399 How to Train Your Voice for Confidence: Vocal Performance Coach Dr. Shannon Holmes on Presence, Nerves, and Authentic Speaking

Quick Summary

Vocal performance coach and PhD, Dr. Shannon Holmes, joins Kelsey to reveal how your voice is constantly broadcasting signals about your confidence, credibility, and authority — whether you realize it or not. From the science of human voice perception to practical body-based techniques for speaking with presence, this episode is a masterclass in one of the most underrated professional skills. Plus, Dr. Shannon shares her inspiring personal story of earning a PhD at 50 while raising six children.

In This Episode

• Dr. Shannon's journey: having children young, hiding it professionally, and eventually owning her path
• Going back for a master's degree in her early forties and a PhD at 50 — from Montreal, studying in the UK
• Advice for working moms on presence, letting go, and asking for help
• The science of human voice perception — how quickly we judge others' voices (and they judge ours)
• Natural voice vs. habitual voice: why "I'm just monotone" is a myth
• What vocal masks are and how we unconsciously use them
• The body-voice connection and why it's the foundation of all vocal work
• Pre-performance rituals: how to take up space, breathe in the room, and walk in with authority
• How to train your voice in everyday low-stakes moments

Key Takeaways

It's never too late. Dr. Shannon earned her PhD at 50 with six children and a transatlantic commute. The "expiry date" on your dreams is one you invented.Your habitual voice is not your natural voice. The monotone or quiet voice you use under pressure is a protective habit — not who you really are.Body first, breath second, voice third. If your body is tense, your breath is restricted. If your breath is restricted, your voice can't be free. Start there.Stop holding your breath before you speak. We hold our breath to avoid feeling fear — but that's exactly when we need to breathe deepest. Breath signals safety to your nervous system.Leave the voice to chance and you've already lost the room. All the slide prep in the world won't save you if you haven't practiced how you'll actually deliver the content.
Memorable Quotes

• "If the body isn't free, the breath isn't free — and if the breath isn't free, the voice isn't free." — Dr. Shannon Holmes
• "People confuse their habitual voice for their natural voice. That flat, monotone delivery under pressure? That's not who you are. That's a habit you've built to protect yourself." — Dr. Shannon Holmes
• "You can have everything — just not all at the same time. I really had to learn that." — Dr. Shannon Holmes

Resources Mentioned

• Dr. Shannon's website: www.shannonholmes.ca
• Dr. Shannon on Instagram: @dr.shannonholmesdovoice
• Kelsey's website: www.KelseyReidl.com
• Kelsey's instagram: @KelseyReidl
• Wave Event — Friday, April 17th (Rain or Shine community event)
• Special offer: Mention "Rain or Shine" in your application on Dr. Shannon's website for a special listener rate

About the Guest

Dr. Shannon Holmes is a vocal performance coach, professor, and researcher with a PhD earned at 50, specializing in the intersection of voice, body, and authentic expression. With a background in opera and theater performance, she now works with executives, entrepreneurs, and academics to unlock their natural vocal authority. She is a speaker at the Rain or Shine Wave event on April 17th.