Jonathan's coaching is by far the most effective public speaking coaching I've ever had, and I've been through a lot over the years: Dale Carnegie, Toastmasters (3 different groups), Speaking Circles, and another private coach. Jonathan's program and coaching were dramatically more effective than any of the other training I had. I use the word "dramatically" intentionally, because that is what all the other programs miss out on, and what is really Jonathan's innovation: using theatrical training techniques for public speaking. I had barely thought of this before, but if you think about it, when you're giving a speech you are performing, and there's actually a whole world of theatrical training techniques that are tremendously useful, that most of us never hear about it, and that are almost completely ignored by all other training. I felt like I was getting lots of "insider" info. When I started with Jonathan, I told him my fear: "I'm afraid that I will go through this training and when the time comes for me to give my first big speech I will be right back where I am now and panic and freeze up." He said he often gets that comment. But here's what he said that was really important: "By the time you get to the speech you will know so much more about speaking you just simply will not be as nervous - because you will know what you are doing." After going through three months of coaching, culminating in my speech, I can testify he hit the nail on the head. In those three months I saw my anxiety consistently go down, including on the day of the speech. I actually knew what I was doing for the first time standing in front of an audience - I actually wanted to do it so I could try all my new skills and get my message across in the way I had always hoped. read more

Jonathan is a fabulous, intuitive coach. I came to him because I was doing some radio work and wanted to make sure my voice was grounded and sounded professional. Jonathan exceeded all my expectations and made me feel completely at ease. He is a master at coaching the entire person; voice, body and spirit. Since our last session I've been featured on six radio shows in a two month period. He's helped me find my authentic voice with grace and ease! Thank you, Jonathan. Bethany St. Clair, Oakland, CA read more

I met Jonathan at a business conference years ago and knew he was the real deal in regards to speaking training. I wasn't in a position to work with him until fall 2015 when his live in person class Power and Presence launched at the perfect time for me. It was an intimate group and put me TOTALLY out of my comfort zone. I have no acting/vocal/speaking training what so ever, so all the exercises were scary, intimidating and triggering to me. But I am a life coach myself, so I know those things are mandatory for growth. It made me realize how blocked I really was in many areas. I gave it my best and participated as much as I could, but it turned out that a lot of the work we did expanded and evolved AFTER the class ended. I wasn't ready for some of it at the time, but again, I got more and more comfortable with the concepts as I practiced by myself and at speaking gigs. It all came together for me recently when I spoke at a larger event and gave the most powerful talk of my life to date. I realized how much the concepts had integrated in me months later. I felt amazing and so confident. I now do NOT get nervous or scared before speaking gigs or in front of audiences because I know how to handle the sensations and direct my energy. Plus, I realized HOW to create a solid talk so I stand out as an expert and really know what I'm talking about. The best part of how Jonathan teaches is his holistic approach. I believe nothing is sustainable unless it is holistic, so it really fit my needs. Integrating breath, vocal power, body awareness and resonance was fascinating to learn and experience. He puts his all into his training, making you feel very safe, held and powerful in your own right. He knows how to guide you through the difficult times and call you out when you are making excuses. He is a true coach. He will make you laugh just as much as he will push you. I'm so grateful for my training with Jonathan, as it will serve me for the rest of my life. read more

Jonathan is a unique, charismatic and highly intuitive acting and singing coach. I first had voice coaching with him in preparation for a song recital, and he worked with my voice in ways completely unique to my experience. This is a big deal to me because I have studied singing for at least 20 years, and have taught voice myself, and I LOVE to learn new ways at looking at things. And I loved the fantastic sounds he helped me to produce! I have acted as well in theater, and decided to take my first Shakespeare audition - Jonathan helped me to choose a monologue, clearly explained Shakespeare pronunciation/scansion, and helped me to confidently audition. I have performed in two Shakespeare plays from that audition and have rehearsals upcoming for a play this month. Thanks Jonathan! read more

