You love your art and you have big dreams for your career.
Also true: You’ve talked yourself out of opportunities that could have been amazing because you were too afraid to put yourself out there.
You’ve worked hard, spending hours practising, trying to perfect every aspect of your technique and performance – but you still feel nervous and full of self-doubt when it’s time to go on stage.
No one else talks about experiencing the panic or dread that you feel, but you learnt the hard way that nerves come with the job. Especially when the stakes are high.
So you keep going, either accepting the nerves as inevitable or hoping they’ll lessen over time (but they don’t) - which turns practice sessions into chores and performances into things you dread.
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That’s not how making art should be.
Let me help you get the ​joy of making music back.
I specialise in supporting musicians who want to ​feel confident in their abilities and hard-gained skills and ​stop worrying about every single thing that might go wrong.
If you’ve come this far, maybe you’ve tried a few things to ‘get over’ or ‘get through’ your nerves, fears, and inner criticism.
Things like…
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Taking more lessons, perfecting your technique, spending hours in the practice room daily (but the problem is not that your musicianship is not good enough.)
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Trying meditation, yoga, herbal aids to calm down, but their calming effects do not translate to your performances.
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Giving talk therapy or hypnosis a shot, but even if they result in some success, they take a while to be effective for performance anxiety and fail to make a big impact in the long run.
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Looking into positive psychology and repeating affirmations in the mirror, but find that these leave you feeling even worse because there is a part of you that simply refuses to believe you are good enough.
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Trying visualisation, ‘record & critique’, desensitisation through frequent performance… but without a clear intentional goal, these do not necessarily improve one’s confidence or performances.
The fact is, even if we are well-prepared in terms of musicianship, the stress of touring, performing 8 shows a week, hidden competition among colleagues and the harsh criticism from others take a toll on our wellbeing in the long run. When you pile on perfectionism, fear of judgement, past mistakes, and wrapping up your worth in your artistic identity… every small mistake becomes an attack on yourself.
And we are not taught the mental health and resilience tools to manage this.
In 6 years of teaching, I’ve seen my students struggle with this again and again.
Over the years, I’ve developed a framework to help them handle nerves, self-criticism, fear and dread so they can give their best performances (and enjoy it again).
My framework includes 3 key components:
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Mindfulness for present moment awareness so you are free to make choices on the spot,
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Authentic self work based on your Personality Type, Interaction Styles™, Essential Motivators™ and Jungian Archetypes to draw out your values so you can take intentional actions towards them,
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Awareness and self-compassion work to notice your thoughts and detach from them, so you can be free from self-criticism and stop talking yourself out of opportunities.
So much of what I do is behind-the-scenes: Mindfulness, managing unwanted emotions, values clarification, goal-setting for valued actions, inner critic and shadow work, perfectionism, practice habits, self-kindness, lifestyle review for stress management…
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It’s so much more than performance anxiety coaching.
This is the inner work that is missing from most performing arts education. These are also the skills to to live your life well.
How This Works
Where: Fully online over Zoom.
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When: Twice monthly 90-minute calls, with flexible days and times to suit your busy schedule.
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How long: Minimum commitment of 3 months so we can get some traction from our efforts, but after that you can stay with me as long as you like or cancel any time.
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How much: £300 / month. Most clients prefer Paypal or credit card, but direct bank deposit is also possible.
Logistics
This package combines the most effective parts of
Acceptance & Commitment Training (ACT), mindfulness,
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), self-care and lifestyle reviews,
self-compassion techniques and Jungian coaching to help you
break free from anxiety, perfectionism and self-doubt.
What's Included
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Deep conversations with lots of stories, metaphors, evidence-based approaches and actionable exercises.
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A safe place to explore your core values and discover how you can bring more of your authentic self to your art and music.
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Practicing new skills or actions in session so you have a clear idea of how to apply the theory in your everyday life.
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100% confidentiality – no one needs to know about our work.
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Weekly handouts and/or worksheets, along with some doable mini homework.
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Recordings of mindfulness exercises based on your preferences.
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Email and instant message support during week days for accountability.
What's Not Included
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A one-size-fits-all approach (or a "single best way"). Each step of coaching is designed specifically for your goals, so every client has a unique journey honouring their individuality.
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Anything you are not interested in, or not willing to try. That's the benefit of having many tools at one's disposal, we can pick and choose what works best for you.
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Any kind of judgement or evaluation. Being totally yourself is supported and encouraged, as well as making mistakes!
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There are no repertoire suggestions, vocal technique feedback, or networking support.
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There are no pre-recorded educational videos. Everything is live in sessions.
You will leave each call with a new awareness, concrete tools and doable actions that are focused on living a more meaningful, kind and valued life while doing what you love.
Gökçe made me feel at ease from the very first session. She helped me step out of my comfort zone and improve as a performer. She explains everything clearly, really listened to my needs and wants as a singer, and my performance nerves depleted as the weeks went on.
I wish the programme didn't have to end as it has changed me for the better.
Gökçe is a professional, goes that extra mile and caters to your needs as a performer!
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— Rebecca L. (Actor & Singer)