Don't Step on the Bluebells

Charlene Huskinson - Healing Through the Voice (#035)

• Amanda Parker • Season 1 • Episode 35

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Discover the transformative power of your voice as a healing instrument in this fascinating conversation with holistic voice coach and sound therapist Charlene Huskinson. We explore how vocalization directly stimulates the vagus nerve, creating a regulated nervous system state where profound healing can occur naturally.

Charlene shares her personal journey from rock band performer to sound healer, revealing how reconnecting with her authentic voice led to freedom from chronic pain. "Your voice is connected to your vagus nerve, which regulates your nervous system," she explains. "The more we're in that state, the more our body can heal, because our body wants to heal. We just need to put it in the right environment."

Most of us carry deep conditioning around suppressing our voices – from being shushed as children to feeling judgment about how we sound. These patterns don't just affect our singing; they impact our ability to express our authentic selves in all areas of life. Through practices like toning (making vowel sounds) and playful vocal exploration, we can begin releasing these blocks while producing oxytocin and other beneficial neurochemicals.

Perhaps most fascinating is how our pre-verbal sounds – the "hmm" of consideration or enthusiastic "oh!" of excitement – can reconnect us with our intuitive knowing. By paying attention to these natural vocalizations, we develop stronger discernment between authentic desires and conditioned responses. Whether you're curious about sound healing or simply want to feel more comfortable using your voice, this episode offers practical starting points and powerful insights into this ancient healing modality.

Ready to explore your own voice as a healing instrument? Start with just five minutes of humming today and notice how your entire body responds. Subscribe now for more conversations that blend ancient wisdom with practical transformation.


How to get in touch:

Website: https://www.charlenehuskinson.com/

Instagram: @charlenesongbird

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Charlene Huskinson:

Your voice is connected to your vagus nerve, which is then going to regulate your nervous system, and we know that a nice, regulated nervous system, or one that you can start building the window of tolerance so you can deal with the stresses in life, singing and vocalizing helps you get into that state. The more we're in that state, the more our body can heal, because our body wants to heal. We just need to put it in the right environment.

Amanda Parker:

Welcome to Don't Step on the Blue Bells, the podcast where personal healing and transformation takes center stage. I'm your host, amanda Parker, and I'm a fellow seeker on the journey of personal growth. Join me as I delve into the stories of gifted healers, guides and everyday people who have experienced remarkable transformations. Listen in as they share their practical wisdom to enrich your everyday life, and don't forget to hit subscribe and never miss a new episode. Welcome to today's episode of Don't Step on the Blue Bells. I am here with the wonderfully talented Charlene Huskinson, who wears many hats. She is a phenomenal holistic voice coach and sound therapist. She also happens to be an extremely talented video and podcast editor. Luckily, I get to have her here working on Don't Step on the Blue Bells, but I'm so happy to have you on the other Step on the Bluebells, but I'm so happy to have you on the other side of the camera today. So welcome Charlene.

Charlene Huskinson:

Oh, thank you so much Thank you for having me. I'm super excited to have this conversation.

Amanda Parker:

As am I, I think, from our very first conversation, the first time we met to talk about Don't Step on the Bluebells and what role you could play within that. We talked about this incredible work that you do through voice healing and sound, and I don't think I really fully understood it back then, but I've just been privileged to watch you in action I mean, see some of these videos that you've made of the work you do and I was like, all right, it's time I got to get her on here.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, I mean, I think it was just so beautiful how it all worked, you know, with the podcast. And then my friend Lily was like, oh, do you want to have? You know, go for this. And I was like yeah. And then when we connected, it was just it could have been anything, but it was about healing. And I was just like, oh, wow, it's amazing. So do you want to know about the journey of sound?

Amanda Parker:

I want to know everything, but I can also just laugh about the serendipity of how we came into each other's lives, because I had had a couple of conversations with different podcast editors and part of my journey has always been like, okay, what do I do? Like, do I go for what's going to be like super simple and like quick production and da da, da.

Amanda Parker:

And it was like we had a chat and I just knew, so it just yeah, I even have goosebumps saying it it just felt right and I mean that's, it feels like a lifetime ago, like all of the work that we've been able to do together, the event that we co-hosted last year the psychic salon like it's really a magical unfolding, and now I know that you're also much more fully like embodying your gifts out in the world in the world, yeah, in a completely different way to how it all started really, and I suppose actually it started, you know, as a child you're always singing and dancing.

Charlene Huskinson:

I mean, well, I was, and I think we kind of know as children that we need those things in our life and we just express it and we're not scared of it and we play. And then I sort of like evolved into sort of the band stuff and being, you know, in and out of rock bands or trip hop bands and working with producers, to being a sound therapist and holistic voice coach. It's like I feel like I've kind of gone full circle. I'm still on this journey with my voice, full circle. I'm still on this journey with my voice and, yeah, to be able to share it with others is so important Because it's, I think, probably one of what I've realized is one of the biggest blocks that people have is the voice, and even though I was singing, I was still coming from this performative kind of place and still not being able to speak up with certain things or in relationships and not being able to say what I needed to say.

