Practitioner Bios:

Practitioner Biographies

Directors of the IAVMT

Eva Campbell-Haidl, VMTR

President

Eva Campbell-Haidl was born in Austria. She is an accomplished singer, songwriter and musician and has studied Jazz at the University of Performing Arts in Graz, Austria as well as at the Guildhall School for Music and Drama in London. She has performed many concerts in England, Austria and Germany.

Eva's search for authenticity as a human being, as a singer and a voice teacher, combined with her realisation of the interrelatedness of the voice and the nature of being human, led her to start the VMT training in America in 2004. In her practise year she worked with patients at the Jules Thorn Mental Health Day Care Centre in London and is now looking to become a certified VMT practitioner in March 2007.

Eva has been working in her private practise as voice teacher and as someone who encourages people to express themselves through their voice, with beginners and professional singers of all ages for over 10 years. She has been leading workshop for groups in VMT, gospel and world music in Austria and England, has taught at the Notting Hill Preparatory School, conducted choir concerts and teaches on summer schools. Eva has taught as an apprentice teacher on the last VMT training in 2008.

Visit Voice Movement Therapy for more information.

Back to the top of the page

Eve Pollak Maisonpierre, MA, VMTR

Secretary

Eve's business, MOVINGVOICE, is the culmination of her dreams as a student, teacher and healer. Based on her personal journey, Eve draws from a set of tools and principles to explore and expand a person’s range of expression and experience of Self, through body, breath, movement and voice. Programs include workshops for groups, voice lessons, coaching, and individual sessions in Voice Movement Therapy.

Eve's journey with voice began with classical singing. She received her Masters degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music, and went on to perform oratorio music professionally. In her thirties, Eve developed full-body chronic pain problems which eventually adversely impacted her voice. During this period, she met and trained with Paul Newham and Anne Brownell, graduating from the American training in Voice Movement Therapy in 1999. Through Voice Movement Therapy, and continued training in Hakomi body-centered psychotherapy and Matrix Group Leadership, Eve reclaimed and reconnected with her "voice behind the voice." She found the part of her Self that lay mute and frozen deep within her and brought it profoundly forward into her work.

In her singing, Eve continues her inward journey and pursues fun and freedom through improvisation, Celtic and folk music.

Back to the top of the page

Professional Members

Anne Brownell, MA, LMHC, VMTR

Anne is Director of VMTUSA and of the Foundation Training in Voice Movement Therapy: The Voice Unchained. After working for many years with pioneer dance therapist Norma Canner and noted clinician and author Penny Lewis, Anne's search for the vocal component for a movement oriented therapy led her to be the first American to study and qualify in VMT in London with founder Paul Newham. Subsequently, she taught with him and supervised students on both the English and American trainings.

Anne also acts as a consultant in schools for children experiencing developmental and language delays, conducts workshops and presents at conferences, and maintains a private practice with adults and children on Martha's Vineyard, MA. Prior experience includes working in Early Intervention programs; supervising graduate students of Dance Therapy on the therapeutic use of the voice; and conducting music and movement groups with Ms. Canner for formerly homeless and substance-abused people with AIDS.

Anne has performed classical and folk music at churches, festivals, schools, and elsewhere, and served as scriptwriter and executive producer for several films on the Expressive Therapies, including "A Time to Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner" and "Going to the Source: A Study of Group Process in the Natural World."

Further information can be found at VMT-USA

Back to the top of the page

Kelly Close, VMTR, MA

Kelly Close received her Bachelor of Music Education in Studio Voice from Montana State University, her Master of Arts in Vocal Pedagogy from The Ohio State University and her VMTR in 2007, having completed the foundation training in 2005.

As a singer, Kelly has performed as a soloist and ensemble member in classical, jazz, rock, and musical theater genres. She sang with the Bozeman Symphony and Intermountain Opera Company as a soloist for 13 years and wrote, co-produced, and performed a multi-arts production, "In the Body of the Beast." In fulfilling part of the training requirements for VMT certificatioin, Kelly wrote, produced and performed her show, "Can of Worms." Currently, Kelly is in the process of developing a new show derived from her personal VMT exploration. In addition, she is filming, writing, scoring and producing several video projects.

