Music and the arts have always been a source of self-expression for me. As a child, I loved to draw, sing, dance, act and make up songs on the piano. The freedom to express myself in such playful, non-judgemental ways in my youth is a feeling I have longed to recreate in my adult life. As a young adult studying music in college, I found there was less room for play and self-expression in my music making. I became more aware of my flaws and more preoccupied with perfectionism. Suddenly, my grades and my scholarships relied on learning and performing music in a very specific way. Mistakes and experiential learning were not often allowed in the classical voice world, and I found my love for music and my overall well-being suffering greatly. Years later, I found myself teaching private voice lessons. I certainly didn’t want history to completely repeat itself; I yearned for a more holistic way of teaching my students, one that combined knowledge and sound pedagogy without the limitations and pressures of singing a specific way. I wanted my students to experience what I did as a child; an unhindered ability to create without the fear of constantly being judged. I stumbled upon the Alexander Technique and Total Vocal Freedom (now Mind Body Music School) after a friend of mine took some classes. I started taking classes with the goal of becoming a more knowledgeable voice teacher; little did I know how much the Alexander Technique would also transform me in such deep and profound ways. It has taught me to look at myself and others through the lens of wholeness, while empowering me to develop more awareness into my habits, thoughts, and patterns. I often joke with my teachers “I thought I was studying the Alexander Technique to become a better voice teacher; I didn’t know I would also be healing all of my trauma!” Yes, this work has made me a better artist, teacher, singer, but I would also say it has helped me to become a better me in every aspect.