Charlene Huskinson:

So it was like a whole yeah, it's been a whole journey and sort of realisation of what we know when we're children and coming really back to that and playing and making sounds and allowing ourselves to make sounds, we are told to be quiet all the time. In many ways, even yawning, it's like shameful to oh. You're like, oh, someone does that. They're like, oh, be quiet. You know, don't you?

Charlene Huskinson:

want too loud, that's loud, a bit obnoxious. So you know, it's like coming back to you know, even babies, if you think about how babies make the sounds, and what's the first thing that we come out of the womb when we scream and we make sound, and then we kind of forget how to do that and how important it is for us to to tap into that and then using the voice as a tool for self-expression and healing and how we can, you know, really work with that, to tune into what we need, even on a physical level. So yeah, it's wild, this journey with the voice and what unfolds.

Amanda Parker:

So I hear a couple of things from what you're sharing. One is really about sound and one is about voice, and they also seem to be quite different.

Amanda Parker:

Like it feels like a different energy If I think of sound and I think of like you're also like editing sound, you know, this is also like this element of hearing things and listening and paying attention to the nuance is so deeply ingrained in who you are and what you do. And voice I mean we're talking about your physical voice, like what you actually hear, but finding your voice expressing vocally like you know, especially as entrepreneurs or businesswomen or healers, things like that you know you're still finding who you are. That's how I think of it. When I'm hearing you talk about voice, it's like the sounds you make, but also like who are you? What message are you sharing with the world? What are you standing for?

Charlene Huskinson:

Because it is vibration, isn't it? And it's our essence. And when we're making these sounds or communicating, it's like how do we want to show up? And we want to be in our authentic self. We want to be authentic when we express ourselves. And how do we find that? You know, how do we explore that?

Charlene Huskinson:

And the using the voice is what we're all doing every day, day in, day out, even if it is writing an email, because that's a voice, that's an expression. You know, you've got the voice in your head as you're writing the email. It's the same, it's a vibration. We want to be ourselves, don't we?

Charlene Huskinson:

But it is tricky because we've got lots of conditioning that we have to undo belief systems and all of the stuff that we have to unpick. But first we need to learn and understand our own instrument. It's stuff that we have to unpick, but first we need to learn and understand our own instrument. It's an instrument that brings stuff to life. What's in ourselves will come through and we speak it to being. And so how do we, where do we start with that? And I think it's just getting to know your instrument.

Charlene Huskinson:

And how does it sound? Like not, we're not talking really about necessarily about singing. So it's like that self discovery, like who is making that sound? What is that sound within me? What does it want to say? You know, like you know, people say, oh, you know, hear those whispers, and then I was ignoring it and then it became louder. It louder, it's like what is that? That's our voice, and so I see singing and sounding as our soul. Singing and sounding it's our voice, our voices, our soul's expression. We kind of shut it down, so it's like how do we tap into that? And there's loads of beautiful ways of of working with that and I think, ultimately, it's working with joy and tapping into that side of stuff, like it doesn't have to be.

Charlene Huskinson:

I think that's what's so beautiful about the voice. It's not. You know, there's breath, work and there's all these beautiful deep practices and this is deep in a different way. I feel like people really can connect to this beautiful joy and pleasure and they walk out of a session and they're like whoa, like they just feel alive. I think it just lights up every cell in your body and you're literally buzzing when you're singing. I don't know if you've ever been in a choir, or even if you're singing, you know in the shower. You know, whatever it is it does, it can lighten your mood and we always, you know, if we sing with our friends, if we're out, you know it's like it's it feels good. There's so many layers to the voice and really it's just coming back to and finding our own sound and our own frequency.

Amanda Parker:

So I know that there's a lot of traditions and people that I know who have also practiced chanting, and that wasn't something I like. I wasn't familiar with what chanting was specifically, aside from maybe doing it without like real intention or knowing that that's what I was doing, but I was recently, so I really love Rebecca Campbell's work, so she's an author and spiritual teacher and she was talking about kirtan, which is a method of chanting in, I think, hinduism if I'm not screwing this up, yeah.

Amanda Parker:

And I know she's recorded a few, basically chants of her own that are on Spotify and I started listening to those sometime last year and just singing along and like the power of being able to use your voice freely, without judgment. It's so simple, the lyrics are really easy. It's not about that, it's not about getting the right pitch or anything, it's just there's such deep meditation in being able to sing and it's like a part of me, it feels like that. I just haven't used maybe ever, or like in decades yeah, chanting is is so powerful.

Charlene Huskinson:

You basically given the brain something to do, because it's always going.

Amanda Parker:

What's so good so?

Charlene Huskinson:

it's like here you go, here's some words, brain, mind, mind, here's some words, mind, say those words and it's easy, it's predictable, it knows what it needs to do, and so it's like cool, it's like happy you know it's so funny.

Amanda Parker:

You say that because I did, like before I knew how to meditate. I mean, whether I know now or not, you know we can debate that, but ago I was doing like a Deepak, chopra and Oprah 21 day meditation and he was offering I don't remember what it's called, but it was like a mantra you know a word you say when you're breathing in, a word you say when you're breathing out, and it just like. Then I could do the meditation, I could calm my mind, I could be in it. Now, listening to you, I understand why. Why, yeah?

