More SD Reviews (Botox, Mike White and Dr. Morton Cooper) - coming from 2 SDPx

--- On Thu, 7/7/11, Valerie Gabriel wrote:
Hi Misty,

I listened to your voice downloads. For doing this all on your own, I think you're doing good. Just keep up the practicing and be patient with yourself. For AB/SD you need to up talk the words more to close the vocal folds...so on words that give you trouble maybe go a 1/2 a note higher, but be sure to keep the resonance. Pretend like your talking into your nose.

I actually just got Mike White's breathing kit to see if that'll help. I always go back to what Dr. Cooper and others say. You're breathing is symptomatic of not talking in the face. Once you get the resonance, and you put your voice in the face your breathing will open up and you just need to monitor it. This is true. This is why breath support is the last variable Dr. Cooper teaches because if you get the breath support before master the pitch and tone focus you're going to strangle yourself even more because you're "forcing" the words with proper breath support, but not proper tone focus--it's be too deep throat. I struggle with the same breathing difficulties you do. I can practice breathing until I'm blue in the face and then when I talk it reverts to holding my breath...it's all about the pitch/tone focus.

My buzz words are the Umm-hmm too. Yes, right, hello, really..those don't work to well for me either. I don't have any of Dr. Cooper's self-help videos. I think if you watch his You Tube videos they would be something similar to that. When you practice your Umm-hmm, do you feel the buzz in the nose and mouth area. If you do, that's a great sign. Just look for that same buzz when you talk.

I don't have Skype. I have Tokbox, but I will look into setting up a Skype account.
Talk to you soon!
Valerie

On Tue, Jul 5, 2011 at 6:49 PM, Maria Shellyn Chua wrote:

Hi Valerie,

Thanks for letting me know of Dr. Cooper's current condition. So that's why he's been so hard to reach! I was thinking that he was shunning me off. I've been emailing a lot and calling his office. I was able to speak and email with Lorna, it turns out she's his daughter.

I have bought Stop Committing Voice Suicide about 2 months ago. I'm doing the breathing exercise he taught there. Mike White's breathing exercises are more complicated. And I've noticed that my breathing did improve, but NOT while speaking. My observation is that I need to practice my breathing WHILE speaking. Because I already breathe normally when not speaking. Something just clicks and my breathing turns haywire when I start talking.

So to sum it up, the breathing technique of Dr. Cooper is the most effective in helping my voice.

I don't have enough saved to go to the US for treatment, the treatment plus the fare board and lodging would be a bit too much. Perhaps I could settle for phone consultation, which is already expensive for me, USD 1,000 for an hour with Dr. Cooper. But what I need is to find out my best pitch so that I can work on from there.

I have been doing the Hhhm One, Hhhm Two. The others like the Yes-One, Yes-Two and the Right-One, Right-Two dont work that well for my case. I've seen that Dr. Cooper finds out what the buzz words are for each individual. The Hmm One, Hmm Two works the most for me. Also, humming the Happy Birthday :-)

The book I ordered Change Your Voice Change Your Life has just arrived from the mail yesterday! I'll be reading it. I've been trying to ask Dr. Cooper's office how I can order his Self-Help Videos, there's still no reply.

I was wondering if you have his Self-Help Videos? Like a step by step demo or Dr. Cooper guiding you to do the humms for 1 to 2 hours. It's a bit hard to focus and concentrate doing it by myself.

Do you still do the exercises? Do you have Skype? :-)

Blessings,
Misty

--- On Wed, 7/6/11, Valerie Gabriel wrote:

From: Valerie Gabriel
Subject: Re: SD Outreach
To: "Maria Shellyn Chua"
Date: Wednesday, July 6, 2011, 1:19 AM


Hi Misty,

Yes, Dr. Cooper is in the process of relocating to Henderson, KY. Earlier this year he has had some health issues and wanted to be closer to his family, which prompted the move. I know he's adjusting to the different pace of life Kentucky is offering as opposed to Los Angeles. I'm planning to work with him again and his daughter told me to wait until the fall too. I was set to fly to KY next week to work with him for 3 weeks, but they cancelled my appointment because he had a set-back medically and is trying to get back into the swing of things. I pray he recovers well and soon.

I live in Los Angeles, CA. I've had SD for about close to 3 years now. Within 5 months of the onset I went to work with Dr. Cooper for a week. He told me I should stay 3 weeks, but at that time I could only afford 1. I'm sure if I would've stayed the entire time he recommend, I'd be "cured". Dr. Cooper doesn't guarantee cures, he just reports them.

I've never tried botox, nor while I ever. They don't know the long-term side affects on the body and I would rather rehabilitate my voice naturally. Plus, botox doesn't help the problem, only the symptoms. Many things that I will share with you about what I've learned of SD is from my working with Dr. Cooper, who also is an ex-SDer. It took him 10 years to recover from SD! But he had to learn on his own, no one guided him. He just didn't accept what he was being told and carved his own path. After my work with him the first time, my voice was really good--like it used to be. Dr. Cooper always says, what you have to change is the voice image. Once you do that you're recovery is inevitable and permanent. That's what I struggle with the most, which is why I've had set backs...vocal image/identity and certain vocal myths I have. I feel I need to sound a certain way or use my voice a certain way that hurts my voice--this is what has to change. He gave me a better pitch, not different from my old voice...only one note higher, but to me I feel like Minnie Mouse. It's crazy. Everyone tells me I sound great, but I think I sound like I'm 12 years old, and I fight this even though I know I shouldn't. This is the vocal image. My friends that I've meet through Dr Cooper would tell you they're "cured."

Have you tried any of the techniques Dr. Cooper shows in his videos? That's the basis of his treatment...and then tons of vocal psychotherapy, which is what gives you the long lasting change...and practice...tons and tons of practice.

I know you're in the Philippines, do you plan on taking a trip here? How are your breathing exercises helping you?

I don't have a URL just yet, as I was looking into it.

If you have any other questions, let me know.
Take care,
Valerie