What’s Holding Your Voice Back Might Not Be Your Voice

Hello again,

Let me tell you something I’ve learned from 30+ years of teaching voice and 40 years of singing:

What holds people back from singing isn’t always their voice.
It’s what they think about their voice.

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It’s Not Just Technique—It’s What Lives Underneath

You can have the best warmups, perfect pitch, and strong breath support—but if your brain is screaming “Don’t be too loud” or “You suck,”

your voice will try to protect you by pulling back. Shutting down. Shutting up. Tensing up. 

I see it all the time.
People come to me saying, “I can’t sing,” when what they mean is:

• “I was told I wasn’t good enough.”
  
  

• “I don’t want to sound stupid.”
  
  

• “If I sing, people will see too much.”
  
  

The barriers aren’t vocal cords.
They’re old stories.

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I’ve Worked With…

🗣️ People whose teachers told them to “mime” in school choir.
🧠 People recovering from trauma who lost connection with their voice entirely.
🫣 People whose nervous systems go into freeze mode when they try to speak up.
🎭 And people like me—who were just scared to be fully seen or heard.

Sometimes, it’s not about hitting the note.
It’s about believing you’re allowed to make the sound in the first place.

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What If the Problem Isn’t You—It’s the Shame You Inhaled?

So many of us learned early that our voices were “too much,” “not good,” or “not safe.”
And we carry that into adulthood like it’s truth.

But here’s the thing: your voice isn’t broken.
It’s just been shut down by self-protection.

That’s not weakness. That’s your brain doing its job.

Now it’s time to gently start giving it permission to open again.

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Get Curious—Not Critical

This isn’t about blaming yourself or rushing your progress.
It’s about curiosity. What sounds can you make with this voice of yours?

It’s about practicing disengaging from the idea that there are ‘good’ sounds and ‘bad sounds’, and beginning to explore your voice.

You don’t need to bulldoze through fear.
You just need to get curious, show up, and give yourself a safe space to try.

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Want to Talk About It?

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your story.
I offer private voice lessons, creative coaching, and group classes—all designed to help you reconnect with your voice in a safe, supported, non-judgmental way.

📧 Reach out at lisarichardsmusic.com
📣 Or share something in the comments—what’s one thing you believed about your voice that you now know isn’t true?

Lisa