Charlene Huskinson:

and you're literally just giving the mind something to do and you know, and then also with those ancient mantras that you know there's, there's the intention. So they like say intention plus sound equals healing. So you're making that sound and then many, many people have sung that mantra. It's got that meaning, it's got that intention. So it's like they say that it's even more powerful because so many people have sung it over the years.

Charlene Huskinson:

And so it really is like you're really embodying that power and that sound, of that intention that was set when it first was made.

Amanda Parker:

Oh, my God, I never thought of that. Thank you for bringing that in. I never even considered that places that you go hold that kind of emotional or spiritual resonance because so many people have gone there for that purpose of prayer or healing or whatever it is. I never even considered that with mantra or sound.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, it's so powerful. That's why we have to be really mindful about what we're listening to.

Amanda Parker:

Yeah.

Charlene Huskinson:

Because it's like you know, the Western music is great, but you know I do love a good old pop song, as we all do and stuff. But you know, like I'm a little bit more mindful, I'm like, hmm, I don't know about those lyrics because you know I'm a little bit more mindful. I'm like I don't know about about those lyrics because you know I'm gonna kill you, right. But you know, like it's not, it's not the great, greatest thing to say over and over again, because they are mantras. Like you're singing other people's songs over and over and over again. What is the message?

Amanda Parker:

behind that? And now that you're saying it, what's the energy that was in the song as it was created, like, okay, this is like mind-blowing to me now so tell me more what does it look like so when someone's coming in, for you know voice sound healing. What is it that you're actually doing together?

Charlene Huskinson:

so there's two ways of I of work and obviously the person can do both, depending on what's kind of going on and what their goals are. So my teachings at the College of Sound Healing was sound healing with the voice. So a person would come in and they would lay on a couch you know a massage bed and I would, so I don't know if you've. You do reiki, so it's a similar thing as I ooh over people, so that's the way I describe it. So it's like a. It's a sonic massage, so I don't actually touch anyone, but I'll read the energy with my voice by toning, so I would scan the body, then ooh, so it'd be like and I would then intuitively read or feel different places where there's energy, either stuck or I'd get like a um, a message that there needs to be something there and moved or whatever. And then you go in and you can you actually put the frequency in into those. So say, if I had a bad knee or if that came up or if there was, you felt that there was a block on their back or something like that, you would just tone into those areas. So there's a basic sound healing and then there would be sound healing up where it's like cleaning the energy. You're going up the scale and you're kind of like combing the energy field and cleaning it, and then you come down and so I'm doing that with my voice. But then we can also do that together and use our own voices.

Charlene Huskinson:

You can work with pain in a way where if someone because everything has frequency we can tap in. So if you had a painful wrist, I would get you to fill into that pain and then make the sound. What does that sound like? And it's the frequency because we are vibration. You would tap in.

Charlene Huskinson:

I mean, I've done this myself and it's just like, well, when I was training, what do you mean? And then you're like and then I would make the sound with you which sounds crazy, um, and then you put in, so you've acknowledged that, and then you basically tone into that with what you want it to be. So you tune it up, so your body knows its own codes. Your body and your soul knows what its homeostasis, what it wants to be. It doesn't want to be out of balance, and so it will always want to be in pure frequency, or you know, like it. So it knows, it hears the, the pure tone, and it will entrain to that. And so then you, it's like a guitar or a piano, you're tuning your body up with sound. So that's one way of you. I use my voice.

Amanda Parker:

And just to check in then, because you mentioned Reiki, which is something I'm familiar with.

Amanda Parker:

I don't know if the listeners all are, but there was an episode. Go back in time and essentially, with Reiki, you'd be moving your hands through the body, you're channeling energy that's coming through you and you would feel if there's like a block of energy or if the flow is not really flowing, and then the practitioner would use their intuition to get a better understanding of what needs to move or what needs to be done. So, from what I'm hearing from you, you're using you as a practitioner, you're using your voice to actually move over the body and, on the one hand, you're getting intuitive messages about what's happening. On the other, would your voice actually change if you reach a block? Would?

Amanda Parker:

there be something that's different.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, which is really funny, Okay. So sometimes it wobbles, it goes, and I'm like well, what the hell?

Charlene Huskinson:

You know I have to get to know these things, or my voice would crack or it go out of tune, or there's like there's a heat or coldness that will come back, but there's like a communication what's going on with the energy body. But yeah, it's really interesting. Sometimes my amazing teacher from the College of Sound Hill in Alexandra would say like, basically, you know, our stuff can get in the way. So it's like if you're in an area and it's wobbling, come out. If it's not wobbling, then it's them, but if it's still wobbling when you're out, then it might be something that you're projecting or whatever.

Amanda Parker:

So because I've I've had quite often, even on the podcast, and I've heard it. Um, maybe others have. Probably you've probably picked up on it because you know my voice so well by now. There's moments where, like there's like a frog in my throat and I like I'm almost losing my voice and I have to like clear and drink water. And it's so funny because I'm not always fully aware if it's mine, if it's's theirs, like I'm still trying to feel in when it's like okay, what's going on?