As a teacher, Kelly had a thriving music studio in Montana from 1993 – 2008. During this time, she wrote, directed, produced and performed in, "Recital Beezarro," an alternative performance art piece for her 30 students. From 2001-03, Kelly attended graduate school at The Ohio State University where she taught World Music, Applied Voice, and Vocal Pedagogy. Currently, Kelly is teaching individual & group lessons in voice, music theory fundamentals, managing stage fright, increasing sensory awareness for the tonally challenged, VMT. She is also co-facilitating expressive arts workshops with her partner artist/educator, David Cowan, at their Earthbones Expressive Arts Studios outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her objective is to bring a more holistic, non-judgemental, versatile, and creative approach to the study of voice which encompasses the exploration of physical, emotional, and psychological processes.

Back to the top of the page

Deborah Crane, VMTR, MA

Deborah Crane has been doing voicework for 15 years. In addition to completing the training course in Voice Movement Therapy in 1999, she has studied with Richard Armstrong, of the Roy Hart Theatre and Leigh Smiley, who is a recognized teacher of the Kristin Linklater Method.

Deborah has a Master's Degree in Theatre from Villanova University.

Find more information at Creative Voicework, Deborah's website.

Back to the top of the page

Lilith Gottfarb, BMus (hons), VMTR

Lilith has always been passionate about singing, but she spent many years searching for the right form of expression and method of developing her voice. She left her home in Sweden in 2000, and after some years of travelling, she decided to follow her ambition to study music. After gaining a first class BMus (hons) degree in Music at City University in London, Lilith continued to pursue voice studies at Goldsmith’s University and through various workshops. Her interest in exploring how the singing voice is affected by emotional and psychological circumstances eventually led her to enrol on the Foundation Training in Voice Movement Therapy, held at Martha’s Vineyard in 2005. After completing the training, Lilith qualified as a professional Voice Movement Therapy practitioner in 2009.

Lilith is currently based in Norwich, where she offers individual and group VMT sessions. She also works to support music students at Access to Music, as well as being involved with the UK mental health charity Mind. Lilith writes and regularly performs her own music, which blends sparse harmonium arrangements, Spanish influenced rhythms, and melodies derived from Eastern European, Klezmer and Gypsy music.

Back to the top of the page

Carol Grimes, VMTR

I was a busker ... a long time ago! I discovered one day, outside a Pub beside the sea, that I could sing and, lucky me, have managed to sing for my supper for most of my life.

Currently I perform my own curious songs and poems and the songs I love to sing with the musicians I have had the phenomenal pleasure to work with over the years. I also sing with Something Secret, The UK Funk, All Stars, The Shout and mmmm....... well....... anything that comes along that might tickle my imagination stir my heart and challenge my bones and brain...

I have recorded extensively, here in the U.K. America, Germany The Hebrides, Poland and Sweden. (More details here.)

In the early eighties I began working with a group of young people in Poplar, near where I lived in the east end of London and once I had worked out what it is I do! in order to convey some of that to others; I had found a stimulating extension to my life. How does the voice work and how to express it fully? A fascinating and on going exploration. I have come to love this work, and combine it very happily with the rest of my living as a performing singer. In 2004 I founded ‘Sing For Joy’ with Nina Temple, a community choir for people with Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and other conditions.

So here I am in the 21st Century. I have two children, much music still to make and listen to, and hopefully many more adventures around the corner. I wish for Peace on Earth, an end to destruction and pollution and to the mindless cruelty of Wars in the name of religion, greed and ignorant prejudice.

Finding my voice has given me my life.

Visit Carol Grimes for more information.

Back to the top of the page

Melanie Harrold, VMTR

Melanie has been a professional singer/songwriter, recording artist, Band member, and touring musician for twenty years. For the last ten years she has been teaching singing while being engaged in an extensive, experiential research into the connections between vocal expression, movement and psychotherapeutic process.

