The Inclusive Voice

A Coachee Workbook

Written by Lane Anthony

Developed by Neurolearn

Module 1: Discovering Your Vocal Identity

Welcome to the start of your journey. This first module is all about discovery and building a strong, comfortable foundation. We will move away from judgement and towards curiosity, exploring the physical connection between your body, your breath, and the unique voice you already possess. There are no right or wrong answers here—only awareness.

Session 1.1: The Voice-Body-Breath Connection

The Importance of Grounding

Before we can work with the voice, we must first find a sense of ease in the body. For many of us, especially in professional roles, we hold tension in our shoulders, jaw, and neck without even realising it. This tension directly restricts our breath and, in turn, our voice. The following exercises are designed to help you check in with your body and release this habitual tension.

Activity: Grounding Body Scan

Find a comfortable seated position. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your spine long but not rigid. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so.

Bring your awareness to the feeling of your feet on the floor. Notice the points of contact and the support of the ground beneath you.
Slowly, bring your attention up through your body—your legs, your hips, your torso. Simply notice any areas of tension without judgement.
Pay special attention to your shoulders. Are they creeping up towards your ears? Gently invite them to release downwards.
Notice your jaw. Is it clenched? Allow a small space to form between your back teeth.
Take three slow, gentle breaths. Simply observe the air moving in and out of your body.

Discovering Your Diaphragm

Understanding Your Engine

The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs. Think of it as the engine for your voice. When you breathe in, it flattens to draw air into your lungs. When you breathe out (and speak), it relaxes upwards, controlling a steady stream of air. Many of us are “shallow breathers,” using only the top part of our lungs. Learning to breathe diaphragmatically provides a more powerful and stable support for your voice, reducing strain on your throat.

Activity: Connecting Breath and Sound

This exercise connects your newly found diaphragmatic breath to sound in a low-pressure, gentle way.

Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Aim to feel the hand on your abdomen rise more than the hand on your chest.
Once you’ve inhaled, let the air out with an audible, gentle sigh of relief, like ‘ahhhhh’. Don’t force it. Notice the vibration in your chest.
Repeat this five times, focusing on the feeling of a relaxed, open throat and a supported sound.

Session 1.1: Reflection

Where did you notice the most tension in your body during the scan?Describe what the “sigh of relief” exercise felt like. Was it easy or difficult to make a relaxed sound?

Session 1.2: Mapping Your Vocal Landscape

Your Vocal Toolbox

Every voice has a unique set of qualities. We often judge these qualities as “good” or “bad”—for example, thinking a deep voice is “authoritative” or a high voice is “not serious.” In this programme, we discard those judgements. Instead, we view your vocal qualities as tools in a toolbox. A quiet voice can be intimate and engaging. A fast pace can convey passion. The goal is not to get a new set of tools, but to learn how to use the ones you already have with intention and skill.

Activity: Mapping Your Vocal Landscape

For this activity, you will need a device to record your voice (a smartphone is perfect). Find a quiet, private space where you won’t be disturbed. You will be the only person to hear this recording.

Read the following neutral text aloud in your normal speaking voice and record it:
“The structure of any organisation is essential for its success. It defines the hierarchy, the channels of communication, and the allocation of responsibilities. There are various models, from traditional top-down structures to more collaborative, flat approaches.”
Now, listen back to your recording. As you listen, fill out the worksheet below. Approach this with curiosity, as if you are a researcher studying a voice for the first time.

My Vocal Map

PACE: How fast or slow is the voice? Is it consistent or does it vary?PITCH: Does the voice tend to be high, medium, or low? Does the pitch stay level (monotone) or does it move up and down (melodic)?VOLUME: Is the voice naturally loud, medium, or quiet?QUALITY/TIMBRE: What descriptive words come to mind? (e.g., breathy, clear, rough, soft, sharp?)

A Note from Your Coach

Listening to our own recorded voice can be uncomfortable for many people! This is completely normal. Remember, the goal is not to critique, but simply to gather information. Be kind to yourself during this process. You are taking a brave and important step towards greater self-awareness.

Setting Your Personal Goals

Now that you have a map of your vocal landscape, you can set a meaningful goal. A good goal is specific and focuses on how you want to *feel* or what you want to *achieve*, rather than on “fixing” something. For example, instead of “Stop speaking so fast,” a more helpful goal might be, “I want to feel more in control during team meetings so my key points are heard.”

My Communication Goal

Think of a specific situation at work where you would like to communicate with more confidence or impact. Describe it here.Based on this situation and your Vocal Map, what is one personal communication goal you would like to work towards in this programme?

