Voice Coach & Singing Teacher
Inhale-Exhale
Breathing through Song for People with Long-Haul Covid
Inhale-Exhale is an online singing course designed for people with Long-Haul Covid who are living with breathlessness and/or anxiety.
The course teaches healthy breathing through breath and body awareness exercises, improved posture, and singing. Participants (re)discover their breath, find improved well-being, and connect with other people living with Long-Haul Covid.
Why does singing help? Life events, such as illness, can leave the body’s autonomic nervous system in a state of partial and continual “fight-or-flight” mode. The deep, slow, and relaxed breaths learned through breathing exercises, and reinforced through singing, help rebalance the body into the opposite state of “rest-and-digest” for improved healing. Further, breathing muscles are like any other: if you exercise them, in this case through singing, they become stronger.
Read more in the Globe and Mail article.
Read the trial report here.
Early indicators are promising:
Most participants found the course helped with their breathing
Participants’ anxiety scores improved, in two cases significantly
Participants generally had improved scores across the wellness measures
All participants rated their experience of the course as either very good or good
Testimonials
“More holistic than I was expecting. It was helpful in calming my nerves and breathing more naturally. Helped me get out of my head and into my body. I can breathe through things that come up in my day that would have previously set me back.”
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the course and would highly recommend. I struggle with anxiety and the breathing exercises and body awareness have had a very calming effect on my state of well being. I find myself using the exercise for breathing and body posture spontaneously and if I wake during the night I can easily return to sleep with amy’s voice in the back of my head walking through the breathing exercises.”
“I feel like I’ve been able to re-establish a relationship with my breath. Breathing is still a challenge but it’s getting easier!”
“I very much enjoyed this course and our weekly meetings. The course has improved my mindfulness around breathing and body positioning.”
“It was really great to learn from Amy and also to connect with fellow long covid survivors.”
Course Curriculum by Week (One hour per week, for eight weeks)
- Week 1: Learn the mechanics and anatomy of breathing & improve body awareness
- Week 2: Improve your posture for optimum air flow through the body and for comfort
- Week 3: Find a soothing low breath & enjoy some singing warmups
- Week 4: Find a soothing low breath (more deeply) & enjoy some singing warmups
- Week 5: Begin to release tension in the mouth and throat & enjoy some singing warmups
- Week 6: Sing a lullaby with all of the above skills
- Week 7: Sing a lullaby with all of the above skills
- Week 8: Sing a lullaby with all of the above skills
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a singer? No! Participants do not need to be singers or have any interest in music.
Which language is the course taught in? English
Is there a cost? The fee is pay-what-you-can from $100-$600. ($100 doesn’t cover expenses; $600 covers your expenses and helps someone else.)
How do I know if this is a good fit for me and my health? There is a simple, two-part screening process to make sure the course suits your needs.
How long is the course? 1 hour per week for 8 weeks.
Where is the course available? In Canada to anyone online.
Recordings for Participants
Now the Day is Over by Sabine Baring-Gould
Night is drawing near,
Shadows of the evening,
Steal across the sky
Note: the hissing sound at the beginning of the recording is intentional and part of the preparation to sing!
Welsh Lullaby, Traditional
Sleep my baby, on my bosom,
Warm and cosy will it prove;
Round you mother’s arms are folding,
In her heart a mother’s love.
There shall no one come to harm you,
Nothing shall ever break your rest;
Sleep my darling babe in quiet,
Sleep on mother’s gentle breast.
Note: the hissing sound at the beginning of the recording is intentional and part of the preparation to sing!
Dors, dors, le petit bébé, Traditional Acadian
Dors, dors, le petit bébé. C’est le beau petit bébé à maman.
Dors, dors, dors, dors,
dors, dors, le bébé à maman.
Demain s’y fait beau j’irons au grandpére;
Dors, dors, dors le petit bébé.
Dors, dors, dors, dors,
dors, dors, le bébé à maman.
Note: the hissing sound at the beginning of the recording is intentional and part of the preparation to sing!
Der Mond ist Aufgegangen, M. Claudius & J.A.P. Schulz
Der Mond ist aufgegangen,
die goldnen Sternlein prangen
am Himmel hell und klar;
der Wald steht schwarz und schweiget,
und aus den Wiesen steiget
der weisse Nebel wunderbar.
Note: the hissing sound at the beginning of the recording is intentional and part of the preparation to sing!
E L'Uccellino, Puccini
E l’uccellino canta sulla fronda: Dormi tranquillo, boccuccia d’amore; Piegala giù quella testina bionda, Della tua mamma posala sul cuore.
E l’uccellino canta su quel ramo, Tante cosine belle imparerai, Ma se vorrai conoscer quant’io t’amo, Nessuno al mondo potrà dirlo mai!
E l’uccellino canta al ciel sereno; Dormi tesoro mio qui sul mio seno.
Soprano, Amy Steggles
Piano, Neil Reimer
(The course is inspired by the successful ENO Breathe program in the United Kingdom.)
Play Sample
Breathe: Centre Your Mind & Body
This audio is for you if:
- You want to soothe your mind and body.
- You’re curious about the introductory steps in voice coaching.
- You want to be guided through the body awareness and floor work activities from coaching sessions.
Includes downloadable MP3 file + cover art
Copyright © 2023 Amy Steggles