Vocal Holding Techniques

Austin, D. (2001a). In Search of the Self: The Use of Vocal Holding Techniques With Adults Traumatized as Children. Music Therapy Perspectives,19, (1).

In this piece of written work, Austin magnified the issue of how people can loose their sense of self. Austin’s focus of cliental population in this work was adults who were dealing with trauma. This notion of loosing oneself is very common amongst individuals who hold too much practical, emotional, or physical responsibility in their life (E.g. – single parents, emotional abandonment etc.). Austin revealed that often when people lose a sense of his or herself, they replace their identity with an unsatisfied self. This replacement or creation of identity is a tactic to protect oneself and suppress painful feelings. Austin highlighted that the biggest damage from losing one’s sense of self is the disconnection one loses with his or her self and also with other people. A commonality amongst clients that deal with trauma is that they are empowered with feelings of confusion, helplessness, and terror. Having a close or intimate relationship is perceived as something dangerous for these clients because their desire and need to attain such intimacy were never fully met in the past.
Majority of these clients have been ‘silenced’ (pp. 4). Clients may have been in situations where they felt unsafe to speak what was on their mind for a prolonged period of time. Other clients may have spoken up about their inner feelings, but were shut down in the receiving end. In general, clients who have lost a sense of self also feel as though their voices are not audible to other people. Vocal psychotherapy provides a safe space and opportunity for clients to restore their voices and ultimately restore their own identities. The act of singing is restorative because it requires deep breathing. The act of deep breathing is when a person slowly inhales air to his or her full capacity and then exhales slowly by releasing that same breath of air to its full capacity. Deep breathing is known to slow down the heart rate, calm the nervous system, and produce relaxation. This method is very helpful for clients who experience panic attacks and anxiety. Controlling our breath is closely connected to our emotions (e.g. – ‘clients holding their breath after revealing an emotionally charged issue’) (pp. 6). Singing also creates vibration in our bodies. These vibrations not only massage our insides but also break blockages of energy allowing a flow of equilibrium to the body. Singing also holds the benefit of allowing an individual to reconnect with oneself by releasing powerful feelings.
Painful feelings can be translated into an aesthetically beautiful piece of music. Singing can bring feelings and embodiment of empowerment to clients. Empowerment can be experienced by the physicality that singing conveys. A client can experience feelings of achievement when they are able to produce a sound. A client can gain confidence when they get to explore their creative side through vocal improvisation. During an improvisation, the client gets to experience their voice being responded to or mirrored back. This confirms clients’ existence and that their voices are indeed audible to other people. Austin simply summarizes this experience of liberation that a client can achieve by stating that, ‘owning one’s voice is owning one’s authority and ending a cycle of victimization’ (pp. 6).
Vocal holding technique is Austin’s method of vocal improvisation that uses two chords on the piano and the use of the therapist’s voice. What this creates is an unwavering musical foundation that can facilitate improvised singing for both the client and therapist. The stable foundation of the repetitive two-chord progression is very inviting for clients who are new to improvising because it gives them familiarity and predictability of musical structure. The method also promotes regression as it supports a client’s connection to his or herself and others (i.e. – the therapist in the clinical setting). The benefits of vocal improvisation for clients is that it can provide new approaches of being, experience freedom, create self-expression, and also allow feelings and images to surface. This is especially applicable for those clients who are suffering a loss of sense of self due to the broken relationship with his or her mother (or primary caregiver). This is because from birth, the mother-child relationship can be built or damaged upon the use or lack of the mother’s voice when it comes to connecting or communicating with the child.
Austin repetitively emphasized in her writing that during her personal clinical practice, the restoration of relationships between a client and his or herself and other people is one of her fundamental aims when working with clients dealing with trauma. Austin mentioned in her writing that her method of vocal holding technique is not a formula that will be effective for all clients. Austin explains that a music therapist must know their client thoroughly (i.e. – client’s history, diagnosis, personality, transference reactions etc.) enough to know when it is appropriate to implement a specific method when working with an individual. For example, Austin points out that clients with the same diagnosis can be radically different from one another. Some clients may feel safer talking verbally where as others may feel non-verbal singing a more comfortable way of communicating. Some clients may feel more comfort with denser structure such as a pre-composed song compared to the 2-chord progression in her method that leaves more open space for personal expression.
Austin also mentioned the importance of how a therapist should approach or introduce the method of vocal holding technique to a client. It is also emphasized here that even before the music begins, a therapist must cater to a client’s current state and meet their needs. For example, it is beneficial to give a descriptive explanation of the vocal holding technique in detail to an anxious client. However for the average client, Austin shared that she usually gives a very minimal description of the method before an improvisation begins. What Austin does ask the clients are, if they would like to sing about a person/situation/feeling?, general description (i.e. – major, minor etc.), and if a client wants two or more chords in the improvisation. Austin also highlighted that it is important to give clients the option to make decisions during a session because it gives them empowerment. Austin mentioned that her therapy sessions usually begin with deep breathing. Not only is deep breathing allowing relaxation to occur, but it also serves as a transition between speaking to singing. It is a nonverbal way of communicating to the client that it is time to make music. When the music begins, the therapist’s role is to match the client’s sound, empathize, and encourage the client.
Unrealistic self-concepts that clients hold of his or herself can be broken through improvisation by experiencing self-acceptance and increased self-esteem. Austin believes that the primary element of music therapy is the client-therapist relationship. It is the essence or the idea that a human being cannot change or develop into something new completely on his or her own. Trusting and forming relationships is especially difficult for traumatized clients, but it is when the willingness of the client is present in therapy (especially in the music-making process) where doors open for possibility of healing and change to occur.

Keywords: Diane Austin, Vocal holding Technique