Amanda Parker:

here is this something that? That's really like tapping into something for me, but I guess that's also a part of what you're listening to. Does it work that way as well? Is, I guess, what I'm asking. If you're talking to someone, can you hear just from the tone of their voice you can something's out yeah, you can, and there is actually like math, like studies that go into this in more depth.

Charlene Huskinson:

Um, and then I think it was there's a book called toning and she goes into this as well. I forget the author. I'll have to give you the the details after um, and where certain voices would then be linked to certain diseases. So if a person had a certain tone in their voice or their high pitch or whatever, they would have like cancer, for example, or heart disease or whatever it was. It's our imprint, because we're holding so much stuff there. It's it's like an imprint to what could potentially happen if you don't work with that block.

Amanda Parker:

It's funny Cause I'll notice it also depending who I'm speaking to, and so, depending how comfortable I am or how grounded or whatever, if I'm nervous or I'm like intimidated, totally different voice.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, 100%. It's like it changes so much and, you know, I think it's because it's the voice there's always, and it's such a broad topic, you're never going to be like cool in every single area of the voice. I'm like I'm singing, doing this stuff, but then I'm like, oh, I'm have to speak in front of people about something and I'm like, oh, you know, but it's like I'm still working on these things as well, but it's just different parts of of the voice well, I would rather say that's why you're doing the work you're doing like we're literally always doing the work that we most want and need.

Charlene Huskinson:

So, yeah, and to feel that tracks it makes sense, yeah, yep.

Charlene Huskinson:

So I think it's always that like acknowledging, okay, is that mine, or maybe that is a part of mine, and then realize, okay, cool, do I have that? Is that going on? Yeah, I remember doing a sound and yoga and sound session with my um, the teacher shruti, and she was like I'm going to do this session about the, about the voice and the, the throat chakra, and the whole session is going to be about the throat chakra. Love it, let's go through the chakras. So when I get to the singing part, I went oh, oh, oh.

Charlene Huskinson:

And there was so much that happened to me in that split second of like. I was like what is going on with my voice? Like I couldn't control it, and I was like but then my ego was going don't sing again, don't sing another note, it's terrible, everyone's. You know the judgment and that all happens. And I was like, oh no, I'm carrying on. And I carried on and it cleared up. But I was like, what the hell? You know? It was like maybe a collective throat thing that I was also feeling in that moment and maybe helping clear certain things. But I was like, okay, okay, spirit team, can we not make me sound like shit?

Amanda Parker:

I'd like to sound pretty now.

Charlene Huskinson:

Thank you, you know we don't need to do that, but I remember, um, you know, then I remember my teaching, like when you know when we're going through stuff it's gonna, um, sometimes wobble, there's stuff that will move and there are edges as well, like when we're practicing vocal training. You're not going to be perfect in every area. You have to train and understand your instrument. You know where, where are the edges, where does it go? Okay, how does that sound there and how do I get over those? You know that into that high note smoother, it's really feeling comfortable with all of it.

Amanda Parker:

Yeah, I mean so definitely. I understand that because it happens for me all the time. When I'm like coaching or in any healing work, I do that like the people who come in are always my mirror.

Charlene Huskinson:

Hmm.

Amanda Parker:

Some way more than others. Like some clients, I'm really like, do we have to go through this together? Like come on. But there's always so much learning because the wisdom that comes out of me in those moments and I'm like, ah, no shit, you know, like I know this, I actually know how to respond to this differently. So there's the wisdom there and honestly, just with the throat it's whenever I do healing work or I'm in like a group and kind of tuning into that energy, it's always the throat. Yeah, I mean, it's always like that's and I always have to check in Is this mine? Is this mine? Because it comes up for me all the time, but sometimes it's not specifically mine, it's just you feel this heaviness or this block of people, like really unable to speak or move through. What those blocks are.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, and if you think about when you're going, when you're feeling emotional, like this is what's coming to mind like when you're feeling emotional and you're trying to suppress that emotion and you're like this is not the right time to be bawling your eyes out, feel that pain that you have in your throat, the, the lump. We're doing that all the time. There's so much constriction in that area and when we look at the vocal cords, it's like a little, it's like bones in a little trampoline. There's like those are muscles that are around these bones that help everything come together and you can just imagine if all that attention you can't speak.

Charlene Huskinson:

The best place to start was, you know, really getting to know your voice is it's just humming and and like it doesn't need to be anything, or even like mantras, you know, and coming away from that good and bad, and like you've got the Simon Cowell's and. But that's something else entirely. You know, this is not what we're talking about. It's like we really need to come back to just learning our instrument and what. What does what's, what do we?

Amanda Parker:

sound like. So you mentioned that there is this one particular way that people can work with you, which sounds extremely fascinating. What is the second way? There was something else up your sleeve, another trick.

Charlene Huskinson:

You say how you help people so that's the the therapy side of stuff. And then, yeah, working with the voice. I mainly start with um toning, so that's just the vowels, um, like I would use a shruti box and we would sit there and connect in with our essence and then just make like small sounds and start with and getting to know that and feeling comfortable, because I want to create this space where people can explore their voice in a safe way, where there's no judgment. It's not about sounding good. We're not learning any songs at that point. You know that would be later on down the road.

