The Failure Conversation

This week, Stephen interviewed Speech and Language Therapist and Doctoral Researcher Sophie Harkness.Sophie is a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with over 10 years of clinical experience across healthcare settings in the North West. She specialises in breathing, cough, voice and swallowing difficulties, with particular expertise in conditions such as inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO), cough hypersensitivity syndrome and globus. Her approach combines evidence-based care with a commitment to helping people understand their symptoms, feel heard and regain their confidence.Alongside her clinical work, Sophie is undertaking a PhD exploring unexplained swallowing difficulties, with a focus on how these complex presentations can be understood and supported within existing healthcare pathways.In this interview, Stephen and Sophie explore everything from medically unexplained swallowing difficulties to broader, systemic questions about the NHS and the care pathways available to people experiencing functional disorders. Sophie also discusses her doctoral research, the questions it is raising, and how emerging findings might inform current models of care.

Maurice Goodwin, Dr Jenevora Williams and Stephen R. King sit down to talk about the complexities of the Functional Neurological Voice Disorder diagnosis. The three hosts chat about what updates have been released around the category of diagnosis, the positive signs, how they might work with the person behind the diagnosis and the nuances of being interdisciplinary therapists in this profession.

In this podcast takeover, Gillian Ramm interviews Hannah Sandison, mezzo soprano and performance psychology coach. They discuss the world of performance psychology and how Hannah learned with sports coaches and actors about how our mental landscape has such an impact on our performances.  The conversation meanders down laneways including what we wish all training singers could learn about nervous system regulation, setting up positive mindset habits from the outset and how phones and 24-7 connectivity have changed the landscape for this generation of performing artists.

Maurice Goodwin, Dr Jenevora Williams and Stephen R King sit down to chat about what makes evidence, why we need evidence, and the limits of the evidence we have in the field of vocal health. A provocative and enlightening conversation, this is a set of personal opinions and anecdotes around educating the next level of practitioners. We hope you enjoy the show!

Join Robert, Stephen and Jenevora as they talk about learning through alchemy, exploring ontological security or resistance, and the meaning of love.

Jenevora is talking with Maurice Goodwin about our interactions with clients, and how we can do less and achieve more. They talk about the place of silence for reflection and consolidation. There is consideration of what student-led learning might really look like, and the place for the teacher’s expertise in a process which may look more autonomous for the student.

In this episode, your hosts talk through Stephen and Jenevora's new paper, The Guarded Larynx. This paper was published in the Journal of Voice (2025) and discusses the concept and phenomena involved in 'guarding'. If you are interested in learning more, why not join Stephen and Jenevora for their short course, aimed at clinicians and teachers at the link below:https://voicecarecentre.co.uk/guarded-larynx/

This fascinating and funny chat emerged from an absence of a question. Stephen, Robert and Jenevora explore the idea of the conundrums we face through linking the body, voice (and some ways) spirit, too. 

Jenevora and Robert are joined by Anita Morrison to talk about Feldenkrais training, lessons, philosophy, and practice. It’s not easy to describe a feeling and somatic learning experience in words, a bit like describing the taste of a mango. They did a wonderful job nonetheless.Please come and join Robert, Anita and Jenevora on November the 8th and/or 9th in London to explore your own feelings about the Feldenkrais experience:  https://vocalhealth.co.uk/conversation-robert-sussuma/

What about when things go wrong?This conversation happened several months ago but has only finished being edited.Jenevora, Robert and Stephen talk about the difficulty that we come across when things don't go well. Stephen tells a story about shower drains, Robert talks about disagreeableness leading to change and Jenevora shares insights from the studio.This episode is full of laughter and fun and will take you on a philosophical journey to failure...