If you've attended any of my classes for people with voice disorders, you know that the first mindfulness class is usually quite emotional. We start by having each person tell their story. Common themes include illness or surgery gone wrong; a struggle to find a diagnosis and receive appropriate treatment; and the difficulties of living with a chronic, life-altering voice disorder.
Feelings of grief and loss surface, and a sense of solidarity emerges. Participants nod their heads as they recognize themselves in other people's stories.
As the 8-week class progresses, people start to integrate the skills we've been building. They notice their breathing and learn to slow it down. They stop patterns of tension before they become entrenched. They are better able to manage their emotional reactions to difficult experiences. Eventually, they may start to see a shift in how they view their voice disorder.
There are two emotional regulation strategies that can be helpful here: reappraisal and acceptance.
Reappraisal is the process of reframing the meaning of a difficult situation to alter its emotional impact. This could take the form of shifting negative thoughts ("I hate my voice ") to find a deeper purpose ("My voice disorder has made me more empathetic").
Acceptance is the process of letting go of the need to change, control, judge, or fix something. When we are suffering, we often feel that we would do anything to make the suffering stop. But mindfulness invites us, when we are ready, to accept what is without trying to change it.
Mindfulness can help us engage in reappraisal and move towards acceptance. And sometimes, to our surprise, these strategies dramatically reduce our suffering.
Sign up for the 8-week mindfulness course. Over and over, my mindfulness students tell me that my 8-week mindfulness course for people with voice disorders has changed their perspective on what mindfulness is — and has helped them practice it in ways that are accessible to them. The next class begins on April 12, 2026.
