#5 Leading While Healing

Meet the hosts of UNMUTED:Emma: Choir Inclusion and Mental Health Consultant, veteran choral conductor and founder of Sing out Strong, the world’s biggest mental health choir!Jenn: therapist, mental health lead for Sing out Strong and Emma’s right-hand woman!Together, Em and Jenn are shaking up how we think about mental health, music, and what choir can really be. In this episode:An honest discussion of what it feels like when choirs lose their va-va-voom and how that can have a knock-on effect for member wellbeing. Luckily, Em and Jenn round off the episode by suggesting a whole host of things that choirs can do to turn it around. This is the LAST in the current season of Unmuted. Season 2 will arrive in 2026. ⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

Meet the hosts of UNMUTED:Emma: Choir Inclusion and Mental Health Consultant, veteran choral conductor and founder of Sing out Strong, the world’s biggest mental health choir!Jenn: therapist, mental health lead for Sing out Strong and Emma’s right-hand woman!Together, Em and Jenn are shaking up how we think about mental health, music, and what choir can really be. In this episode:A countdown of the top 10 things we do in our choirs that keep our groups connected, mentally healthy and singing with joy. Emma and Jenn have put their heads together to come up with 10 game changers that other choir leaders can implement right now!Learn their insider tricks and tips and why they work for mentally-healthy choirs. Small changes, big difference. ⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

Meet the hosts of UNMUTED:Emma: Choir Inclusion and Mental Health Consultant, veteran choral conductor and founder of Sing out Strong, the world’s biggest mental health choir!Jenn: therapist, mental health lead for Sing out Strong and Emma’s right-hand woman!Together, Em and Jenn are shaking up how we think about mental health, music, and what choir can really be. In this episode:With Christmas fast approaching (whether we want it to or not), Emma and Jenn have been thinking about all the additional mental health pressures that the season can bring and how it can show up in choir. From the pressures of repertoire, to concert nerves, family politics and protecting your peace as a choir leader, the episode is an important exploration of “the happiest season”. With some great tips about how to take some of the weight off, this episode is just the tonic you need help you through the busy festive period with ease. ⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

What happens when mental health isn’t part of the choir culture - but it still shows up in the room? In this thoughtful, no-shame episode, we explore how to gently introduce mental-health awareness into your choir setting, even if the topic feels taboo or unfamiliar. From decoding different choir cultures to simple, low-stakes ways of embedding emotional safety into rehearsal, this one’s for every leader who’s ever thought: “I want to support my singers better…but where do I start?”⭐️ Grab the Mentally-Healthy Choir Toolkit here- a ready-to-use resource packed with practical ideas and templates:https://payhip.com/EmmaRowlandElsen⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

In this episode, Emma and Jenn explore how traditional choir culture and habits may be unintentionally dysregulating singers, and offer a radical reframe: what if those habits were actually co-regulation tools? Learn how breath, gesture, language, routine and environment can either soothe or stress the choir - and how to create rehearsals and communities that feel safe, grounded and connected from the very first note. In this episode, Emma refers to the following links:The Mentally-Healthy Toolkit for Leadershttps://payhip.com/EmmaRowlandElsenBlog post on conducting cues:https://www.singoutstrong.com/s/stories/conducting-cues-that-actually-dysregulate-singersAnd Instagram for live videos and resources:Instagram.com/emmarowlandelsen⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

TRIGGER WARNING: POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERIn this episode, Emma is interviewed about her lived experience of PTSD and how it affects her role as a choir leader. Leading while healing comes with a unique set of challenges and this episode aims to uncover some of the unseen truths. ⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

In this episode, we unpack what *true* inclusion looks like in a choir setting - beyond just who’s in the room. From neurodiversity to vocal accessibility, Em and Jenn explore how to create spaces where every singer feels seen, heard, and musically valued.⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

In this no-holds-barred conversation, Emma and Jenn approach the difficult subject of why choir can feel like therapy for many people, and why that’s not always a good thing. With tips for leaders and singers alike, this is a powerful episode, not to be missed. ⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

In this episode, Emma and Jenn answer the question “Do you have to have mental health to join a mental health choir?” and explain why that’s not the right question to be asking anyway!⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]

We’re beginning at the beginning and asking the important question: “What Makes a Choir Mentally Healthy?”  Full of tips and ideas for choirs and committees to add to their own programmes, Emma and Jenn discuss the difference between saying everyone is welcome and actually making them feel welcome. ⭐️ For all things Choir Inclusion and Mental Health, find us online:www.singoutstrong.comFacebook @SingOutStrongWellbeingInstagram @sing_out_strongEmail [email protected]