Testimonials
SOUND TOOLS (6 week class)
“Sara’s SOUND TOOLS series is brilliant. Not ever having been keen on my voice, it is a great way to open up and allow the sounds to do their stuff in the body and mind. With the practice, inhibitions just give way to the delightful mantras and chants.
I’m definitely more relaxed which is showing up in my relationships (probably a great relief to them!)Some of the methods brought about physical shifts in the body, and without trying to be too graphic, really did get a lot off my chest!
Sometimes the sounds or chants would just come to mind and they seemed to help me out, drawing on the strengths of those mantras or sounds. I look forward to doing more voice work, as the practical power of the sounds is of real benefit.”
JANICE HELLENS, YOGA TEACHER AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIST
“This course has been well thought out, with a structure that allows beginners to become increasingly familiar with the act of chanting whilst gaining confidence.
I have really appreciated the holistic nature of the sessions, plus the information freely given by our well-informed trainer.”
PAM WEIGHT, PSYCHOTHERAPIST
“I have found this course a great introduction to Sound Therapy. It has made me realise how much our own voices can affect us. The chants are very useful and easy to use, once you are familiar with them, for example if you need to be calm or more assertive. I would recommend this course to other people who are interested in Sound Therapy.
Week 1 Was a great way to start a course. Very relaxing; Week 2 Very energetic and very funny; Week 3 Very freeing; Week 4 The most difficult part so far & Week 5 Felt more internalised this week”
Preferred to remain anonymous, ADMIN ASSISTANT
“Well worth attending this 6 week course. I enjoyed the experience of experimenting with my voice and having gained this awareness, I can feel the sounds resonating in my body. I enjoyed some mantras more than others. Can’t wait to listen to and use the CD to assist in developing my voice.
Loved the novel way of incorporating physical exercise into the chant. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience of being ‘in the sound bath’ plus space for silence. Thank you.”
Preferred to remain anonymous, COUNSELLOR
SOUND DETOX (workshop)
“When I signed up for this workshop I did not know fully what to expect. In retrospect, I can see how much I have learned about the body and in particular, the powerful function of liver and kidneys.
The session was fun and participants warm and friendly. We soon ‘bonded’ despite never having met previously. Sara taught simply (not simplistically). She demonstrated the chants and mantras in an easy and engaging way. I could appreciate the practical applications of using these in daily life. I was most impressed by the delivery of the topic. Sara obviously ‘walks the talk’.
I would recommend this workshop to anyone who is serious about the sound/body connection. We learned to enhance the body’s immune system. I am eager to attend other workshops led by Sara.”
Esme Driver, SOCIAL WORKER
“Many thanks for a really good day at the Sound Detox last Sunday. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect at the workshop. The day was filled with a variety of sound exercises that made the day really fun working as a group exploring lots of different sounds. Before the workshop, I would cringe when I heard the sound of my own voice on an answerphone or video, the exercises made you listen to your body – something we very little of! And they helped me learn to love my own voice.
Working full-time and having a toddler often means I am always juggling and have little time for myself. I’ve been feeling run down and suffering from colds, so I hoped the workshop would help me clear my chest area and work to build up my immune system. The use of different sounds certainly helped and I noticed a difference.
By the end of the day I was totally relaxed and my usual ‘mind chatter’ had disappeared which felt wonderful!
Teresa Cox, PROJECT MANAGER
“Thanks for Sunday’s Detox Workshop Sara. I got so much out of it. You immediately create such a friendly, safe and accepting environment: perfect for letting go of any self-consciousness. The initial exercises were such fun and a great way to get some energy going. And, boy do the chants really work. After the kidney ones we were all popping to the loo and it’s been much the same all week. The liver chants were really powerful too. Boy did the workshop get things shifting! Anyhoo, your stuff works!”
I’ve come away with such a calm determined focus to achieve what I want to achieve and let go of old habits that don’t serve me anymore (a focus I haven’t been able to maintain for ages). And the relaxation at the end was so welcome and deeply soothing. By the end of the afternoon my mind had gone completely quiet!
