What is Vocal Massage?
Vocal Massage (sometimes called Laryngeal Therapy, Vocal Manual Therapy, or Laryngeal Manipulation) aims to support optimum vocal health, including function and the vocal rehabilitation process.
Research on vocal massage is ever-growing and is further suggesting that manual therapy on the voice is a potentially vital tool for elite singers and professional voice users. Regular treatments may help identify early signs of vocal dysfunction or maladaptation and recalibrate your vocal mechanism to optimal condition, significantly reducing the likelihood of vocal injury.
Vocal massage can be performed by a number of qualified and insured specialists including Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, and Massage Therapists.
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To ensure that your treatment is as individualised and as safe as possible, we always begin a treatment process with an initial consultation. Click the link below to start your journey.
How We Work
We do not believe that there is a 'one size fits all' approach when it comes to vocal massage. What feels useful to one person may not feel useful to another. As much as we are experts in bodywork and manual therapy techniques, YOU are ultimately the expert in your body.
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Thus, at OVM, we are moving away from the 'I do to you', and moving towards 'we work together'.
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In cases of vocal rehabilitation, or recovering from a vocal injury, we may recommend further support in addition to vocal massage.
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We work closely with the Voice Care Centre (London and Online) and in some cases may suggest supplementary treatments from their multidisciplinary team.
Founder of Oxford Vocal Massage
Lydia Flock (she/her) is an exceptional massage therapist, vocal coach, and published researcher. She was endorsed for the prestigious Global Talent Visa (under Exceptional Promise Criteria) by Arts Council England. She has published research in the peer-reviewed academic journals Voice and Speech Review and the Journal of Singing (in press). Her latest research is titled 'Developing a Vocal Manual Therapy Intervention for the Treatment of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux in Professional Voice Users: A Pilot Study of Two Elite Singers'.
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She holds an MA in Music Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and a BA in Drama from the University of Virginia (with honours). She also trained at Ithaca College’s BFA Musical Theatre programme. Lydia qualified as a Holistic & Deep Tissue massage therapist with Jing Advanced Massage Training and specialises in Vocal Massage & Laryngeal Manipulation. She is the founder of her private voice coaching company, Flockstars Coaching and works as a vocal massage therapist at the Voice Care Centre in London. Lydia highly values continued professional development and is in the process of completing her Certificate in Advanced Clinical Massage with Jing Advanced Massage Training (exp. 2022).