Charlene Huskinson:

Most people really would like to sing a song. You know, people enjoy singing songs and they want to feel that they they do that in confidence and with confidence. It's about coming back to the basics of, okay, feeling really silly and make sounds and and doing like little exercises and that's bring some like vocal exercises in and then, yeah, it would just literally be toning and and coming into into that and seeing then what comes up, what are the blocks, what are the judgments that you're feeling, and then we can work with those. Are they true? You know? Is that what's happening? I think there's always like tears at the beginning. It's normally like oh my god, I've waited so long to connect to that part of me. And then it's like wow, there's a joy in that and also a sadness, because you're like why have I waited so long?

Amanda Parker:

well, I know in some trainings that I've done so, specifically in these shamanic trainings that I do here in London or that I participate in and you're connecting to different guides that you have, and there's always a moment where our teacher will have us dance and then sing and vocalize and that is like paralyzing for me.

Amanda Parker:

It is I don't know what to say.

Amanda Parker:

I'm like I don't know what they would sound like, as though I need to sound like the imaginary, imaginary we can talk about that later but as though I need to sound about like this imaginary thing that I've created and now I need to actually sound like that thing. And so there's so much judgment and I listen to others and I remember bringing it up in a recent workshop it was probably a few months back now just like I don't know how to vocalize, like I don't know what to do, and every time it comes up in a group setting or a healing setting yeah, just make noise, don't worry about it. I like, I'm like, oh shit, I need a song, or I want to like think about a thing, or I need like really thinking, like I need to have this prepared for the next time, because it's so scary to just not as a song, to just make a sound, to just bring it out and bring your voice out and be I don't know if it's even proud or just like not afraid yeah, to do that it's very vulnerable.

Charlene Huskinson:

You're opening something that you're not used to doing and like you're like this this could sound really bad and people could judge me for it, and you know, then when you track back, it could have been like a teacher they're saying or like even just like people just saying, oh, will you just be quiet? You know as a kid so there's either someone that said something like oh, you don't sound good. You know, most of the time it's that and you're like just think of this lovely little child singing a song, even if they sound like a bit off. It's like why do you have to say that to this child? You know it's like just encourage them because, yeah, so somewhere along the line there's been something like that and yeah, I think that own, you have to feel the fear and do it anyway, like there's no way around it, but there is small baby steps.

Charlene Huskinson:

Om is a really good one to start with, because everyone knows that it's familiar. Most people are kind of like okay, I know what an om is if they're in the wellness industry and they're like okay, cool, I can do that. I can do an om at the end of yoga session. You know, exploring those things. I remember they were like, oh, be a bird. You know, like I was doing this voice thing. It's like okay, now let's all just be a crazy bird. It's like, okay, I went to the naked voice by Chloe Goodchild is, yeah, and it was a workshop and she would start off the whole session of everyone kind of singing their, their name, like Charlene, and they go to the next person.

Charlene Huskinson:

But, uh, you know, like even these, the people that have probably been to many of these sound sessions, they're still like um, and they're like, oh, my god, it's coming closer to me as it's coming around the room.

Charlene Huskinson:

You know, even I feel, I think sometimes it's like we assume that or people that know their voice they're I'll sing, or whatever. It's like I think we're all in the same boat and I think when we start remembering that, we all feel like shit, it's coming closer to us, it's coming closer to me. I'm going to have to make a sound. Yeah, I think it's just really it's just exploring those sounds and I think, starting with the vowels and yeah, you know, like what does it sound like? If I, if, if it's in my nose out here, or like you, can do lip bubbles like things like that and it kind of just eases you into that. It's being playful with it, I think, as kids you know, I think my mum would tell me off because I'd make like random noises all the time but all kids do and then I realized it was a vocal exercise, which is really funny.

Amanda Parker:

When I was older I've just been preparing for my role my whole life.

Charlene Huskinson:

So, yeah, I think, I think it's always going to feel really vulnerable and you just have to try and slowly kind of go into it and not find your edge, but not go too far.

Amanda Parker:

So I'm also wondering, because I know you said before that you were in rock bands, so were you a singer? Is this something that you have loved, that you've been using your voice and yeah, so.

Charlene Huskinson:

I mean gosh. I sung as a kid, but to anyone that I'd like listen, Except your mom who was like please stop.

Charlene Huskinson:

Well, she told me to stop most of the time because the kids were asleep. Um, one story that she did say to me, when I think I must have been about seven and she was, she was upset and I said oh, mom, I can sing you a song to make you happy, which I was like oh, so I think it. You know it started there. I could use sound or voice to to lift your spirit. So you know, being a seven-year-old, you know you're connected to that more, aren't you? So?

Charlene Huskinson:

And then in my teens, I didn't really want to sing to anyone because it was. I was in my teens and it was like the judgment. Then, a friend, it was quite funny, I would only sing in front of a few different people. Like that I trusted and I'd practice on my own. And then, um, she recorded me without me knowing and then she showed me and I was like, huh, actually that's not too bad. I wasn't, I wasn't, I wasn't horrified by it. Um, and then she sneaked the tape and showed someone else and I was like, no, don't. And then I was like, okay, that's not a bad reaction.

