I'm an English learner and actress, and I've been working with Alicia for three years so as I can…read moreAmericanize my accent. The lessons that I've learned from her have helped me immensely in my career, and, likewise, my communication skills has also improved a lot. Since English is my second language, she knows specifically what obstacles and difficulties I need to target for me to enunciate and pronounce well. With her professional training, she gave me some exercises, such as tongue twisters, and sentence rhythms to further improve my communication skills which has significantly improve how people understand me with ease as I speak. As a result, people who talk to me assume that I'm a native English speaker and are highly surprised when they find out that I am actually not native speaker. In the end, I'd refer them to Alicia if they would want improve their speech skills and achieve the same results as I did. Thank you Alicia.

Alicia is a wonderful voice and rehearsal coach!…read more I am an academic and regularly give research talks, but more importantly, I try out for academic jobs in which the fabled "job talk" or my performance during a research presentation will be the decisive part of my job interview. I would have the worst thought possible before those job talks, that is, I wish to disappear. Alicia grasped the painfulness of this experience immediately :"Actors love to act, but they HATE to audition!" Exactly! So I went to Alicia with the goal of being able to get through a low-stakes research presentation. But I came away with so much more, including a success story where I obtained the position after the job talk. Alicia was great at providing me all kinds of voice techniques to help me reconnect with my body when I feel under pressure. I found these tiny adjustments helped me during lectures in the teaching setting as well. Her rehearsal techniques are ideal because I can start using them even if I am still fine tuning the text of my presentation. She even has some that you can use on an airplane -- for those times you are really last minute with a presentation. When I go to give a talk now I have no fears about the tech suddenly failing me - I can count on my presentation being with me, in my body, and coming out of my diaphragm and voice in such a way that I am natural, confident, not monotonous but not overbearing either.

Anyone can read books about public speaking or watch hours of YouTube with experts sharing their…read moretips and tricks. The reason to sign up for a course like Mark's is to actually practice with a pro. But, it doesn't work unless that person creates a safe environment, and that's where Mark really excels. Our sessions were fun, focused, and productive. His feedback was always helpful, and the way he shared it always helped boost my confidence. Highly recommend!

Working with Mark Stanton has been a total game-changer for me. Mark broke down the art of public…read morespeaking into practical, actionable steps, and his supportive, insightful approach makes every session both productive and inspiring. Mark helped me refine my message, find my voice, and speak with clarity and impact. If you're looking to take your speaking skills to the next level, I couldn't recommend him more highly.

Years ago I took lessons from Richard, and it helps not only my doctoral defense tremendously, but…read morealso my lecturing in college-level classes in the long run. Thank you Richard!

I have been taking lessons from Richard for over a year, and during that time have seen a major…read moreimprovement in my singing. I love the way he structures my lessons; the first part includes exercises such as scales, work on vowel sounds, etc. Essential basic work. The second part involves a song or two that I'm working on, often a rock / pop song. What are the best ways to phrase a line? Where to take a breath? What's the emotional content of the song? How to keep the best tone happening all the time? To the best of my ability I pay attention and do what he tells me. I have to say, I can't tell you how many times I have stopped our lesson, saying "wow, I can't believe how good I'm sounding, my voice really shifted!" This is the truth. Richard has repeatedly shown me he understands how to GET RESULTS. Overall, I'd give Richard an A+. He's an easygoing guy who stays focused on making the lesson fun and productive. Plus, he gives you an mp3 of the lesson so you can review it at your leisure. This is quite valuable.

Joie is an incredibly coach. She is awesome. When you first meet with her, she has this brightness…read moreabout her. She immediately eases you. She has a great depth of knowledge and experience in what she does. She has great intuition. Her wisdom and clarity -she can zoom in what the issues are and works on them with you. She has so many tools and resources up her sleeve. My meetings with Joie were important in figuring out the root of my problems. Her experience with emotional intelligence, something I knew nothing about, is/was invaluable. Since I have met with her, I, still to this day, utilize the tools and insight she has given me. Thank you for always having a smile when we meet. Your kindness, your support and understanding - I appreciate you. You have made a difference in my path to healing.

She is a marvelous speech coach. She is my "go to" person when I have to prepare for a major…read morespeech, officiate a wedding or a funeral. She is soooo good at what she does. She has the ability to provide a stellar analysis of my speeches and offer of ways to improve them in remarkable ways. Her masterful advice and guidance calms me down which in turn enables me to make meaningful and powerful presentations. She even shows me how to modulate my breathing to make more impassioned and empowered speeches. A session with her is a gift that I give myself when I need to do a fabulous job!

I grew so much from your classes. I went from being an overthinking, comedy-only improvisor to…read moresomeone who could engage in real emotional depth in a scene. I can't thank you enough for expanding my range and abilities as a performer!

Full Spectrum Improvisation is like playing with friends, as I recall it as a child.. Freeing the…read morebody to express creative impulses, connecting with others in endless ways, and learning techniques from a master teacher to open up, reveal and connect. Much self-discovery and shared exploration, feeling safe to go there. Joya creates an environment of structure and freedom, xoxPeg

Sandra helped me a lot redirecting me to books and sources that would be good for me. She is…read moredefinitely focused on her client needs and not on making money ou of them like some people in this industry.

From the owner: Sandra McKnight, offers a free speech consultation and private training in accent reduction, voice…read moreand speech for executives & business professionals. She is internationally known for her keynote speeches, seminars and workshops on "Your Voice Is Power in Business" "Speak with Confidence". "Change Your Voice, Change Your Life". Speaking with a confident, articulate and persuasive voice is essential in today's global economy. During your free voice Consultation your vocal issues are determined and you receive a customized program to permanently overcome your issues and Speak for Success Sandra McKnight. owner of Voice Power Studios is a renown international Speech and Voice Coach with 26 years of experience in the field and the author of "Your Voice Is Power in Business " training program. She had been heard speaking on "Your Voice Is Power", Speak Confidently", "Charisma is Made not Born" by hundreds of audiences and her client list includes many Fortune 500.

Piera is an incredible SLP, parent educator and human being. Her office is inviting to all parents…read moreand children, and as a colleague I wholeheartedly recommend her.

A magical place! My 6-year-old son is autistic and it was such a relief to be welcomed by a team…read morethat just gets it. The space is super clean and feels like a kid's dream. There's so much to do, climbing, building, exploring, getting wiggles out, and even a quiet room to chill. You can tell the folks behind it really thought through everything. The vibe, the décor, even the website feel so neurodiverse-affirming. They have tech to help build community around members too. We live in Novato so the distance makes a membership tough right now, but I'm hoping we can join in the summer when school isn't in the way. I'd love to see Spirited Play Labs expand to more places as this is the future IMO (please come to Novato, I'll help!). For families like ours, where typical play spaces can feel stressful or isolating, this place is a true gem, welcoming, thoughtful, and hopeful for the future. Thank you!!!

We've been coming to SPL for years, and it has always been such a positive experience. The play…read moresessions with Lia mean so much to us. we truly appreciate her patience, guidance, and support. Every visit, we notice progress. My daughter used to play only by herself, but now we see her becoming more independent and interacting with Lia, which fills our hearts. As a mom of a child on the spectrum, I know how hard it can be. My daughter doesn't have friends, but when we come here, she has one. In other spaces, the stares that come with her stimming can be so difficult to ignore, but here at SPL, we feel safe, accepted, and not judged. That sense of belonging is rare for special needs families, and we are so grateful to have found it here. I love how the staff embraces inclusion and acceptance. it shows in everything they do. I truly wish there were more places and programs like this for our kids, because families like ours need community.