Module 2: The Art of Articulation & Clarity

In Module 1, we established your foundation. Now, in Module 2, we build upon it by focusing on *how* your message is delivered. This module is dedicated to the practical skills of articulation and pacing. The goal is not to sound like someone else, but to ensure that your ideas are heard with the clarity they deserve. We will explore how to make your speech more precise and how to control its rhythm for maximum impact.

Session 2.1: Articulation Fitness

Making Your Message Clear

Articulation is simply the physical act of shaping sounds into clear, understandable words. It’s a motor skill, much like writing or typing. The “muscles” of articulation are your tongue, lips, and jaw. Just like any other muscle group, they can be warmed up and strengthened to improve their precision and agility. This session is about giving those muscles a gentle workout.

Activity: Articulator Warm-ups

These exercises wake up the muscles of speech. Try them in front of a mirror to enhance your awareness.

Jaw Release: Gently open your mouth wide, then close it. Repeat five times. Then, gently massage the hinge of your jaw with your fingertips to release any tension.
Lip Buzz (Trills): Relax your lips and blow air through them to create a buzzing or “raspberry” sound, like a horse. This helps to release lip tension. Do this for 10-15 seconds.
Tongue Stretches: Point your tongue out as far as it will comfortably go. Then, try to touch your nose with the tip, and then your chin. Finally, trace the outside of your lips with your tongue tip, first clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

Crisp Consonants and Clear Vowels

Clarity often comes down to giving proper attention to the sounds within words, especially the consonants at the beginning and end. Vowels, on the other hand, carry the tone and resonance of your voice.

Activity: Diction Practice

Read the following phrases aloud slowly. Exaggerate the mouth movements and focus on making every single consonant sharp and every vowel sound open and clear.

“The tip of the tongue, the teeth, and the lips.”
“Unique New York, Unique New York.”
“Red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather.”
“Please pass the peas and the pepper.”

Now, try reading a sentence from a book or newspaper, focusing on landing the final ‘t’, ‘d’, ‘p’, and ‘k’ sounds with precision.

Session 2.1: Reflection

Which of the warm-up exercises felt the most effective or needed for you?When practising the diction phrases, what did you notice about your own speech habits?

Session 2.2: Mastering Pace & The Power of the Pause

Controlling the Rhythm of Your Speech

Pace—the speed at which you speak—is one of the most powerful tools for managing your listener’s attention. Speaking too quickly can mean your audience misses key points, while speaking too slowly can cause them to lose interest. The key is to have conscious control over your pace. Equally powerful is the pause: a moment of silence that can add emphasis, create suspense, or give both you and your listener vital processing time.

Double Empathy & Processing Time

Remember the “double empathy problem.” A neurotypical person might interpret rapid speech without pauses as overwhelming, while an autistic person might speak with natural pauses to allow for their own processing. Conversely, someone with ADHD might speak quickly because their thoughts move fast. There is no “correct” pace. The skill is in learning to adapt your pace to suit your message and your audience, and in understanding that a pause is a gift of processing time you can give to your listener and, crucially, to yourself.

Activity: The Pace-o-Meter

This exercise helps you feel what different speeds are like in your own body.

Take a short, unfamiliar paragraph from a book or website.
Read it aloud at your normal, comfortable pace (your “5 out of 10”).
Now, read it again at a pace you would consider deliberately slow, like a “3 out of 10”. Notice how much more time you have to think.
Finally, read it at a brisk, energetic pace, like a “7 out of 10”.

The goal is not to find the “right” speed, but to realise that you have gears and can choose which one to use.

Activity: Thought-Chunking and The Impactful Pause

Breaking down long sentences into smaller “chunks” of thought makes them easier for you to say and for your audience to understand.

Take the sentence: “The most important finding from our research, which took over six months to complete and involved three separate departments, is that we need to prioritise client communication above all else.”
Mark it up with slashes (/) where you could naturally pause:
“The most important finding from our research, / which took over six months to complete and involved three separate departments, / is that we need to prioritise client communication above all else.”
Now, practise saying the sentence, taking a clear breath at each slash. Notice how much more manageable it is.
Try adding an extra-long pause just before the most important part to add impact:
“…is that we need to prioritise… (PAUSE) …client communication above all else.”

Session 2.2: Reflection

In which professional situations might you choose to use a slower pace? When might a faster pace be appropriate?How does the idea of using a pause as a tool for your own thinking time, not just for the listener, change your perspective?

Module 3: Expressive Communication

Having built your foundation in Module 1 and honed your clarity in Module 2, this final module is about bringing your communication to life. We will explore the “music” of your voice—intonation and emphasis—to convey meaning with greater nuance. This module is not about performance; it is about authentic expression. We will integrate all the skills you have developed in a supportive, practical way, so you can leave this programme ready to communicate with confident impact.

