Voice Matters

I highly recommend Lauri’s acting class. She provides a safe nurturing environment which makes for an ideal space to explore your work. I really appreciate her dedication to the craft and her students. She is also very intuitive and remarkably good at picking out the right scene work for actors to work on. Lauri is always present and easy to communicate with. I really miss her class and hope to study with her again in the future. Thank you Lauri! :)

I have taken several classes with Lauri, including two levels of acting classes and one of Lauri’s innovative small group classes that integrates vocal production acting techniques with life-​coaching exercises to encourage a more present, honest self. Anyone who has had the privilege of being one of Lauri’s students has heard her teaching philosophy, and I can’t imagine anyone would disagree with me when I say that Lauri truly embodies her philosophy.
Lauri’s philosophy states that she teaches «so as to be present for the moment when a student realises s/​he is capable of more than s/​he ever imagined». In Lauri’s classes, I have had a few of these moments myself, and I believe I was able to have these moments of realisation because of the atmosphere of safety, trust and playfulness that Lauri creates in her classrooms and studios. Lauri inspires her students to follow her example in creating a «safe space» for people to play, explore and discover. We begin by discussing what would make a space safe to each of us, and agreeing to respect each other’s definitions. We then discover new or perhaps simply forgotten sides of ourselves through Lauri’s expertly-​guided exercises. Some of these exercises can be highly physical, such as doing somersaults and handstands, whilst others are based on relaxation and visualisation. We have also done writing, drawing and observation exercises.
Another of Lauri’s focus points in her teaching and coaching is her work with meeting and overcoming one’s Saboteur. As I have discovered in Lauri’s classes, Saboteurs come in many forms and are not even understood in the same ways by everyone. But Lauri inspires confidence enough in her students that I have seen many people, including myself, able to meet and confront our Saboteurs.
Perhaps the most interesting thing I have worked on with Lauri is also the one that seems the simplest. As often happens in Lauri’s company, I find that many things that seem difficult become easy. I have worked with Lauri on the ability to simply stand without tension. Try it, it’s not easy. Tension comes from within, and affects us in every aspect of our lives. Learning to stand, and then perhaps walk, run, and generally go about life without tension increases confidence and one’s ability to succeed at whatever one attempts. Once you’ve truly stood without tension, you know exactly how it feels to experience life completely in the moment, without doubts or regrets, if even just for a second. And this is what Lauri’s teaching offers: the combination of the physical with the emotional eliminating tension and doubt, silencing the voices that tell us we can’t achieve, and empowering us to live truly confident, present lives.

Lauri worked with me as a life coach over a period of time that was full of soul-​searching and difficult decisions in my career. The kind of visioning work she led me in, I come back to again and again. As I continue to make big decisions about where to apply my efforts and energies, I have those strong visions helping me take each next step.
Also, I felt Lauri extremely present with me in our work (even over the phone!). I noticed that I showed up in a different way when talking to her. I was very honest, very myself, and very open with her. Her professionalism and her warmth made that possible.

I feel like I need two kinds of coaching in my life: on the one hand, a *very* professional approach from someone who adheres to her rules (and, most importantly, expects me to stick to mine); on the other, a *very* warm approach from someone who can really intuit you and connect with what your soul and heart are asking for. I feel blessed that I’ve found both in one coach. Lauri is hands-​down fantastic.