The Norma G. Canner Foundation for Voice Movement Therapy

WHO WE ARE

The Norma G. Canner Foundation for Voice Movement Therapy, a not-for profit 501c3 organization, which promotes this work through an intensive training program, shorter classes, concert-demonstrations and special projects. Tax deductible funds and gifts are allocated through scholarships to enable highly motivated individuals, regardless of economic circumstance or geographical location, to attend the Voice Movement Therapy Training;  Singing the Psyche, and to carry out further work and study directly related to the discipline of Voice Movement Therapy (VMT.) All contributions and gifts to the Foundation go directly to the program, not buildings.

The Foundation Training is registered with both the Internal Revenue Service and the US Department of Immigration as a small training school, the purpose of which is to teach individuals to be practitioners of VMT, a creative discipline designed to be therapeutic and healing. We welcome applications from any individual, inclusive of race, religion, sexual or gender orientation, or other life issues, who has a strong commitment to train in this work and who is physically and emotionally ready to undergo an intense and demanding program. We do not discriminate in educational, programmatic or scholarship policies and all scholarships are need-based.  The International Association for Voice Movement Therapy (IAVMT) registers practitioners and oversees and promotes its code of ethics.

The name of the Foundation stems from its two sources of inspiration and the purpose for which it exists which is to facilitate the teaching of VMT in terms of the principles and practices set forth by its founder, Paul Newham, but in a more holistic and grounded way, as exemplified in the work of Norma Canner, ADTR, Prof. Emerita and pioneering Dance Movement and Expressive Therapist.

WHAT IS VOICE MOVEMENT THERAPY (VMT)?

VMT combines psychotherapeutic principles with breath-work, movement, imagery, a specific kind of massage to increase breathing capacity, song and improvisation, and seeks to explore the relationship of mind, body and spirit which make up the human condition. As the voice is the most direct means of approaching the material which resides inside each individual, through VMT the ability to use the voice expressively is expanded and we touch the depths of ourselves to encounter our potential and our release, finding a more conscious relation to ourselves.

VMT Training: Singing The Psyche

Every act of self-determination we make and every way we interact with others of different cultures, faiths, sexual or gender orientations, or simply different points of view, can be seen as a “political” act in that it affects the people with whom we live and work. How can increasing our knowledge and ability to use the range, versatility, power and passion of the human voice help us to express and clarify our own feelings and ideas and join with others to create inclusive communities?

This training will ground participants in the creative and therapeutic principles and practices of Voice Movement Therapy, including ways of dealing with differences among people by going beyond words to find common ground. Beginning with an exploration of our own voice and movement styles and habits, we will address the issues that arise individually and in the context of the group as a microcosm of the macrocosm, with the dual purpose of making us more aware and stronger in ourselves while developing interpersonal skills to take into the larger world.

For further information about the training school, admissions policy and scholarships, click here or contact Christine Isherwood, info@vmtuk.com.