She trained in Voice Movement Therapy in 1993 and assisted on subsequent trainings. As well as practising as a certificated Body Psychotherapist she now teaches singing to large groups, works with individuals from home and leads therapeutically based voice workshops around the country. She teaches voice and movement with The National Youth Theatre and The Circus Space and is currently running a twice-weekly singing class at The Hornimans Museum in London. She is teaching on the American VMT training.

Back to the top of the page

Gina Holloway Mulder, BADA (hons), PGDA, MAP, VMTR

Gina has been passionate about self expression since the age of 8 when she began studying speech and drama and completing the Trinity College of London's grade examinations. She went on to study Dramatic Art majoring in choreography and creative movement at WITS University in Johannesburg. Gina moved into a career as a professional choreographer and teacher teaching creative movement, choreographic techniques, character development, story writing, film studies, drama and improvisation at the Johannesburg Dance Foundation, The Dance Factory, Boston Media House and Crossroads Remedial School. In 1999 Gina entered the corporate training industry developing and facilitating courses in Effective Communication while also working in the television and film industries in various capacities.

Gina studied on the 2005/2006 VMT Training in Martha's Vineyard, qualifying as a professional practitioner in 2008. She is based in Johannesburg and offers individual and group Voice Movement Therapy sessions and corporate and private voice, movement, breathing and creativity training through her company Voice 360. As an artist, Gina works in the mediums of choreography, performance art and digital video, through which she often explores the relationship between voice, movement and the psyche and the power of emotional and personal storytelling.

Visit Voice 360 for more information.

Back to the top of the page

Christine Isherwood, VMTR

Christine is a singer and writer who has performed in political musicals, toured the UK and Europe with theatre groups and bands, and recorded as a pop singer. She studied with Paul Newham before being invited to apprentice to him and subsequently teach with him on the Voice Movement Therapy training in London. She now teaches the Foundation Training in Voice Movement Therapy on Martha's Vineyard, MA, USA.

Christine supervises practitioners and continues to teach groups internationally. Prior to her VMT training, she attained a B.A in Cultural Studies from the University of East London, then went on to qualify as an Assertiveness Training teacher, upon completion of which she undertook a two year training in Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychotherapy. She worked for ten years with homeless people in Central London, before going on to work for the UK mental health organization MIND. Her current band, Salt Doll, has a new CD "The Washed Ashore Collection" available at Topplers Records.

Back to the top of the page

Lena Måndotter, VMTR

Singer, writer and with a diploma in Voice Movement Therapy (Royal Society of Arts, London), Lena trained with Paul Newham for her certificate from RSA and many VMT courses. Her voice-work is inspired by Marion Woodman and Paul Newham's work, and her Jungian teacher in Sweden is Ingela Romare, Jungian Analyst (IAAP), wellknown movie director and lecturer at ISAP, International School for Analytical Psychology, Zurich, Switzerland.

Lena's latest cd is called Songs of Leonard Cohen, which has received a warm audience response and has been added to the official fansite of Leonard Cohen, the leonardcohenfiles. Lena has toured a lot with her Cohen-concerts all over Scandinavia: there are sound- and video-clips at her homepage, Lena Måndotter. She gives workshops and individual sessions in VMT from a Jungian Perspective; the workshops are called Song of the Soul. She teaches internationally.

She has long experience of Jungian psychology and has also studied at the CG Jung Institute of Zurich in Switzerland.

Lena has published books about her travels in Tibet and other countries in Asia and Mexico/Guatemala, and some books of poems.

For further information about Lena's Voice Movement work, see Lena Måndotter

Back to the top of the page

Julia Norton, VMTR

Julia Norton is a singer, performer, composer, teacher & expressive artist. In 1998 she trained in Voice Movement Therapy for which she is a registered practitioner. She moved to the Bay Area in 2000 from London, UK.