I can feel the workshop has started a process, so your offering follow-up support over the coming weeks is really welcome and generous.”
Judy McGeough, BODYWORKER
BESPOKE WORKSHOP FOR NEURO-LINGUISTIC PRACTITIONERS & HYPNOTHERAPISTS
“A very interesting and enjoyable workshop. I knew nothing about this topic before and wasn’t sure what to expect. Sara was welcoming and friendly and made the afternoon interesting, comfortable, useful and fun. Excellent stuff, thank you. I will be using the techniques from now on.”
“Excellent trainer, friendly and made me feel comfortable. Very enjoyable course. Thank you.”
Toni Johnson, TRAINER
“ A very interesting and different workshop. A fun way to learn about your voice/sound and its uses!”
Lisa Maclean, SENIOR LECTURER AND NLP COACH
“Most instructive and enjoyable – would recommend this course to anyone who uses their voice in what they do.
Great instruction on how to prepare and utilise the voice to its maximum and maintain that standard. Very useful exercises – very relaxing and enjoyable session. Will prove very beneficial and look forward to practising. Excellent exercises – will definitely use.
The session was fun and very relaxing and the practices will be very beneficial in my work as a coach/hypnotherapist.”
Andrew Lynch, NLP COACH, HYPNOTHERAPIST, JOURNALIST
“For someone like me – pretty ignorant about what is actually going on with my voice – this was an excellent awareness session. Really liked the experience of practising with sounds.
This is a difficult area for me – so a great start. Built confidence as session progressed.
If you want to wake up and start thinking about your voice and how to use it in different ways, this is an excellent first step. Thank you.”
Bob King, BUSINESS COACH
STRONGER SOUNDS, STRONGER CHAKRAS (workshop)
“Thank you so much – this was a wonderful workshop. Very intimate, gentle and powerful.
What a lovely mixture. It was brilliant! Look forward to doing more!!”
Caroline Kuipers, MARKETING CONSULTANT
“Are you ready to find freedom in your voice? Let down those barriers and just be yourself? Sara gently and playfully takes you through a series of voice work practices that brings joy to your soul and opens new channels of enquiry in a soft and nurturing environment. Be brave and explore your true self.”
Elizabeth Bourdon, YOGA INSTRUCTOR
“Wonderful day. Beautifully taught, creative and varied; a very different way of enjoying creative play and self-expression with the voice. Something you can take away with you to regularly use to tune into yourself and sing your own tune. “
Mary Wilkinson, PSYCHOTHERAPIST
PERSONAL SOUND TRAINING
“When I arranged to see Sara I simply knew I had no real relationship with my voice and instinctively knew that to learn to consciously play with it would be enormously healing on all levels. That feeling was borne out in just the first session.
Sara created an atmosphere that immediately made me feel safe and at ease and even in the space of an hour, I felt like I had let go of many inhibitions. She guided me through some seemingly simple and organic exercises, yet I was surprised at the range of emotions and physical sensations that emerged, particularly the spontaneous laughter.
I was amazed how quickly my thinking mind went quiet and my body revealed its truth so easily. It really felt like working with myself and not ‘on’ myself, perfect for someone who usually tries too hard. I came away thinking ‘wow, that’s what creativity feels like’. I’m looking forward to having more fun on this journey than I expected.”
Judy McGeough, BODYWORKER
CHANTING SESSIONS
“I was always someone who used to ‘sing quietly’ in the school choir and church so no-one could hear me – very self-conscious – very English. My one great regret in life was that I saw myself as being tone mute. I could hear and feel the music but nothing came out. I love opera and always envied the singers whose voices soared sublimely and expressed a range of emotions that touched your soul.
Then I came to Sara for chanting. I had been quite excited to discover, through yoga, how chanting works on different parts of the body and mind. I had been using the OM chant for some time as I found it the easiest way of getting into deep meditation. I wanted to find out more but didn’t really know what to expect.
Sara put us through a series of limbering up exercises and we chanted various mantras together. After a while I gained confidence in other people hearing my voice and began to really enjoy experimenting with different sounds. I found after a session my abs felt really toned through the effortless act of singing and I felt really good.
