As a vocalist, the idea of voice work from Uhlig (2009) is very intriguing. I always find a comfortable safe space when using my voice during sessions with clients. Reciprocal responses from clients seem to flow easily as well. Uhlig suggests that the human voice is the most natural instrument for expression and communication across cultures. This truly resonates with me. To me the voice is our calling card; others recognize us by our voice, pitches, inflections, and volume. In addition, Uhlig states the voice promotes exchange with our environment and our inner self. The voice is part of us, not a separate instrument we can set aside. The voice expresses the essence of who we are and how we feel.
As I read the article, I began to reflect on my clients, students with Autism, clients who have difficulty with voice output and production. These clients are constantly struggling to find their voice. Sharing themselves with others is even more difficult. As I continued to read, Uhlig describes the voice as a natural instrument for primary expression, including laughter, crying, screaming and shouting. All of these are very authentic sounds that exist beyond the realm of words. For most of my clients, words are the breakdown in communication with the self and communication between others. When words are not existent, primary sounds are still present, conveying the essence of each individual.
I work closely with several other related service professionals who focus on helping the client with autism find words to communicate with others. As a music therapist, I am concerned with helping the client find his or her voice, not necessarily the voice that uses words, but rather the voice that embodies the fundamental nature of the client. I often use vocal play and improvisation to focus on vocal sounds, practicing using both breath and spontaneity. In my years of practice I have found that children with autism often have repetitive vocal utterances. In working with each client I hope to use his or her utterances as a basis for improvisation and exploration to be present with themselves and their vocal sounds.
Uhig (2009) discusses the differences between cultural styles of vocalizations. We would find vocalizations from other cultures to be unusual to our ears. It is my belief that typical communication can be foreign to someone with autism. To effectively interact with my clients, I find it essential to meet the client in his or her world of communicational skills, recognizing the pitches, rhythms, repetitions, and silences and of each client as unique with diverse individual cultures. When I can effectively meet each client within his or her comfort zone, communication truly begins. It is nonverbal communication, spoken through body language, facial expressions, expressions, sound of the breath and movements. When there are cultural differences between client and therapist, Uhlig uses a vocal intervention focused on different levels of understanding including affective, relational, cognitive and aesthetic.
I am unfamiliar with Uhlig’s specific techniques; however, I see similarities in my clients’ therapeutic work across Uhlig’s four levels of understanding. The affective level focuses on human expression displayed through sighing, laughing, groaning, shouting, screaming, crying and silence. Several of my clients with autism have these expressive vocalizations even though words are not present. These expressions signify emotions and moods. Emotions often lead us to interact with one another
The relational level centers on human contact through calling, telling, talking, singing and silence. This relational exchange and understanding happens in the moment of the improvisation even though words continue to be lacking, passing sounds back and forth, or listening to the client share of him or herself. Uhlig also suggests this level is to soothe, or activate the relationship. In the vocal music, client and therapist can experience nurturing, confrontation, provocation, inspiration, and protection. Within this exchange, relationships build and insight is drawn from the experience.
Insight signifies the cognitive level, hinging on symbolic representation. This is where my work does not parallel so easily. Given my current clientele, all of my clients display cognitive impairment, as is common with the diagnosis of autism. It is difficult to measure the symbolic representations that may develop during the vocalization process. While I do find it possible to activate concentration through sounds and words as Uhlig describes, it is not easy to measure brain development and change the thought processes of my clients. Though cognitive development may not be easily measured, the beauty in the process is quite prevalent and tangible.
The last level is aesthetic, authentic appreciation. Through aesthetics, client and therapist are open to the vocal sounds each other creates, encouraging each other to vocally exchange and participate in the moment. In this process, client and therapist appreciate each other and their sounds. Often smiles are shared and eye gazes soften while the client and therapist meet together in the vocal music. They meet together understanding each other with and without words.
As a therapist I had not put much specific thought into my vocal work. I tend to run with what works, and move forward. As I read this article, it gave me some perspective on the voice and the sounds we create, giving a bit of perspective to the importance of vocal work and vocal exploration. While we are each unique, we can come together through the voice, experiencing and supporting one another, regardless of the personal beauty we glean from the other person’s sounds. Uhlig’s (2009) article moves me to continue to analyze the work I have been doing with my clients to find their individual voices, while respecting their own communication styles and vocalizations.
