The Role of Silence in Being Heard.

June 2025

A common thread that runs throughout my work is the desire to be heard. To be witnessed. In a world that is full of noise (or at least it appears to be for me), I think the role of silence can be overlooked. As a voice professional, many of the people I work with are focusing on their sound, but I like to remind them of the importance of silence in communication. I believe voice work is a means to express the inexpressible, but there is no sound without silence, and the space between the notes or the words holds value.

Silence can hold reflection, echoes and space. When we rush to fill the silence, we can miss the benefits of this space, as well as the nonverbal cues – the essence of what is being communicated. Our mind, body and breath need time to catch up, and sit with the space. Many of the people I work with, whether through acting or singing, including neurodivergent communicators or those living with profound disabilities, silence plays a key role, and especially so in the minimally and non-verbal communities.

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#voice #communication #inclusivepractice #speech #song #silence #acting #singing #inclusivevoicework #minimallyverbal #nonverbal #voiceconfidence #voicepsychology