About The Wilson Method
The Wilson Method offers improved speaking, singing, breathing and self-regulation techniques in order to help you enhance your overall health and expressive freedom.
The Wilson Method helps people help themselves.
The Wilson Method is about Embodiment, Empowerment and Integration.
Who is The Wilson Method for?
Are you a human? Do you breathe? Do you use your voice?
Then The Wilson Method can be for you.
TWM is particularly focused toward occupational vocalists - those that rely heavily on their voices to make a living: Singers, actors, teachers, public speakers and fitness instructors have all had great success with The Wilson Method. And, even if you do not identify as an occupational vocalist, we can still help.
What disciplines does The Wilson Method utilize?
Trauma-informed Restorative Yoga
Trauma-informed Breath Therapy
Trauma-informed Professional Voice Lessons
Trauma-informed Movement and Embodiment Work
Trauma-informed Meditation
What can The Wilson Method help me with?
Virtually all voice issues
Anxiety and panic attacks
Asthma and COPD
Acid Reflux and GERD
Chronic pain
Sleep issues
Self-regulation challenges
Embodiment
Office Environment Speaking and Oration Skills
Gender-Transition Voicework
Empowerment, Confidence, Agency
How does the Wilson Method work?
In the early 1990’s David Wilson discovered, through his own work and experimentation, that multiple, seemingly unrelated ailments (listed above) could be aided, lessened or eradicated through breath therapy, muscle tension release, core strengthening and voice work.
The Wilson Method has found that in order for the body, breath and voice to work properly, there must space for mobility and flexibility. Physical tension (fueled by muscular imbalances, poor breathing habits and unhelpful thought patterning) inhibits healthy, mind-body-voice flexibility.
The Wilson Method therefore asserts that everything about who we are is reflected in the voice: therefore, voice problems have nothing to do with the voice.
Instead, most voice problems arise from improper breathing, and what is known as Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD) brought on by life’s challenges, protective mechanisms and thinking patterns.
MTD has five (trauma-based) antecedents:
Improper breathing habits
Unhealthy fascial remodeling (poor posture)
Muscular tension
Lack of deep core strength
Self-doubt and fear of expression
Due to these challenges, the mind, body, breath and voice cease to work with each other - they become disconnected and begin to work in opposition to each other.
The Wilson Method offers re-connection: The whole you functioning as one.
The Wilson Method has created a system for teaching “support for singing” that, while based on time-honoured physiological traditions, is unique in its scope and effectiveness. This six-step technique builds core strength, personal confidence, respiratory health and vocal resilience, while at the same time targeting and releasing the muscles that impede our ability to phonate with power, ease and joy.
The Wilson Method also asserts that many seemingly unrelated physical, emotional and mental health issues (such as those listed above) are related through nervous system function, fascia, and the mind-body connection. Therefore they can be mediated through muscle tension release, core work, breath therapy, and meditation.
If you are ready for change, The Wilson Method can help you.
The fundamental goal of TWM?
Improved Expressive Flow.
David Wilson
BMus, Mmus, Yoga Diploma (2-year)
David Wilson is a singer, conductor, voice teacher, senior yoga instructor/teacher trainer, breath therapist, movement coach, embodiment specialist, inspirational speaker, author, and creator of The Wilson Method.
The Wilson Method is based on David’s own personal healing journey after losing his singing voice during his first music degree. For many years after, only a few minutes of singing would lead to severe throat pain. Being a natural singer, his inability to express in this manner eventually led to struggles with anxiety and depression. Someone suggested that Mr. Wilson take yoga classes - he agreed. During his foray into yoga, David noticed that as he practiced certain asanas, his voice would come back for a few moments. Something clicked - he decided to take the two-year, 1800 hour teacher training program at the Yoga Centre of Calgary, which changed the course of his life. David immersed himself in yoga, breathwork, pranayama, Qi Gong and meditation for another five years - he not only got his voice back (more powerfully than it had ever been), but also significantly downgraded his anxiety, depression, food allergies, asthma, bronchitis and sinusitis. He incorporated everything he learned into The Wilson Method, and for the past 25 years, has been helping others breathe, sing and move more freely.
David is recognized across North America as a leading authority on the use of restorative yoga, functional voice work, metaphorical movement, and breath therapy to aid healthy singing and speaking techniques. David also offers training in public speaking, asthma and COPD recovery, chronic pain relief, trauma resilience and anxiety/panic attack relief.
David’s yogic background integrates beautifully with his musical education and experience. He has served as Artistic Director of Vocal Alchemy, Edmonton Recorder Orchestra, The Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players (with whom he organized and conducted the Alberta premier of Thomas Tallis’ 40-part motet “Spem in Alium” and created their first CD), and the Debut Opera Society, conducting Messiah, La Bohème, Carmen, La Traviata, Suor Angelica.
David is the founder and former Artistic Director of Calgary’s Spiritus Chamber Choir – winning the “International Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award” for the first of their two CDs, "Crossing Bridges".
He received the Alberta Choral Federation’s Con Spirito Award in 1997, and in 2004 was invited to the Évora Cathedral Music School in Portugal to present his Master's Thesis, 'Manuel Cardoso'.
David’s singing experience includes 25 years of choral involvement, the Edmonton Opera Chorus for four seasons, the Banff Centre for the Arts Penderecki Festival (World Premiere), Duruflé Requiem, as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf for Into the Woods, and in numerous University of Alberta performances.
He currently holds voice positions with Edmonton Musical Theatre (since 2012), Cowtown Opera Summer Academy (since 2011), the University of Alberta (since 2013), Brott Opera Summer Academy (since 2020) and the Theatre Arts program at MacEwan University (since 2012).
David runs a busy home studio, and leads 30 - 40 workshops and speaking engagements a year to schools, choirs, orchestras, singers, actors, teachers, dancers and office professionals, as as well as offering a growing number of internationally-based online lessons.