I went looking for a vocal coach when I started an intense sales job. I was spending all day on the phone, and knew I needed to be using my voice better in order for my job to be both more sustainable, and for me to convey more confidence, resonance, and warmth through the phone to my clients. I found Jonathan through a Google and Yelp search, and I'm so glad I did. He is so much more than a vocal coach. His intuition and boldness helped me realize my life-long dream of cutting my ties with the corporate world and launch my own business. His encouragement and support came at a critical time and I couldn't have done it without him. Jonathan certainly knows his stuff when it comes to the voice, the body, preparing and delivering a speech, and mastering speaking anxiety. But he has so much more to offer. I'm proud to have been a client and expect I may drop back in for tune-up work in the future....in sum I cannot recommend Jonathan highly enough! - Andrew Oakland, CA December 2014 read more

Jonathan Bender has developed an effective, holistic approach to public speaking and improving verbal communication, in general. Both his individual coaching and his "Claim Your Voice "course, provide practical techniques to improve your voice and your message in formal presentations and daily life. In his coaching sessions, he listens and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of your presentation style and then tailors his instructions and exercises based upon his analysis so that you can claim your true, authentic voice. Jonathan is responsive and thoughtful and anyone committed to improving his/her ability to communicate will benefit from his consultations and/or courses. read more

Jonathan was the catalyst for the most profound and critical shift in my life and wellbeing. I don't know that I have ever experienced a person being present with me that Jonathan was. His total acceptance and lack of judgment opened a space for me that I've continued to explore. The coaching exercises may have strengthened my understanding of the need of mindfulness in my life but it was most certainly Jonathan's willingness to engage with me where I was at the time that created a new paradigm for me. Jonathan is incredibly talented, kind and a phenomenal coach. All you need to do is invest a little time in yourself and he'll give you the tools to succeed! read more

A few sessions with Jonathan Bender helped me get over my lack of confidence in public speaking situations. Thanks to the work done with the coach, I have learned to trust my French accent (correcting it when it was getting in the way of being understood) and have become a much more confident, efficient English speaker. As the CEO of a software company, this was invaluable to me, and I strongly recommend Wholespeak to anybody who isn't a confident speaker, either because English is not their native language or because they 'feel weird' when speaking to others. Jonathan is an engaged coach who delivers quickly! read more

I highly recommend WholeSpeak for those wanting to improve their professional and public speaking. Recently I was having trouble presenting in front of small and large audiences. I would get short of breath, my voice would shake, and things would so from bad to worse. Jonathan was able to provide tools that "got me out of my head" and to get me back on track if my voice started to fail, or was short of breath. Many times I was out of my comfort zone, but that was his goal. I have improved leads and bounds since our last session. As an aside, I tried Toastmasters and found that It wasn't for me. Very intimidating as most of the members were almost on expert level and have been in the club for years. read more

Before this, I'd never done any voice or performance work so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I don't think I imagined I'd be learning a new kind of language. Jonathan's approach is largely about the body ("93% of performance is nonverbal," he says), and he teaches you how to use your body to work in concert with your voice, which was a pretty new concept for me. I have a long way to go, but I now have a toolbox with some new skills to work on, such as ways to find and use the breath, physically relax and loosen up, vary speech pitch and volume, and - perhaps the most surprising of all -- accept the notion of play and enjoyment when it comes to public speaking. Jonathan's sessions are a revelation. read more

I heard Jonathon on a webinar and I knew he had the answers I needed in order to run a successful healing practice. In the short time I have worked with him, I have had so many breakthroughs. I am still in awe. I am a professional intuitive and healing arts teacher/practitioner so I am discerning with whom I work. He knew exactly the questions to ask in order to help me move through some major blocks. My clientele has increased, as has my income. I package my services and am beginning to work with the type of clientele that provides me a strong sense of satisfaction. I have a healthier perspective concerning my practice. It is easier for me to describe the work I do. And I came up with a business name that successfully captures my work. Jonathan's manner is caring, supportive and he has a way of making one feel comfortable and safe. I feel more secure, knowing a successful healing practice is coming to fruition. I recommend him without hesitation. He delivers results! read more