Julia prides herself on being a "singer of all sorts". Trained classically, then becoming a folk, then rock singer she trained as a jazz musician and loves to fuse the whole thing together with a good dose of raw emotion. She has performed solo a cappella to huge audiences and in collaboration with innovative musicians, performance artists, modern classical composers, dancers and actors. In addition to her passion for helping people to find their authentic voice, she is currently focusing on creating extended vocal technique compositions for theatre and film. Julia is passionate about the ability of the singing voice to unchain the spirit and let loose the hounds of creativity. As well as composing and performing, Julia runs workshops all over California, fires up community choirs & theatre schools & has a private practice in the Bay Area.

Visit Julia Norton for more information.

Back to the top of the page

co-editor with Wendy Smith of the Practitioners Journal.

-->

Veronica Phillips, VMTR

Veronica comes from a background of teaching: Drama and Movement at Secondary level; Music and Song at Primary level in addition to Class teaching. Creativity in Art, Drama, Dance and Music have always played a large part in her teaching and children in her care have performed pieces over the years in mixed art media, as well as original instrumental compositions, including song.

Over the last twelve years Veronica has been involved with the creative , artistic voice and its psychological and emotional aspects, working with adults.

She is passionate about the expressive voice and its connection with the deepening, becoming self and its many aspects, and the inter-relationship with each other through sounding and song.

As well as working one to one she has run workshops for reluctant singers; for exploring, the improvisational, healing power of the voice; connecting creative writing with voice; public speaking courses. Veronica sings in choirs and as a soloist with an untrained natural voice. She particularly loves early song: Troubadour song and religious music as well as more recent songs and sounds from different cultures. At present she is looking more closely at Sephardic "homely" and religious song as a way of exploring personal ancestry.

Over the last several years Veronica has been training as a psychotherapist and is qualified as an Integrative Counsellor. There are many avenues from this training that support her VMT work: Existential, Psychodynamic , Cognitive and Jungian. She is currently seeking BACP accreditation.

As Counsellor/Psychotherapist she works extensively with people who have Multiple Sclerosis and is interested in the dis-ease mind, body, soul connection.

Other areas of interest and exploration are Chakra work, Shamanism and Ritual, Ancestry and Family Constellation work , and Dream Work.

Veronica is also currently undertaking a course in Supervision for therapy and other "helping professions" with the Centre for Team Development.

Back to the top of the page

Marie-Lynne Sauvé VMTR

Flutist, singer, pianist, therapist, Marie-Lynne Sauvé has been exploring the healing potential of the voice and the body for many years. As a musician, Marie-Lynne has sung with semi-professional choirs, teaches flute and piano and offers workshops in ear training. Where music and therapy meet, her experience includes vocal improvisation, chanting, overtoning and authentic movement.

She has studied music therapy through her bachelor of music program, and through her master’s degree, has written a thesis entitled “The Therapeutic Effects of Vocal Improvisation.” The training in Voice Movement Therapy brought these skills together and added to them. Her own journey through voice and body give her the experience of these tools as paths to well-being. It is this that she shares with others through her VMT work.

Visit Marie-Lynne Sauvé for more information.

Back to the top of the page

Lisa Thieke, VMTR

Lisa Thieke is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been practicing psychotherapy since 1992; she recently completed the experiential year of the Foundation Training in Voice Movement Therapy. She also studied with the National Improvisational Theatre in NYC in the 1980’s.

Lisa is an artist-practitioner who sings and writes songs from her own experience. She currently sings in her band "What It Is" and has performed a variety of styles in various contexts including: rock, folk, jazz, salsa, classical, chant and prayer from the Hebrew tradition and Children’s Musical Theatre.

See Lisa Thieke for more information.

Back to the top of the page

Trish Watts, VMTR

Trish is a singer, songwriter, and educator with over 25 years experience as a performing artist, animator and creative arts facilitator in Australia and overseas. She is a 2008 graduate of Voice Movement Therapy with the Norma Canner Foundation, Marthas Vineyard, USA and has a Diploma of Music Education from the NSW Conservatorium, Sydney. Trish is also the Creative Director for InterPlay Australia- a community arts practice- and travels regularly to offer workshops, retreats and performances in a cappella world music, voice, creativity, spirituality and body wisdom. She has published over 8 collections of original music. Her passion is to accompany the birth of freedom in all its forms!

