Schema Coaching for Musicians
Cultivating Freedom, Joy and Confidence.
Schema Coaching for Musicians is a powerful approach that can bring a variety of benefits to practice and performance. I have experienced these for myself, and am dedicated to supporting other musicians discover benefits for their own music.
My clients tell me the approach has helped them understand music-related problems like anxiety, stress and doubt with more clarity and compassion.
They find more joy, creativity and motivation in their practice, and more calm and confidence in performance. They also say they find more ease, balance and wellbeing in their work overall.
"Thank you so much! You've helped me so much, I don't think I would have ever had the confidence to play without it." - Amy
"You have restored my faith and love in music. You have truly been an inspiration and a role model. I really valued the freedom you gave me in encouraging me to experiment, and you have shown me how to combine music and well-being." - Ryan
"Thank you so much for everything you have done for me! You have taught me so much that I will remember forever!" - Caitlin
How it Works
A schema is a pattern of thoughts, emotions, physical feelings and memories. Schema Coaching helps us understand and let go of the patterns that are holding us back in our lives, and cultivate positive patterns that bring more wellbeing, confidence, freedom of expression, and creativity.
Through training and collaboration with psychologists, I developed Schema Coaching for Musicians to help instrumentalists and singers of any style.
I currently work one-to-one with a range of music professionals, amateurs and music students.
Sessions can be online or in-person in Central London. They can mix coaching conversations with practical music-making.
We can work directly with the music you are learning, wanting to refine, or finding difficult. The coaching helps you build a toolkit of embodied, real-time strategies directly into your playing or singing.
We can explore a range of techniques to free up your mind, body and playing and instil positive habits. These include enjoyable imagery and emotions in music; healthy breathing, posture and movement; our senses of touch, sight, felt sense, and listening; and cultivating a compassionate inner-dialogue.
We do all of this with music itself so that you can use the techniques while you play or sing in a simple way.
Feel Good, Play Great
Schema Coaching for Musicians started through my own professional experience as a musician and teacher. I noticed that when we feel good in ourselves, we seem to practise, compose and perform more effectively, even our best. This began my own journey learning about emotional states and how they relate to performance ability.
By ‘feeling good’ I mean regulated: grounded, relaxed, but also rather energised. The riches that follow can be broad. For me, these regulated states are a springboard for our creative, expressive and technical potential.
Schema Coaching helps by meeting core emotional needs through the music. We need emotional safety and support to think clearly and focus our attention. When these needs are met, it also frees us up for the play and spontaneity that brings vitality to our playing.
It can even lead us into flow: those states of mind and body where everything seems to work effortlessly. We find ourselves ‘in tune’ with our instrument, absorbed by the music, enjoying the moment, buzzing with creativity and heightened personal expression.
My Experience and Commitment
Schema Coaching is an innovative adaptation of the Schema Therapy Model, which is a needs-based approach. I am part of a community of coaches and psychologists bringing the benefits of this model to coaching contexts.
I have trained in the Schema Model through Schema Therapy Associates and receive regular Schema Coaching Supervision..
I am Chair of the Schema Coaching Special Interest Group within the International Society of Schema Therapists (ISST). I have been invited to present my work at ISST INSPIRE 2026 Conference.
I have also given various presentations and webinars, and spoken about the approach on podcasts.
I aim to bring a high level of commitment, professionalism and expertise to all my work. This includes bringing insights from continuous professional development and training. I am currently working towards EMCC Accreditation as a Practitioner Coach.
I also aim to be collaborative and honour each person's ability to have and find solutions within themselves rather than being imposing. My coaching is a working partnership focused on what's best for the individual.
I also know that music-related anxiety, stress and doubt can be very challenging and hard to talk about sometimes. I respect and dignify the effort it takes to be open about our problems, especially in the music industry. I aim to support each person with absolute understanding and compassion. I have been there myself. My coaching is supported by trauma-informed training through In Good Company and Thrive LDN.