Charlene Huskinson:

So, even though I was still quite nervous about it, I was sort of pushing my edges slowly and then eventually I joined a band and then it kind of went from there, um, but I was always nervous before I went on stage and I always used to feel like when will I be in my essence, of like being on stage? When will I get to that point, you know, like of feeling so like embodied. Now I understand what that was I was yearning for and, um although know it was always so much tension around it of perfection, and then coming away from it for a few years and then coming back to it in a completely different way. I can do that now, and that's through the holistic approach, because I've kind of taken away or sort of like removing those judgments and realizing that I'm trying to be me, not anyone else. I'm not trying to sound like anyone else, what's my sound? And so, in that I can then be me. I mean, I still obviously have those things. I'm like, oh, and I'm like, no, this is my voice.

Amanda Parker:

And like working with that. I think that's.

Amanda Parker:

It's just a great story, also to remind me and just reflect on how often I've had stage fright, even when I'm in my element you know, when I've facilitated workshops like I, I literally do nothing more naturally than like facilitating groups and conversations and all of this it's totally mine, I love it and still the nervousness that comes with doing it and the judgment or the criticism or whatever comes along with that. So for you that vessel is through your voice, for me that's through whatever the other thing is like. So all of us just have that and the thing that we're doing, even if it comes naturally or we're exceptional at it, it doesn't mean all those other life stories and limiting beliefs don't rise to the surface.

Charlene Huskinson:

In the moment we're like standing up to shine yeah, yeah, exactly, and I'm still like in doing that now, like, yeah, being on the podcast and, and you know, just stepping out in into doing more of those stuff and holding space. Um, yeah, it's like you know, do people want to hear what I've got to say? Or, you know, the, the, but it's like, I think, when we realize it's like everyone feels the same yeah and which kind of makes things feel a little bit easier?

Amanda Parker:

it's. It's also, I have to say, because this has been happening to me more and more recently like I guess it also depends what's your real intention or your real goal behind doing some of the things that you're doing?

Amanda Parker:

I'm not speaking just to you, charlene, just the general you, and to myself, because I've had a few times over the last few weeks that I've like noticed very clearly that things that used to make me so effing nervous that I'd be like full of anxiety, that I can just show up and do it now in very different areas of my life and I'm noticing something like wait, where's all that fear, adrenaline, anxiety, and like I want to throw up. You know why isn't that here too? So it's really noticeable and I'm like this is what this can feel like. Like are you kidding? I can just show up and be like okay with this, what?

Charlene Huskinson:

I said to my friend, like when you regulate, you know getting to regulate in your nervous system right, like when you start regulating yourself in that way and you, you know, I think you've done a lot of work and you've moved through a lot of those things and you can talk to those parts of yourself and you've, I think you've done a lot of work and you've moved through a lot of those things and you can talk to those parts of yourself and you've done that. I'm like, I feel like a psychopath. Am I a psychopath?

Charlene Huskinson:

it's just like you know what's going on, we really laugh because I'm like whoa, like those things that, would you know, make me feel, feel so like whoa, they're not, they're not there. And it's just like whoa, like what you're saying, like, oh, this is so nice.

Amanda Parker:

I know like wait, this is how I can feel. Okay, sign me up.

Charlene Huskinson:

Like gliding through stuff, like with with ease and grace, you know, yeah, and it comes back to whatever you're doing, you're using your voice, it's you know speaking up and speaking. You know what you want to share, and how do we say it in a beautiful, concise way? I think, the more we kind of get rid of these things, it comes out and it's there and it's you know, I mean I edit your podcast and I'm like that's so good, you're so good at this, my biggest supporter.

Amanda Parker:

Honestly. Whenever you message me and you're like Amanda, wow, and I'm like, oh, thank god she likes it, I'm like I must have hit some nail on some head with this one, yeah.

Charlene Huskinson:

I mean, I think it's like, you know, listening to all of the different podcasts that you've done about the healers and stuff, the main message is coming back to yourself and then we give permission to others to do the same. So it's like if I'm showing up and singing, you know, then other people are like oh, I, I really I want to do that, or they just it will light something up in them that they want to do something, you know. So it's like us showing up helps other people to go. Oh, it's even possible, you know, yeah.

Amanda Parker:

Well, I love that you're helping people literally find their voice and to use their voice and to find ways that feel comfortable, where they don't feel ashamed, or that they can just express themselves in this well, not really new way, but it is maybe a new way for many of us without having to be afraid. And whether they choose to use it or not anything else doesn't matter it's that you have one more tool at your disposal that helps you connect to yourself and helps you express yourself and feel grounded. It's, it's it feels really powerful, like a really powerful way to connect with yourself and be able to share yourself, also in the world.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, 100%. I did a human design. I've got to say this the human design, I'm a generator.

Amanda Parker:

I think you are too right, yeah same.

Charlene Huskinson:

So, but one of the really interesting things that came from that and also my training came from that, um and also um, my training was finding your, um, hearing your sounds that your body makes before you speak the words. So I think it's so important because then that's the connection our body is always communicating with us, but we miss it because we're so busy in our minds and again, it's our sounds. So it's like you know, asking someone a question, or yes and no, you know, do you like ice cream or would you like ice cream? It's like you know yeah, okay, you know like yeah, yeah, sure, but it's like you're not really saying yes, you're saying you don't know, oh my god, yes, I want that exactly.