Jonathan Bender is a guy who just feels good to be around. I sought him out as a support for my budding doula/massage business, as I was having trouble feeling my feet on the ground - or even knowing where my feet were. Jonathan was extremely encouraging, full of creative ideas, and expressed real, invested interest in supporting me as a person seeking to share her gifts with the world. After each session I left feeling more clear-headed, excited, and with a long list of new ways to network and grow the little plant of my business. If you are an individual seeking the courage or the business savvy to share your true gifts with the world, I recommend using Jonathan as fertilizer - you will bloom! read more

I have been working with Johnathan Bender for almost a year with fantastic results. When I first came to him I was creatively blocked. I wasn't able to write or perform material. Through our individual lessons I began to open up and find my voice again. Thanks to Johnathan I am almost finished writing my one woman show and am able to perform material in front of an audience. I strongly recommend WholeSpeak to anyone who is creatively blocked because he is a miracle worker and an awesome acting coach. read more

Jonathan is a thoughtful, easy to work with, and effective coach, able to quickly identify your strengths and challenges as a performer or speaker and prescribe techniques and practices to improve your abilities. I've just begun working with him and have already learned a lot, and also laughed a lot in the process, which is always helpful with something like public speaking! read more

Jonathan helped me "find my voice" and then express that voice in its truest and most compelling form. I work in an industry in which warm and direct communication, and natural delivery, are absolutely key - but are a challenge for someone accustomed to a more reserved communications style. When I had to prepare for a video presentation, I realized that I simply couldn't hobble through with my stilted communications style. I needed professional help. Jonathan worked with me to refine my content and both my verbal and nonverbal delivery for the video presentation. It surprised me how much "mental positioning" was involved in my successful video presentation. Through our work together, Jonathan gave me tools I could use to develop a more natural presence, tap into the right mental posture (but one that is intrinsically true to myself), and find a greater ease in my verbal and nonverbal communications. He helped me achieve immediate improvement. The benefits of my work with Jonathan have touched many facets of my life, and have extended far beyond that initial video presentation. I highly recommend him. read more

I sought out Jonathan's help because I wanted to enjoy speaking to groups more, to develop and incorporate into my public speaking a more relaxed, expressive personal style. I found Jonathan highly supportive and encouraging, creative in his approaches, and constructive in his feedback, with an easy sense of humor. I came away with knowledge about how to utilize my voice more dynamically, ways to connect more actively with an audience, and most importantly, with a greater awareness of my natural strengths and "permission" to employ them more freely and have fun. Jonathan is a unique, gifted teacher who approaches his work from a holistic -- not just technical -- perspective, with interest in his clients' internal experience and investment in helping them become more effective by working from the inside out. I consistently came away from our meetings inspired to integrate what I'd learned. read more

I needed an audition coach for my 13 y.o. daughter who was applying to San Francisco's High School of the Arts (S.O.T.A.) - entry by audition only! Even though she had been told over and over in numerous acting classes that she was very talented - she had not been successful on her first audition for S.O.T.A. and was signed up for a second round audition - her last crack at gaining entry for the following year. I needed someone to work with her right away and called Jonathan who agreed to start work with her immediately. Just talking with Jonathan on the phone I got a sense that he had a very clear idea of what went into making for a successful audition and how to go about it. My daughter met with him for a couple of hours, 4 Saturdays in a row and then re-audtioned. Not only was she told she did a "very good job" - she was accepted into the program and is is completely thrilled to be starting S.O.T.A. next. fall. I would recommend Jonathan as an audition coach to anyone. read more

I came to Jonathan because I had a handful of improvements I wanted to make toward delivering inspiring, clear elevator pitches and keynote presentations. Within the first session, Jonathan was able to identify and tailor a simple set of exercises that helped me expand my comfort zone, diction, and vocal range. After a few weeks of practice, I was surprised to notice an increased connection when speaking during my workdays and weekends with friends and family members. For me, working with Jonathan was the definitely the right choice because he offered targeted training specifically for me. While Jonathan is a big advocate of practicing the basics, each session we had was devoted to identifying, focusing, and chiseling only the areas of improvement necessary to find my executive presence. Working with Jonathan was a pleasure and I would recommend his WholeSpeak program to anyone who is looking for an honest expert assessment to bring their communications skills and strategies to the next level. read more