Session 3.1: Painting with Sound

Conveying Meaning Beyond Words

Intonation is the rise and fall of your voice as you speak, while emphasis is the stress you place on particular words. Together, they are the tools you use to add emotional colour and to signal your meaning. A flat intonation can sometimes be misinterpreted as disinterest, just as a highly expressive intonation can sometimes feel overwhelming to others. This session is about finding a range of expression that feels authentic to you and serves your message.

Activity: The Emphasis Game

This simple exercise powerfully demonstrates how emphasis changes meaning. Take the sentence below and say it aloud multiple times, stressing a different underlined word each time. Notice how the entire meaning shifts.

“I didn’t say she stole the money.” (Someone else said it.)
“I didn’t say she stole the money.” (I am denying I said it.)
“I didn’t say she stole the money.” (I might have implied it, but I didn’t say it.)
“I didn’t say she stole the money.” (Someone else stole it.)
“I didn’t say she stole the money.” (She might have just borrowed it.)
“I didn’t say she stole the money.” (She stole something else.)

Exploring Your Natural Pitch Range

Everyone has a natural range of high and low notes in their voice. Often, we only use a very small part of that range. Exploring your full range can help you access more vocal variety when you need it.

Activity: Pitch Range Exploration

This is a playful, low-pressure exercise. It is not about singing.

Start by humming a comfortable, low note. Hold it for a few seconds.
Now, imagine your voice is a lift (or an ambulance siren). On a gentle “ooo” or “eee” sound, let your voice glide smoothly up to a comfortably high note, and then glide back down again.
Repeat this several times. The goal is not to hit specific notes, but to feel the sensation of your voice moving freely through its range.
Try saying “hello” on a high note, and then on a low note. Notice the difference in how it feels and sounds.

Session 3.1: Reflection

In the Emphasis Game, which shift in meaning surprised you the most?Think about your communication goal from Module 1. How could using more emphasis or pitch variety help you achieve it?

Session 3.2: The Confident Communicator

Bringing It All Together

This final session is your opportunity to integrate all the tools from your vocal toolbox. We will practise in a safe and supportive environment, focusing on applying your skills to a topic you care about. This is the bridge between the exercises in this workbook and your real-world professional situations.

A Note on Constructive Feedback

Giving and receiving feedback is a skill. When practising, the goal is to be both kind and helpful. We often use a simple model: “What Went Well” (WWW) where you praise something specific, and “Even Better If” (EBI) where you offer a single, practical suggestion for improvement. This ensures feedback is always supportive and developmental.

Activity: The ‘One-Minute Passion’ Talk

You will prepare and deliver a 60-second talk on a subject you are genuinely passionate about—a hobby, a favourite book, a project you’re proud of, even your pet! Choosing a topic you love reduces the mental load of *what* to say, so you can focus on *how* you say it.

Choose your topic: What could you talk about with genuine enthusiasm for one minute?
Structure your talk: Think of a simple opening, one or two key points, and a concluding sentence.
Mark up your script: Use slashes (/) to plan your pauses. Underline one or two key words where you will consciously use emphasis.
Practise: Rehearse your talk a few times, focusing on using your tools: grounded posture, clear articulation, deliberate pace, and expressive emphasis.

Your Personal Action Plan

Having completed the programme, which single tool or technique has been the most valuable for you?Looking back at your communication goal from Module 1, what is one concrete step you will take this week to practise your skills in that specific situation?How will you continue to be a kind and curious student of your own voice going forward?

Resources & Appendices

Glossary of Terms

Articulation: The physical act of shaping sounds into clear words using your articulators: the lips, teeth, tongue, and palate.

Diaphragm: A large muscle at the base of the lungs that acts as the primary muscle for breathing. Engaging it provides strong, steady support for the voice.

Double Empathy Problem: The idea that communication difficulties between autistic and non-autistic people are a mutual problem, caused by differences in experience and understanding, rather than a deficit in the autistic person.

Emphasis: The extra stress or focus placed on a particular word or syllable within a sentence to convey specific meaning.

Intonation: The “music” of your voice; the rise and fall in pitch as you speak, which helps to convey emotion and grammatical meaning.

Pace: The speed or rate at which you speak. This can be varied consciously to affect listener attention and comprehension.

Pitch: The highness or lowness of a sound. Your natural pitch range is the spectrum of notes your voice can comfortably produce.

Resonance: The quality of the sound as it vibrates through the cavities of your chest, throat, and head. Good resonance gives the voice a rich, full quality.

Timbre (or Quality): The unique character or texture of your voice that distinguishes it from others (e.g., breathy, sharp, soft, rough).

The Inclusive Voice

The Inclusive Voice