Then something really strange happened. I was at a funeral and we got to the part I had always dreaded, when we had to sing hymns. I joined in after everyone had started and heard a deep, rich melodious sound and suddenly realized it was coming from ME! I am eternally grateful to Sara for putting me in touch with my voice.”
Prefers to remain anonymous, YOGA INSTRUCTOR
FLEXING THE VOICE MUSCLE (Workshop)
"An excellent course, I enjoyed it very much"
"Teacher was sensitive to the students and their individual needs"
"When asked 'What is your relationship with your voice?' before the course, I answered 'not particularly fond of it'. Now, I actually quite like it and was surprised how good it can sound and feel!"
"I had a lot of fun. I shed a tear. But I hope it will help me in the coming year!"
"I am looking forward to practicing these tools at home"
"Very helpful, very enjoyable course"
"If the rest of life was a pleasant as this afternoon was, we would all be so happy"
SOUNDING THROUGH THE WINTER BLUES (Workshop):
"Definitely dispels the winter blues! Good fun."
"I was pleasantly surprised by an unexpected freedom of expression."
"A relaxing, fun event. I hope it´s the start of building my awareness of the use of sound."
"Good boundaries, which helped develop a sense of trust within the group. The level of participation was very moving. People were able to give and receive."
"This is an enjoyable, sensitive and gentle introduction to this subject."
"Very enjoyable. Learned a lot. Felt like a safe environment in which to let go and express what needed to be expressed."
"Builds confidence. A good preparation if you´re thinking of doing some singing but are a bit shy."
"I appreciated the care and respect."
PERSONAL TRAINING TESTIMONIALS
"I have known Sara McCarthy through my membership of the David Lloyd Leisure and Fitness Centre in Milton Keynes. Since February 2007 she has been my Personal Trainer and I have valued the professional manner in which she has developed individual programmes to achieve my personal fitness objectives. She is excellent at catering for a wide range of abilities both in relation to physical fitness and age.
As a trainer she is keen to keep up to date with developments in the fitness industry and attends conferences for her own professional development. She has the ability to make work in a gym enjoyable and is good at encouraging achievement with adults who have limited experience of using training equipment.
From my own experience, I have no hesitation in recommending Sara as a committed and competent Personal Trainer who is able to be flexible in the planning of training programmes to meet individual needs."
Rev. Cecil Macaulay
"I had, until recently retiring, led a pretty hectic business life, which involved quite a lot of overseas travel. This meant a desk to desk, meetings, hanging around in airports type of lifestyle. In addition I had carried out a lot of business entertaining with the inevitable result of adding quite a few unwanted pounds to my waistline. I am in my early sixties.
My recent challenge, therefore, has been to participate in a personal training programme with Sara in an endeavour to achieve a positive response to body training with a high degree of frequency and some marginal weight loss. I also have a history of back problems with Sara had to take into account whilst preparing and supervising my training programme.
I have made terrific progress over recent months and am about to focus on a pre-ski session to prepare for the season ahead."
John Stevenson
"I had tried personal training a couple of times in the past, but thought it was not for me - sweating in the gym, endless tummy crunches and pulling heavy weights. My muscles ached and I came to dread the sessions.
"However, last year I broke my ankle and found myself in plaster for 5 weeks and unable to walk properly for 3 months. After five months of inactivity, I found I had put on over a stone. Something had to be done!
I guess it was third time lucky for me when I met Sara. Sara had a completely different approach to training - a holistic one. She asked me about my ankle injury but we also discussed a previous whiplash injury to my neck. We discussed lifestyle along with goals and the ways I wanted to be supported. Sara saw me as a whole person, not just a body to be pounded in the gym.
Sara worked out a programme for me that included rehabilitation for my ankle, re-alignment for my neck and shoulders and progressive strength and fitness work. I would describe Sara's qualities as: intuitive, focused, encouraging, knowledgeable, fun, supportive and kind - but firm when she needs to be.
After 8 weeks of training, I am stronger, fitter and more confident. Best of all I am back in my jeans! Sara - thank you."
