Implementing Mindfulness Practice in the Rehabilitation of the Professional Voice User

Objectives: The primary objective of this workshop is to educate attendees about the integration of mindfulness practices within the context of rehabilitative medicine. Effective rehabilitative medicine for the voice of the professional voice user (PVU) draws from a vast and varied knowledge pool and includes many different types of providers; from voice teachers and coaches to speech pathologists and physicians. One emerging area of benefit for PVUs is the integration of mindfulness techniques. For a PVU, the presence of a voice disorder or disturbance has been shown to result in increased stress response, voicing effort, and even feelings of hopelessness regarding the potential for full voice recovery. By introducing a regular mindfulness practice into the rehabilitation process for these voice users, our aim as presenters is to showcase how we can alleviate these associated symptoms and empower voice users to attain improved body and vocal mechanics, ultimately enhancing their overall well-being.

Methods/Design: This interactive presentation will equip attendees with practical tools for seamlessly integrating mindfulness practices into the realm of rehabilitative voice medicine. It will combine real-time application of mindfulness strategies with the examination of relevant case studies. Participants will gain exposure to both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods specifically tailored to the needs of PVUs. Attendees and presenters will use data collected from case studies to inform and develop treatment goals specific to the PVU. The presentation style will be highly engaging, characterized by interactive lectures, live demonstrations of mindfulness techniques, and active group participation. Active question and answer will be highly encouraged to continue engagement from the audience throughout the entirety of the workshop.

Results/Conclusions: Attendees will leave the presentation with a greater understanding of the positive health benefits associated with mindfulness practice and how they can immediately use the tools taught for improved outcomes. Given the presentation content and goals, the attendee will be able to advocate for and provide improved clinical care for the singer going through their journey of voice rehabilitation.