See InterPlay for more information.

Back to the top of the page

Provisional Members

Christine-Anne Plâtel

Chris is a Life and Relationship Coach and a Mender of Broken Hearts. Since 1985 she has trained in several Wellness Practices including Clinical Hypnotherapy, NLP, and Energy Psychology. Chris uses innovative methods like Voice Movement Therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique to guide her clients in cutting away their non-authentic selves, so that who they REALLY are can emerge freely, and shine! She is particularly interested in utilizing VMT to help hearts heal from childhood and adulthood betrayals.

Even though she grew up in a musical family, and has been personally and professionally surrounded by internationally-acclaimed singers throughout her life, Chris was always too shy to sing herself. However she loved making art, designing clothes, and writing poems and prose. A few years ago Chris spontaneously wrote a song, and the songwriting bug bit her hard! Wanting to learn more she took several NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) songwriting workshops with great teachers like Deanna Walker, Chuck Cannon, Steve Seskin, Jai Josefs, and Jason Blume. Jason has achieved the distinction of having his songs on Billboard’s Pop, R&B, and Country charts - all at the same time.

While deeply passionate about songwriting, Chris realized that she also needed to sing. In the joyful discovery and greater unfolding of her authentic self while training with Anne Brownell, Christine Isherwood, and Eva Campbell-Haidl, Chris found in VMT a collective form of creative expression that suits her spirit and her personality perfectly! She is thrilled to share VMT with you to Nurture and Support YOUR Authentic Voice.

Chris offers VMT, Life and Relationship Coaching, and Energy Psychology for Individuals, Couples, Groups, and Teams worldwide. She also does Voice Movement Therapy at a Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition, Chris is an NSAI Regional Workshop Coordinator.

Please visit her website Conscious Connections

Back to the top of the page

Sophie Martin

Sophie Martin is an Actor, Singer and Voice Artist and began her VMT training in Martha’s Vineyard in 2008.

Currently based in Sydney, she has taught voice and movement at the University of Southern Queensland Theatre Department, as well as running numerous workshops all over Australia. Her work centres on discovering emotional connections and resonance as well as creating flexibility and colour within the voice.

Sophie holds individual and group sessions at the Radiant Centre in Neutral Bay and the Music Practice in Surry Hills, and is also a vocal coach for professional actors and singers, and teaches at the Bondi Pavilion Community Cultural Centre.

For more information about Sophie or her work please visit VoiceMatters.

Back to the top of the page

Daryl Vineberg

Since leaving a full-time career in engineering, Daryl has devoted himself to pursuing his heart's desire, diving headfirst into the highly expressive worlds of Georgian polyphonic folk music, contact improv dance, improvisational theatre and Voice Movement Therapy (VMT). He currently sings with the Georgian ensemble Machari in Toronto, and visited Georgia in 2007 with other members of Machari to study with songmasters Tristan Sikharulidze, Islam Pilpani and Polikarpe Khubulava.

Daryl took the Foundation Training in VMT in 2008, and is now a qualifying practitioner. He has also completed the first of a four-year training program in Psychotherapy, Bioenergetics and Integral Healing at the Integral Healing Centre of Toronto (Canada). He currently works part-time seeing his VMT clients, and part-time doing environment-related engineering work on a contract basis.

An online version of my brochure can be found at Find Your Voice.

Back to the top of the page

Associate Members

Deirdre Brownell

Deirdre Brownell, daughter of Anne Brownell, followed her mother into Voice Movement Therapy. A musician, she believes that music has a language all its own that everyone can understand, if not in a cognitive then a spiritual, pychosomatic sense.

"I believe that psychotherapy must have a physcial and as well as mental and emotional. We carry our emotions in our bodies all our lives, more than we realize, and the only way to get them out is to go back to that primal infant and child stage and release them through sound and movement. The voice is very powerful - and everyone has something to say."

She is currently studying for her PHD in Imaginal psychology at the Institute of Imaginal Studies in Petaluma, CA.

Back to the top of the page