Essence of Motivation

What's really behind our listlessness, procrastination, and anxiety?

What's really behind our listlessness, procrastination, and anxiety?

Five Essentials to Help You Speak With More Confidence

Do you often feel nervous about speaking in public, or during a stressful conversation? These tips (from a professional speaker) can increase both your confidence and your impact.

Do you often feel nervous about speaking in public, or during a stressful conversation? These tips (from a professional speaker) can increase both your confidence and your impact.

Find Your Voice, Express Your True Self

My conversation with Tayo Rockson about the psychology of finding your voice, how to talk to people you disagree with, and the difference between who you are and what you do...

My conversation with Tayo Rockson about the psychology of finding your voice, how to talk to people you disagree with, and the difference between who you are and what you do...

The Music and Magic of Singing

As a vocal coach and therapist, I see firsthand how the mind and voice affect and can enhance one another.

As a vocal coach and therapist, I see firsthand how the mind and voice affect and can enhance one another.

Yip...e...e...e

Yips, focal dystonia, stage fright. Same stuff/different performance areas? I've recently enjoyed a few (readable!) books in this area.

Yips, focal dystonia, stage fright. Same stuff/different performance areas? I've recently enjoyed a few (readable!) books in this area.

Self-Centered Fear

No one on this planet thinks about you as much as you think about yourself.

No one on this planet thinks about you as much as you think about yourself.

Why Exposure Therapy Isn’t Enough

You must courageously step toward what scares you. But you don’t do it in order to habituate. You do it as a means to practice this shift in your point of view.

You must courageously step toward what scares you. But you don’t do it in order to habituate. You do it as a means to practice this shift in your point of view.