Kathy Richardson
“Sara’s SOUND TOOLS series is brilliant. Not ever having been keen on my voice, it is a great way to open up and allow the sounds to do their stuff in the body and mind. With the practice, inhibitions just give way to the delightful mantras and chants.
I’m definitely more relaxed which is showing up in my relationships (probably a great relief to them!)Some of the methods brought about physical shifts in the body, and without trying to be too graphic, really did get a lot off my chest!
Sometimes the sounds or chants would just come to mind and they seemed to help me out, drawing on the strengths of those mantras or sounds. I look forward to doing more voice work, as the practical power of the sounds is of real benefit.”
JANICE HELLENS, YOGA TEACHER AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIST
“This course has been well thought out, with a structure that allows beginners to become increasingly familiar with the act of chanting whilst gaining confidence.
I have really appreciated the holistic nature of the sessions, plus the information freely given by our well-informed trainer.”
PAM WEIGHT, PSYCHOTHERAPIST
“I have found this course a great introduction to Sound Therapy. It has made me realise how much our own voices can affect us. The chants are very useful and easy to use, once you are familiar with them, for example if you need to be calm or more assertive. I would recommend this course to other people who are interested in Sound Therapy.
Week 1 Was a great way to start a course. Very relaxing; Week 2 Very energetic and very funny; Week 3 Very freeing; Week 4 The most difficult part so far & Week 5 Felt more internalised this week”
Preferred to remain anonymous, ADMIN ASSISTANT
“Well worth attending this 6 week course. I enjoyed the experience of experimenting with my voice and having gained this awareness, I can feel the sounds resonating in my body. I enjoyed some mantras more than others. Can’t wait to listen to and use the CD to assist in developing my voice.
Loved the novel way of incorporating physical exercise into the chant. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience of being ‘in the sound bath’ plus space for silence. Thank you.”
Preferred to remain anonymous, COUNSELLOR
SOUND DETOX (workshop)
“When I signed up for this workshop I did not know fully what to expect. In retrospect, I can see how much I have learned about the body and in particular, the powerful function of liver and kidneys.
The session was fun and participants warm and friendly. We soon ‘bonded’ despite never having met previously. Sara taught simply (not simplistically). She demonstrated the chants and mantras in an easy and engaging way. I could appreciate the practical applications of using these in daily life. I was most impressed by the delivery of the topic. Sara obviously ‘walks the talk’.
I would recommend this workshop to anyone who is serious about the sound/body connection. We learned to enhance the body’s immune system. I am eager to attend other workshops led by Sara.”
Esme Driver, SOCIAL WORKER
“Many thanks for a really good day at the Sound Detox last Sunday. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect at the workshop. The day was filled with a variety of sound exercises that made the day really fun working as a group exploring lots of different sounds. Before the workshop, I would cringe when I heard the sound of my own voice on an answerphone or video, the exercises made you listen to your body – something we very little of! And they helped me learn to love my own voice.
Working full-time and having a toddler often means I am always juggling and have little time for myself. I’ve been feeling run down and suffering from colds, so I hoped the workshop would help me clear my chest area and work to build up my immune system. The use of different sounds certainly helped and I noticed a difference.
By the end of the day I was totally relaxed and my usual ‘mind chatter’ had disappeared which felt wonderful!
Teresa Cox, PROJECT MANAGER
“Thanks for Sunday’s Detox Workshop Sara. I got so much out of it. You immediately create such a friendly, safe and accepting environment: perfect for letting go of any self-consciousness. The initial exercises were such fun and a great way to get some energy going. And, boy do the chants really work. After the kidney ones we were all popping to the loo and it’s been much the same all week. The liver chants were really powerful too. Boy did the workshop get things shifting! Anyhoo, your stuff works!”
I’ve come away with such a calm determined focus to achieve what I want to achieve and let go of old habits that don’t serve me anymore (a focus I haven’t been able to maintain for ages). And the relaxation at the end was so welcome and deeply soothing. By the end of the afternoon my mind had gone completely quiet!
I can feel the workshop has started a process, so your offering follow-up support over the coming weeks is really welcome and generous.”
