BODY with Christine Schneider: Inside the mystery of how your body thinks, feels, and connects
Julie and Casey chat with expert Manual Laryngeal Therapist Christine Schneider (who works with professional "vocal athletes" and saved Casey from the migraines caused by her Very Weird Jaw) about our weird and wonderful bodies and how interconnected everything within actually is. Along the way, we dive into emotional storage, what keeps us from accessing our full voices, nervous system safety, effort vs ease, and why you should probably consider hugging a tree right now.
TOP TAKEAWAYS:
The TMJ is the most used joint in the entire body. (No wonder our jaws are a MESS.)
Everything in the body is connected, literally, and in multiple ways. What affects one area will ripple throughout the body.
Emerging research is showing visible light patterns that flash through the fascia—and some neuroscientists believe that they may actually be photographing our CONSCIOUSNESS.
We carry and store emotions in our body. The mind, the body, and the emotions are all connected, therefore practitioners need to allow the body to lead the way in processing trauma.
You can't declare a safe space before actually creating one.
Our voices are the vehicle by which our heart and soul enters the world.
Our nervous system is ALWAYS asking one question above all: “How safe am I?”
Advice for managing our current “touch crisis”
Why minimum effort/maximum ease is our goal with the body and voice
Vocal injuries are common and nothing to be ashamed of—ESPECIALLY for professional voice users with extreme demands on their bodies. If you fall into that category, make sure you assemble your team to keep your voice healthy!
You heart has a brain. No, seriously.
This week’s lesson: the four-step journey through your physical voice—impulse, breath, vibration, resonance. See vocal cords in action here.
Christine Schneider has been a pioneer for manual laryngeal therapy in the US for almost a decade. Her private practice in NYC, LifeLight Massage Therapy PLLC, specializes in laryngeal and TMJ treatments for professional voice users. Working alongside New York’s top Laryngologists, Speech Pathologists and Voice teachers, she provides the manual component for vocal rehabilitation and vocal health maintenance. In addition to her practice, she created The Visceral Voice, a program and podcast which bring her passion and knowledge for vocal health and anatomy to the wide variety of vocal athletes throughout the world.
With the Barral Institute, Christine also has extensive training in Visceral Components of the Neck and Thorax, Visceral Manipulation, and Neuromeningeal Manipulation. Her other specializations include Myofascial Assessment and Release, Treatment of Whiplash and Related Disorders, and CranioSacral Therapy.
Graduating from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor’s in Music in both Vocal Performance and French Horn Performance, Christine’s first expression of love for the voice was as a professional performer all around the world. She is a proud member of SAG/AFTRA, AEA, AGVA, and is a Voting Member for PAVA (Pan American Vocology Association). She is also The head of Research and on the Advisory Board for The Academy of Noise.