Charlene Huskinson:

It's like this when you're interested in something, just listening to those sounds that we make and then it become really obvious. Now, when you're doing it.

Charlene Huskinson:

You're like oh but that means that you're interested in it, that means that your body wants it, it means that your whole being is oh, it lights you up, whereas there's some things that contract and it's like, but you feel like you should be saying yes when you should, when really your body's saying no, and so that's also how we can use our sounds and getting to know our sounds through that as well.

Amanda Parker:

So this brings up a question for me, because I just this has been on my mind a lot. I've been teaching it, to be honest, but I'm still finding my way to my own answer about yes and no. How do you find yes and no within yourself?

Charlene Huskinson:

I find it in how my body feels um. My yeses feel expansive and it feels like this opening and my nose feel okay and I make noise.

Amanda Parker:

Do you want ice cream?

Charlene Huskinson:

yeah, and I've always been very vocal with, with, yeah, I've always used my sounds, but I've never tapped into them and that was like beautiful. I was like wow. So I've really been practicing that because it goes in with what I'm doing as well, and I think when you start observing it, you'll then start realizing what your yeses are and how it feels in the body. Um, everyone's going to be slightly different to how it feels. I'm very um in the moment. I feel, feel it, feel it. Some people might be ah, I don't know, but it's like taking your time with it and if you don't know, I think it's always can I get back to you? I think that's the important thing is is saying can I get back to you on that? Can I let you know in a couple of days.

Amanda Parker:

When people do that, I'm always like what you can do that? Like really there's. There's one woman I know in particular, she's also a healer, and when we have a conversation she'll be like yeah, okay, I'm gonna think about that and I'm like like really floored that someone does not give into immediacy culture of like I, I need the answer right now and I'm like, wow, okay, and for me, I think sometimes it really is just I know right away, like I feel it, but also I guess just as often it's like actually I'm gonna need to think about it, like I really don't know, and because there's probably a lot of stories going on in my mind about like I should say yes or this would be good, or who knows that that cloud my judgment and also is it?

Charlene Huskinson:

am I saying no out of fear? Yeah, I think you said that, um, probably many a times, but it is that um, am I saying and feeling like, oh, you know what's the difference between my oh, I don't want to do it because I'm out of my comfort zone, or am I? This is not for me? What's the difference between those things? And I think that is literally when we start finding and being our authentic selves and wanting to explore our inner worlds with these wonderful modalities and singing and sounding, it's like you can. You can feel what it feels like viscerally, what it feels like when you're lit up you know, and excited.

Charlene Huskinson:

So then you've got like you know you can measure stuff against that, you've got something to refer it to. I have a reference, because otherwise, if you don't have any references, you don't know your ass from your elbow. That's the saying, guys.

Amanda Parker:

You don't know where to start as I say so yeah, so what kind of healing would you say is possible through working with a voice?

Charlene Huskinson:

Well, there's one, just overall joy, I think, which then leads to beautiful oxytocin release, which we know does so many beautiful things, which is the cuddle hormone, and then that helps with pain and I think it's called nitric oxide, which also helps support, or one of the things is the cardiovascular and blood flow. So it does all these beautiful things in the body. That's just to name a few things. I think for me as a child child, when I look back and looked at um, all of the healing things when I was doing sound healing with a voice, I realized I was actually doing that and that was how I processed my emotions as a child. There was lots of big things that were going on in my life. Um, during, you know, when I was like nine, my sister passed away and so there was like lots of real big, heavy emotions. That a child, how do you hold that? So I feel like now, when I look back, I realized that I was moving and I was processing my emotions through singing and through through dance. That's healing in itself. So, helping you sort of tap into those things sound and music and singing if you want to feel an emotion like you can put on a sad track and you can then feel the heartbreak, but sometimes you don't allow yourself to feel it. It helps you feel into those things, those heavier things, and I feel like it holds that and supports it, and so we can allow ourselves to process and to cry. And the same goes for like when we're happy or we want to lift our mood. If you listen to a happy song or more of an energetic song, you know there's been studies where it helps people with their mindset, hence why fighters might go out and play a certain song and you're like, fill that energy, like whoa, ok, they're going to do their thing. And athletes and helping their performance. So there's so many things that sound and the voice can do.

Charlene Huskinson:

I know on my own experience. I was dealing with a lot of pain in the body and, and so I really really, really honed in and this is like the work that I've been doing over the last two years and realizing how that it it's. Your voice is connected to your vagus nerve, which is then going to regulate your nervous system. And we know that a nice regulated nervous system, or one that you can start building the window of tolerance so you can deal with the stresses in life Singing and vocalizing helps you get into that state. The more we're in that state, the more our body can heal, because our body wants to heal. We just need to put it in the right environment, and these tools and practices help us get our body into that environment for then it to be able to do its beautiful work and the body's wisdom knows what it needs to do, and then it will do it.