Judy McGeough, BODYWORKER
BESPOKE WORKSHOP FOR NEURO-LINGUISTIC PRACTITIONERS & HYPNOTHERAPISTS
“A very interesting and enjoyable workshop. I knew nothing about this topic before and wasn’t sure what to expect. Sara was welcoming and friendly and made the afternoon interesting, comfortable, useful and fun. Excellent stuff, thank you. I will be using the techniques from now on.”
“Excellent trainer, friendly and made me feel comfortable. Very enjoyable course. Thank you.”
Toni Johnson, TRAINER
“ A very interesting and different workshop. A fun way to learn about your voice/sound and its uses!”
Lisa Maclean, SENIOR LECTURER AND NLP COACH
“Most instructive and enjoyable – would recommend this course to anyone who uses their voice in what they do.
Great instruction on how to prepare and utilise the voice to its maximum and maintain that standard. Very useful exercises – very relaxing and enjoyable session. Will prove very beneficial and look forward to practising. Excellent exercises – will definitely use.
The session was fun and very relaxing and the practices will be very beneficial in my work as a coach/hypnotherapist.”
Andrew Lynch, NLP COACH, HYPNOTHERAPIST, JOURNALIST
“For someone like me – pretty ignorant about what is actually going on with my voice – this was an excellent awareness session. Really liked the experience of practising with sounds.
This is a difficult area for me – so a great start. Built confidence as session progressed.
If you want to wake up and start thinking about your voice and how to use it in different ways, this is an excellent first step. Thank you.”
Bob King, BUSINESS COACH
STRONGER SOUNDS, STRONGER CHAKRAS (workshop)
“Thank you so much – this was a wonderful workshop. Very intimate, gentle and powerful.
What a lovely mixture. It was brilliant! Look forward to doing more!!”
Caroline Kuipers, MARKETING CONSULTANT
“Are you ready to find freedom in your voice? Let down those barriers and just be yourself? Sara gently and playfully takes you through a series of voice work practices that brings joy to your soul and opens new channels of enquiry in a soft and nurturing environment. Be brave and explore your true self.”
Elizabeth Bourdon, YOGA INSTRUCTOR
“Wonderful day. Beautifully taught, creative and varied; a very different way of enjoying creative play and self-expression with the voice. Something you can take away with you to regularly use to tune into yourself and sing your own tune. “
Mary Wilkinson, PSYCHOTHERAPIST
PERSONAL SOUND TRAINING
“When I arranged to see Sara I simply knew I had no real relationship with my voice and instinctively knew that to learn to consciously play with it would be enormously healing on all levels. That feeling was borne out in just the first session.
Sara created an atmosphere that immediately made me feel safe and at ease and even in the space of an hour, I felt like I had let go of many inhibitions. She guided me through some seemingly simple and organic exercises, yet I was surprised at the range of emotions and physical sensations that emerged, particularly the spontaneous laughter.
I was amazed how quickly my thinking mind went quiet and my body revealed its truth so easily. It really felt like working with myself and not ‘on’ myself, perfect for someone who usually tries too hard. I came away thinking ‘wow, that’s what creativity feels like’. I’m looking forward to having more fun on this journey than I expected.”
Judy McGeough, BODYWORKER
CHANTING SESSIONS
“I was always someone who used to ‘sing quietly’ in the school choir and church so no-one could hear me – very self-conscious – very English. My one great regret in life was that I saw myself as being tone mute. I could hear and feel the music but nothing came out. I love opera and always envied the singers whose voices soared sublimely and expressed a range of emotions that touched your soul.
Then I came to Sara for chanting. I had been quite excited to discover, through yoga, how chanting works on different parts of the body and mind. I had been using the OM chant for some time as I found it the easiest way of getting into deep meditation. I wanted to find out more but didn’t really know what to expect.
Sara put us through a series of limbering up exercises and we chanted various mantras together. After a while I gained confidence in other people hearing my voice and began to really enjoy experimenting with different sounds. I found after a session my abs felt really toned through the effortless act of singing and I felt really good.
