1.1.2.b Traumatic Misdirection — Emotional Roadblocks to Singing
Traumatic Misdirection — Emotional Roadblocks to Singing
The word trauma comes from the ancient Greek τραῦμα (traûma), meaning “wound” or “injury.” Originally it referred to physical harm, but over time it expanded to psychological wounds caused by distressing experiences—revealing a deeper grasp of trauma’s impact on mental health. In the singing world, though, trauma often remains confined to medical realms—otolaryngologists or speech-language pathologists—overlooking the substantial emotional trauma many singers face. As you know, both physical and emotional well-being affect your voice. It’s logical, then, that the broader psychological view of trauma applies to singing. In three decades of teaching, I’ve never had a student who needed surgery for “voice trauma,” and just a few needed any medical intervention. By contrast, every singer I’ve taught has encountered emotional trauma directly tied to their voice, compounded by everyday life stresses.
People sometimes say, “it’s all in their head,” to dismiss serious vocal issues. But everything is in our heads—that’s why elite athletes work with sports psychologists, knowing mental blocks shape performance. A snide remark from a castmate can derail your focus, and though a rude comment never detunes a piano, it can certainly unsettle a singer. Because each voice is intimately connected to its body, it’s clear that a mental barrier is just as significant as a physical one. Psychologists even look to changes in a patient’s voice as an early PTSD marker, triggering timely intervention. If mental-health professionals rely on these vocal cues, we in the singing community should accept that a singer’s mindset might lie at the root of many struggles.
No Big Deal Syndrome
Some might think, “But Piero, these aren’t real traumas; you’re exaggerating.” That viewpoint misses the essence. Sure, a teen who’s survived genocide endures a tragedy worlds apart from another teen enduring a harsh choir director, but that’s not the comparison we’re making. The “no big deal” mindset alone causes plenty of trouble.
I’m concerned with traumas I might help alleviate—the incidents that quietly suffocate a singer’s potential. These often get dismissed as “no big deal.” Johnny’s voice cracks in class, humiliating him—but “no big deal,” because somewhere else kids his age must work in factories. Ashley stops singing around her parents, who always say, “Honey, can you sing in your room? I need to concentrate,” but “no big deal,” because someone down the street has cancer. Zoom out enough and nothing is a big deal—dinosaurs died off, the universe is huge, there might be a multiverse. Yet for a singer’s journey, these moments matter. A single event that disrupts a voice from its true potential is a very big deal. If “Mrs. Applebaum” tells a pitch-challenged student to “stand in the back and mouth the words,” she may not deserve prison, but she’d have to answer for it if I were the “voice sheriff.”
You might remember Saggio and Costantini dividing voice problems into three categories: psychological, physiological, or pathological. I agree, though it appears psychological factors still get less attention. While U.S. vocal pedagogy is starting to acknowledge mental or trauma-related issues, adoption remains patchy. A review of 30 U.S. vocal pedagogy sources (2005–2023) shows about 40% explicitly mention anxiety, stress, self-esteem, or trauma as causes of vocal problems. Just 10–15% specifically address trauma (like emotional abuse or PTSD) in discussions of technique or health. Meanwhile, over 90% focus on physiological factors (muscle tension, breath support, posture, fatigue), and around 70%mention pathological factors (nodules, polyps, reflux, neurological issues).
Here, I must critique The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults (McKinney, 1994). It does a great job stressing accurate diagnosis, dedicating chapters to posture, breathing, phonation, and resonation. Still, it omits any chapter devoted to emotional or psychological considerations, leaving an otherwise excellent resource incomplete.
Some modern authors do recommend therapy or counseling for singers grappling with trauma. In an interview about her book Trauma and the Voice (2023), educator Emily Jaworski Koriath emphasizes that voice teachers shouldn’t becometherapists, but can collaborate with or refer students to mental-health pros when necessary. Roughly 15% of my surveyed sources (primarily academic or professional) endorse a truly interdisciplinary approach—looping in doctors, speech-language pathologists, or psychologists when concerns exceed standard teaching.
A singer who feels acknowledged on every front progresses faster and sustains a healthier, more enduring career. As Koriath hopes, teaching culture is slowly shifting toward something more “collaborative, constructive, and affirming,” reducing blame and embracing empathy. That’s good news not just for voices, but for human well-being. Sadly, a host of traumatic experiences still fly under the radar, fueling an epidemic of tone deafness—if that phrase rattles you, brace yourself. It gets more complicated from here.
Moving forward
Emotional wounds like these might seem small, but they can accumulate, eroding confidence and vocal freedom over time. In the next lesson, we’ll delve deeper into how these overlooked traumas can morph into a widespread problem—an “epidemic of tone deafness”—and what we can do to tackle it head-on.
Lesson Summary
This lesson highlights the deep impact of emotional traumas on a singer’s mindset and performance, often overlooked in favor of purely physiological or pathological explanations. By recognizing how “small” negative experiences accumulate, educators and vocalists alike can address these invisible barriers more effectively, ultimately fostering a more supportive and holistic approach to singing.
Trauma Beyond the Physical: Emotional wounds—however small—can derail a singer’s confidence and vocal development.
Wider Cultural Shift: While pedagogy increasingly acknowledges mental health, traditional sources still underemphasize emotional factors.
Interdisciplinary Support: Collaborating with therapists or other professionals can help singers overcome deeper psychological roadblocks.
Importance of Empathy: Students progress faster and more sustainably when their emotional needs are validated alongside technical instruction.
Exercise or Activity: “Mapping Your Vocal Story”
Recall Key Moments: Spend 5–10 minutes writing down any events—big or small—that affected how you feel about singing (e.g., a hurtful comment, performance anxiety, or a moment of doubt).
Label the Emotions: Next to each event, note the emotion you felt: shame, fear, embarrassment, or even anger. This helps you see patterns.
Physical Check-In: Sing a simple line or hum a tune, noticing if recalling any of these moments triggers tension in your throat, jaw, or chest.
Safe Release: Choose one event and reflect on a healthier response. For instance, imagine giving your past self supportive words or calmly acknowledging the feeling.
Share or Reflect: If comfortable, discuss these insights with a trusted friend, teacher, or therapist. Consider how acknowledging past emotional wounds might free up new layers of vocal expression.