Charlene Huskinson:

I'm still on that journey, but I haven't had, I think, my proper day in, day out, working at the studio doing sound, really dedicating myself to this was like properly, um, fully, like a year and a half ago, like I was like, right, this is my calling. I know that I've been doing this stuff for a long time, but like really really properly stepping into it. And yeah, I've been pain this stuff for a long time, but like really really properly stepping into it. And yeah, I've been pain free for nearly a year, wow.

Amanda Parker:

So it's like that was great. So many things have come into alignment just from knowing you personally as well, like you're sitting in this gorgeous studio. So if anyone's in London, the space in Clapham common, um, it's yeah, run by Charlene and Lily. It's just this stunning. Um, the energy in that room is so powerful and grounding.

Amanda Parker:

There's plants everywhere. It's beautiful. I think that came in at the same time that you really started, let's say, taking yourself more seriously as a sound healer and I know you're also doing other healing podcasts as well. That's what I understand. So it sounds like this has started all coming in together and shocking. You're pain free.

Charlene Huskinson:

I know it's crazy, yeah, and that was a journey and that again like that's. It's. There's a lot to talk about there, but we don't need to go into loads of stuff there, but it's. It really is also like you know, that mindset of I think, the way I the where, how I got into that situation was not how I was getting out, and that was the message, and I was like I have to change something. And that's when you know, when you're talking about the body and following your heart and following that, yes, it was like I need to follow my, yes, I need to, and that was it. So it's like following those sounds and really, really tapping in and tuning in, because I was doing it for for a while, but then it was just like I feel like it was a healing crisis, so I feel like it was one of those.

Amanda Parker:

Oh boy. So for anyone who's listening, who would like to either learn more about this method or work with you. Where should they look? How do they get in touch?

Charlene Huskinson:

So yeah, instagram, charlene Songbird, and then my website, charlenehuskinsoncom, and all the information's there. Send me a message and we can take it from there what your needs are.

Amanda Parker:

And so people can work with you either remotely or in person, or is it primarily in person?

Charlene Huskinson:

I think in person for the first couple of sessions and then we could take it remotely, so get yourselves over to London.

Amanda Parker:

You're not gonna want to miss this.

Charlene Huskinson:

I can do it remotely but it is always nice if possible yeah, well, that's.

Amanda Parker:

I think that's important. You know that people know, because I mean the space that you do it in also is really beautiful and and if you want to have this experience that there's that option to reach out like, is there anything if people want to learn more about it or train themselves? Is there any resources or schools or things?

Charlene Huskinson:

I know you mentioned where you had trained, but anything like that that you'd recommend yeah, I mean there's the college of sound, which is great and that's the sound healing with the voice. And then there is like a few resources. It's called the Humming Effect. That's a really good, easy read to sort of go through sound healing for health and happiness. And Jonathan Goldman he's pretty big in the sound healing community, so that's a really cool book. And the Naked Voice, chloe Goodchild. When I picked up this book I was just like I couldn't stop reading.

Amanda Parker:

I've got a picture like that sitting right here too, as on the cover of the book, so I'll take that sync. Thank you.

Charlene Huskinson:

She's got some really beautiful practices in there. I've done a couple of her like um courses as well, um so that could be a nice way of like exploring, um, your voice.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, so those are the things, and I would also, you know, recommend anyone to sort of you know, get on a, put on a track and sing your favorite songs, or even if it's like a meditation track, you can put that on so no one can hear you, so you can feel a little bit more supported and hum along, make up whatever Doesn't it could just be one note for five minutes and see how it feels. I always feel that the body is like vibrating after.

Amanda Parker:

Is there any advice that you might give to someone or who's just starting, or maybe you even would have liked to know this when you were just starting?

Charlene Huskinson:

What would I say to someone? Yeah, the way you got in to certain situations is not the way you're getting out, and so you have to make changes. Otherwise there is this push-pull thing that's going to happen until you like, really commit to, like I don't want that anymore. Um, and then things change and it and it and taking baby steps with this stuff, because I think, even if, when you're on this journey, if you're coming wanting to train in this stuff, or if it's just for personal growth, yeah, it's just being kind of yourself, you know yeah I think that's really important.

Amanda Parker:

But yeah, change is required and embracing so powerful, especially as we're in the change of seasons, the eclipse season, the equinox coming up. Probably when this releases we'll be past the equinox, but you'll still be feeling the effects of it, so definitely trusting that those changes are for the best if you want your life to feel differently.

Charlene Huskinson:

Yeah, yeah, be with joy and sing and find a choir you know I'm gonna go chant after this call after this episode is recorded. I'm just gonna hang up and start singing yeah, explore and try it.

Amanda Parker:

You know well now I know that you can help my voice sound better, so I'm keeping that one in mind too. So thank you so much for joining today and sharing all of your wisdom and insight and, yeah, really beautiful storytelling as well. Oh, thank you so much for having me and, to everyone who's listening, thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of Don't Step on the Blue Bells, and I'll see you next time. Thanks for tuning in to today's episode of Don't Step on the Blue Bells. If you enjoyed this conversation, please give the podcast a five-star rating wherever you listen, and don't forget to hit subscribe and follow along so you never miss a new episode.

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