Then something really strange happened. I was at a funeral and we got to the part I had always dreaded, when we had to sing hymns. I joined in after everyone had started and heard a deep, rich melodious sound and suddenly realized it was coming from ME! I am eternally grateful to Sara for putting me in touch with my voice.”
Prefers to remain anonymous, YOGA INSTRUCTOR
FLEXING THE VOICE MUSCLE (Workshop)
"An excellent course, I enjoyed it very much"
"Teacher was sensitive to the students and their individual needs"
"When asked 'What is your relationship with your voice?' before the course, I answered 'not particularly fond of it'. Now, I actually quite like it and was surprised how good it can sound and feel!"
"I had a lot of fun. I shed a tear. But I hope it will help me in the coming year!"
"I am looking forward to practicing these tools at home"
"Very helpful, very enjoyable course"
"If the rest of life was a pleasant as this afternoon was, we would all be so happy"
SOUNDING THROUGH THE WINTER BLUES (Workshop):
"Definitely dispels the winter blues! Good fun."
"I was pleasantly surprised by an unexpected freedom of expression."
"A relaxing, fun event. I hope it´s the start of building my awareness of the use of sound."
"Good boundaries, which helped develop a sense of trust within the group. The level of participation was very moving. People were able to give and receive."
"This is an enjoyable, sensitive and gentle introduction to this subject."
"Very enjoyable. Learned a lot. Felt like a safe environment in which to let go and express what needed to be expressed."
"Builds confidence. A good preparation if you´re thinking of doing some singing but are a bit shy."
"I appreciated the care and respect."
PERSONAL TRAINING TESTIMONIALS
"I have known Sara McCarthy through my membership of the David Lloyd Leisure and Fitness Centre in Milton Keynes. Since February 2007 she has been my Personal Trainer and I have valued the professional manner in which she has developed individual programmes to achieve my personal fitness objectives. She is excellent at catering for a wide range of abilities both in relation to physical fitness and age.
As a trainer she is keen to keep up to date with developments in the fitness industry and attends conferences for her own professional development. She has the ability to make work in a gym enjoyable and is good at encouraging achievement with adults who have limited experience of using training equipment.
From my own experience, I have no hesitation in recommending Sara as a committed and competent Personal Trainer who is able to be flexible in the planning of training programmes to meet individual needs."
Rev. Cecil Macaulay
"I had, until recently retiring, led a pretty hectic business life, which involved quite a lot of overseas travel. This meant a desk to desk, meetings, hanging around in airports type of lifestyle. In addition I had carried out a lot of business entertaining with the inevitable result of adding quite a few unwanted pounds to my waistline. I am in my early sixties.
My recent challenge, therefore, has been to participate in a personal training programme with Sara in an endeavour to achieve a positive response to body training with a high degree of frequency and some marginal weight loss. I also have a history of back problems with Sara had to take into account whilst preparing and supervising my training programme.
I have made terrific progress over recent months and am about to focus on a pre-ski session to prepare for the season ahead."
John Stevenson
"I had tried personal training a couple of times in the past, but thought it was not for me - sweating in the gym, endless tummy crunches and pulling heavy weights. My muscles ached and I came to dread the sessions.
"However, last year I broke my ankle and found myself in plaster for 5 weeks and unable to walk properly for 3 months. After five months of inactivity, I found I had put on over a stone. Something had to be done!
I guess it was third time lucky for me when I met Sara. Sara had a completely different approach to training - a holistic one. She asked me about my ankle injury but we also discussed a previous whiplash injury to my neck. We discussed lifestyle along with goals and the ways I wanted to be supported. Sara saw me as a whole person, not just a body to be pounded in the gym.
Sara worked out a programme for me that included rehabilitation for my ankle, re-alignment for my neck and shoulders and progressive strength and fitness work. I would describe Sara's qualities as: intuitive, focused, encouraging, knowledgeable, fun, supportive and kind - but firm when she needs to be.
After 8 weeks of training, I am stronger, fitter and more confident. Best of all I am back in my jeans! Sara - thank you."
Kathy Richardson