By Aileen Nobles
Debbie came to me because in her mind she could no longer hit the high notes when singing. She was in a musical and although she was not the lead role she was certainly visible. A few weeks previously she started to panic on stage, sweating and shaking as the time came for her to sing.
She had been in the musical for over 6 months, and from the beginning did not feel confident about her singing in the higher range, but she managed. About a month ago, she started panicking when it was her time to sing.
Although no one had said anything to her it was an incredible ordeal that she went through day after day.
When asked if she could remember the first time that high note problem had happened, she said it was when she was 13.
She remembered the music teacher saying to her “You have a great voice as long as you don’t have to hit the high notes.” At that time she was aware to some degree that it felt as if her throat was closing up as she sang the higher notes.
She forced herself to sing over it. It had not been that way when she was younger but had gradually come on over the months of singing lessons.
At this point, it seemed this would be a very easy issue to release.
We started tapping on:
Even though I used to feel good about my singing, when Mrs. Evans told me I was okay until I hit the high notes, I lost my confidence, but I am still quite wonderful anyway.
She took away my confidence
I am angry at her; it’s all her fault I can’t hit high notes
She could have been more positive about my singing
I know she thought she was helping me, but she wasn’t.
Whatever causes my voice to almost disappear when it’s time to hit high notes, I am ready to get over.
She said I couldn’t hit high notes and now I really can’t.
Mrs. Evans is in my throat; I don’t need her in my throat. I used to hit high notes and I want to do it again.
When I asked Debbie to say “It’s time for me to get over it,” it just did not feel energetically as if she were ready. She said she still had this stuck feeling in her throat.
She described it as red, dark purple, and black. It was hard and stuck.
We tapped on the red, purple, and black, hard, stuck feeling in her throat until the colors changed and it became softer. But something was still there.
I had her close her eyes and ask for any other subconsciously held experience that may be contributing to this “high note problem, and this feeling in my throat.”
She said about a year before the singing lesson problem, she had been harassed and threatened by a group of boys as she walked home from school. They had closed in around her, and before she could scream one of the boys covered her mouth while the others groped her. She tried to scream, but the sound couldn’t come out.
Bingo! This has to be connected.
Debbie had tears gently falling as she really felt the horror of this incident. She also remembered that she had had many dreams of trying to scream and her voice wasn’t heard.
We tapped on:
Even though I was terrified of what these boys were doing to me, I am quite wonderful anyway.
Even though I couldn’t scream for help, I love and accept myself completely.
Even though I didn’t know what they were going to do to me, and I was terrified, I love and accept myself anyway.
My voice failed me
My voice let me down when I needed it
I was in a scary situation and I couldn’t scream. Where was my voice?
What if my voice was still there and strong, but wasn’t allowed to vent
He had his hand over my mouth.
It wasn’t my voice’s fault; I am letting go of the fear of not being able to scream.
They were just young and foolish kids.
They didn’t know the harm they were doing.
Perhaps it’s time to forgive them for their insensitive behavior.
The intensity around the incident was now diffused and she really didn’t think it was important anymore.
Just to make sure, I asked her to run the movie of the incident and the intensity was around a 2 or 3.
We tapped:
When it’s time to hit the high notes that subconsciously remind me of the scream, I know that this is completely different. I am safe now.
The high notes now are not a scream, but a beautiful sound to share with others.
I forgive myself and voice for not being heard when I was young. Now I am safe.
I have a beautiful voice, and now as a young adult it’s time for my voice to be stronger and more beautiful than ever, bringing pleasure to those who hear it.
Now it’s safe for my voice to be heard, it’s my gift to others.
I have no reason not to hit the high notes. It’s safe and time
Now I have Mrs. Evans out of my throat
Now I have the stifled scream out of my throat
I can hit all of the notes, high and low, with ease.
It’s all inside of me, it always has been, and will be from now on. My voice flows through me as a gift from the Universe.
I can be on stage and be completely confident.
I am going to be better than ever, and I am looking forward to it.
I choose it, I allow it and so it is!
I had her run a movie in her mind’s eye of her next performance, just the way she wanted it. Everything went beautifully.
Debbie has been performing happily and confidently ever since that session.
