Frequently Asked Questions

1-to-1 Coaching

What are your rates for 1-to-1 coaching?

Please contact Sam for pricing information.

 

Do you offer a free or discounted trial session?

Pease contact Sam to schedule your no-cost phone consultation.

What platform do you use for online sessions?

We are happy to meet you via Zoom, Skype or FaceTime.

 

Where do the in-person sessions take place?

Due to Covid-19 all coaching currently takes place online.

 

When do we meet?

Sessions are booked by appointment.

 

How long will it take to reach my goals?

We customize each coaching program to meet each client’s needs and goals, though we suggest a minimum commitment of 3 months.  Some things to keep in mind when deciding if it’s the right time for you to pursue this work:

• Deadline or goal
• Work schedule
• Learning style
• Lifestyle
• Amount of time to practice or think about the concepts in between meetings
• Self-motivation verses amount of outside structure or accountability needed
• Level of fear, shyness, or hesitation upon beginning

 

Do you accept insurance?

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept insurance.

 

What about employer reimbursement?

Don’t forget to ask your company about education or professional development reimbursement. We’re happy to provide invoices or other supporting documentation to help you navigate the reimbursement process.

 

What is the the first session like?

The first session usually goes something like this:

• Section 1: We spend a few minutes getting to know one another, talking about any new information or experiences that have come up since we last emailed or spoke on the phone.  We talk about any questions you have in order to dispel any hesitation or anxiety.
• Section 2: We gently shift the focus to your breath and posture, get you feeling calm and safe and grounded.
• Section 3: Varies by client, but always we do some simple and fun exercises to help you access your voice in the way that you want.  If you need physical strength, we’ll do some vocal exercises, if you need to work through your imposter syndrome, we’ll do some exercises specifically around how to speak up, even when you’re afraid or unsure.
• Section 4: We’ll check in with how you’re feeling, make a plan for how we’re going to reach your goals going forward, talk about future scheduling if we haven’t already, answer any new questions.
• Section 5: Hugs, smiles and good-byes.

 

How do I access my notes and materials between sessions?

After your first session, you will receive a follow up email with a link to your Google folder that has your notes, progress tracker, and any other resources and materials.

 

Is this type of coaching for someone like me?

This type of coaching is helpful to anyone who wants to feel more confident and have the courage and skills to speak up.  If you’re not sure if this is for you, here are two lists (I like lists!) to help you decide:

Do I have to sing?

You absolutely do not have to sing if you do not want to.  If you do decide to give it a try, you’ll find that it’s a really fun and interesting way to quickly break down mental blocks and understand how your voice works.

Many people rate singing at the top of their list of fears – even above death!  The fact that singing is so scary is what makes it such a uniquely powerful tool for building confidence and owning your voice.  If you can conquer your fear of singing, you can conquer anything.  Well, almost anything. 😉

Plus, it’s fun!

 

Can anybody sing?

Yes, anybody can sing.  It is the InnerVoice Vocal Studio philosophy that anyone who can speak can also sing.  Medical tone deafness is incredibly rare. We believe the following to be true:

• Singing is available to everyone.  It makes individuals feel good and it builds and heals communities when done with others.
• You do not have to sound like the people you hear on the radio in order to sing out loud and share your voice. It is important not to compare your car or shower singing to the modern production techniques used by the music industry to pump out perfect recordings.
• You do not have to hit all the notes perfectly all the time to sing, or to sing with others.
• You have permission to sing simply because it feels good to you.
• You get to choose where, when, and with whom you sing.  It’s your voice.

 

I feel totally confident, I just can’t get my voice to project, and/or when I do it gets tired quickly.  Why does this happen?

I hear you.  Most physical vocal issues like volume control and fatigue are pretty easy to fix, and we can certainly focus our attention specifically on those physical issues in order to have that clear, resonant voice that you crave.

That said, physical vocal symptoms are more often than not rooted in how we feel about who we are, what we are saying, and/or other factors of being in that exact moment.  Therefore, as we work on the physical voice it’s important that we take a look at any underlying factors that are contributing to your vocal experience.  There are many reasons why a totally confident person would have a difficult time projecting or might easily feel vocal fatigue.  Here are a few things that might be impacting your voice:

• You don’t like the sound of your voice.
• Sometimes feel strong and resonant and at other times quiet.  Have you noticed any patterns around time, place, the content or difficulty level of the conversation, the person or persons to whom you are communicating?
• Your posture is a little slouchy, or you sit a lot.
• You have moved into a new work/life situation or circumstance.
• You have previously been reprimanded or called out for something you’ve said, or for your voice sounding a certain way.
• You grow up in a family or culture that emphasized silence, non communication, suppression of emotions, or accelerated personal achievement.
• You spend a lot of time alone or behind a screen.
• You comfortable speaking about specific data, but have trouble sharing in creative brainstorming meetings.
• Your voice feel stronger in your native language than it does in English.

 

If you’re not totally sure what’s going on with your voice, email me to schedule a phone call and I’ll help you figure out next steps.

 

What types of clients do you work with?

Diverse personal backgrounds

I work with people from all backgrounds and walks of life including engineers, developers, team leaders, product managers, project managers, start-up founders, musicians, attorneys, accountants, filmmakers, marketing and PR people, corporate real estate developers, small business owners, writers, bankers, human resources specialists, writers, teachers, coaches, business development leaders, stay-at-home-moms, and more.

 

Diverse cultural backgrounds

My clients also come from all over the US and from every corner of the world including China, India, Korea, Croatia, Turkey, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Italy, Poland, Brazil, Netherlands, France, Lebanon, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, and Iceland.

 

Diverse professional roles

I have worked with people from a wide variety of companies from enterprise to startups in many industries, as well as nonprofits, art and public institutions, including:

 

I’m looking for a more straightforward singing lesson, do you have any recommendations?

If you are interested in a more ‘typical’ singing lesson or studio experience, we are friends with, and think very highly of, the women that run each of these studios, and can’t recommend them highly enough.  Each of these other super amazing studios offers all kinds of singing lessons, workshops, performance opportunities and community events at a variety of price points.

songbirdsf.com

songrisestudios.com

 

I’m looking for straightforward public speaking lessons, do you have any recommendations?

For more traditional public speaking classes, ask your work if they have a Toastmasters chapter.  You might also check out magnetcispeaking.com or jenniferhennings.com.

Workshops + Events

What InnerVoice workshops and events are coming up?

Please check out the event page for information about upcoming workshops and events.

 

How do I schedule an InnerVoice @ Work workshop or event at my company?

Please email Sam directly, to discuss your needs and plan your event.

 

How do I join the Own Your Voice: Women – Monthly Meetup?

Please visit our page on Meetup.com to join the group and RSVP for the next meetup.

 

Are all of your events geared only toward women?

Nope, not at all.  In private coaching, Sam works with all genders.  It is a hope to launch a mixed-gendered or male-centered event soon.  But…we need your help.  We’d love to hear about your needs and goals.  Email Sam with your thoughts and help us create workshops and community events that are interesting to you!