Reflections on Uhlig’s Voice Forum
As a vocalist, the idea of voice work from Uhlig (2009) is very intriguing. I always find a comfortable safe space when using my voice during sessions with clients. Reciprocal responses from clients seem to flow easily as well. Uhlig suggests that the human voice is the most natural instrument for expression and communication across cultures. This truly resonates with me. To me the voice is our calling card; others recognize us by our voice, pitches, inflections, and volume. In addition, Uhlig states the voice promotes exchange with our environment and our inner self. The voice is part of us, not a separate instrument we can set aside. The voice expresses the essence of who we are and how we feel.
As I read the article, I began to reflect on my clients, students with Autism, clients who have difficulty with voice output and production. These clients are constantly struggling to find their voice. Sharing themselves with others is even more difficult. As I continued to read, Uhlig describes the voice as a natural instrument for primary expression, including laughter, crying, screaming and shouting. All of these are very authentic sounds that exist beyond the realm of words. For most of my clients, words are the breakdown in communication with the self and communication between others. When words are not existent, primary sounds are still present, conveying the essence of each individual.
I work closely with several other related service professionals who focus on helping the client with autism find words to communicate with others. As a music therapist, I am concerned with helping the client find his or her voice, not necessarily the voice that uses words, but rather the voice that embodies the fundamental nature of the client. I often use vocal play and improvisation to focus on vocal sounds, practicing using both breath and spontaneity. In my years of practice I have found that children with autism often have repetitive vocal utterances. In working with each client I hope to use his or her utterances as a basis for improvisation and exploration to be present with themselves and their vocal sounds.
Uhig (2009) discusses the differences between cultural styles of vocalizations. We would find vocalizations from other cultures to be unusual to our ears. It is my belief that typical communication can be foreign to someone with autism. To effectively interact with my clients, I find it essential to meet the client in his or her world of communicational skills, recognizing the pitches, rhythms, repetitions, and silences and of each client as unique with diverse individual cultures. When I can effectively meet each client within his or her comfort zone, communication truly begins. It is nonverbal communication, spoken through body language, facial expressions, expressions, sound of the breath and movements. When there are cultural differences between client and therapist, Uhlig uses a vocal intervention focused on different levels of understanding including affective, relational, cognitive and aesthetic.
I am unfamiliar with Uhlig’s specific techniques; however, I see similarities in my clients’ therapeutic work across Uhlig’s four levels of understanding. The affective level focuses on human expression displayed through sighing, laughing, groaning, shouting, screaming, crying and silence. Several of my clients with autism have these expressive vocalizations even though words are not present. These expressions signify emotions and moods. Emotions often lead us to interact with one another
The relational level centers on human contact through calling, telling, talking, singing and silence. This relational exchange and understanding happens in the moment of the improvisation even though words continue to be lacking, passing sounds back and forth, or listening to the client share of him or herself. Uhlig also suggests this level is to soothe, or activate the relationship. In the vocal music, client and therapist can experience nurturing, confrontation, provocation, inspiration, and protection. Within this exchange, relationships build and insight is drawn from the experience.
Insight signifies the cognitive level, hinging on symbolic representation. This is where my work does not parallel so easily. Given my current clientele, all of my clients display cognitive impairment, as is common with the diagnosis of autism. It is difficult to measure the symbolic representations that may develop during the vocalization process. While I do find it possible to activate concentration through sounds and words as Uhlig describes, it is not easy to measure brain development and change the thought processes of my clients. Though cognitive development may not be easily measured, the beauty in the process is quite prevalent and tangible.
The last level is aesthetic, authentic appreciation. Through aesthetics, client and therapist are open to the vocal sounds each other creates, encouraging each other to vocally exchange and participate in the moment. In this process, client and therapist appreciate each other and their sounds. Often smiles are shared and eye gazes soften while the client and therapist meet together in the vocal music. They meet together understanding each other with and without words.
As a therapist I had not put much specific thought into my vocal work. I tend to run with what works, and move forward. As I read this article, it gave me some perspective on the voice and the sounds we create, giving a bit of perspective to the importance of vocal work and vocal exploration. While we are each unique, we can come together through the voice, experiencing and supporting one another, regardless of the personal beauty we glean from the other person’s sounds. Uhlig’s (2009) article moves me to continue to analyze the work I have been doing with my clients to find their individual voices, while respecting their own communication styles and vocalizations.
References
Uhlig, S. (2009). Voice forum: The voice as primary instrument in music therapy. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved from https://normt.uib.no/index.php/voices/article/view/365/288