Background
Franka van Essen (June 22, 1976) is a professional 1-1 coach and an experienced voice teacher. With her background as a classical mezzo-soprano and choir leader, she understands what ‘high performance’ entails. Franka’s mission is to help as many creative and sensitive female professionals as possible live up to their highest potential. Where voice, performance, and life are so aligned that it resonates both from the inside and the outside!
Enrichment with Vocal Life coaching
“After having worked as a singing teacher and vocal coach for many years- and with great pleasure, I felt a need for deeper exploration. As a teacher, I quickly realized that the singing process consistenly coincides with someone’s personal development. The voice as a metaphor for life. The solution often lies not just in more vocal technique but in the attention of a loving coach, with room for insightful and action-oriented exercises, focused on the undercurrent: the hidden internal barriers, beliefs, and connection with one’s own body and breath.
My own journey, in which I courageously overcame a burnout with unprocessed trauma and grief -with the help of others, contributed to this deepening. I pursued two extensive training programs and came up with the term ‘vocal life coaching.’ Voice2Blossom was born! In the meantime, I no longer worked solely with singers but also with female professional speakers such as teachers, funeral speakers, and coaches. As a deep feeler and fast, creative thinker, I can quickly connect with you and your process, helping you achieve the profound change you’ve been seeking for so long.”
Fear of failure or fear of shining?
“It’s time for every woman to reclaim her voice and dare to express herself exactly as she is, because we are good as we are! Whether singing, speaking, whispering, or giggling with laughter. I am convinced that the world becomes a more beautiful place when more women dare to express themselves, from a place of vulnerability and strength. This way, we can further embody our leadership in a feminine way, from a place of sisterhood, bringing values like vulnerability and connection into the world even more. At the same time, we can embrace that strong, purposeful side. Most women don’t suffer from fear of failure but from fear of shining. Myself included. Because what if it does work out? And you step into the light?”
Heart and throat
“The voice is such a beautiful gateway to work with: it is the place from which you bring forth what lives inside. Where the heart connects with the throat. And that’s why it often feels so vulnerable: ‘Will I be heard?’ ‘Is what I have to say good enough?’ The fear of rejection is significant, both in speaking and singing. And this can lead to fear of speaking in public and stage fright. At the same time, the voice is a very safe place to work with: with our voice, we can calm ourselves and others, offer comfort. Have fun and enjoy, especially when we sing together. It’s no coincidence that singing in a choir is such a fantastic experience! In my coaching, there is plenty of space for both sides of the coin, the vulnerable and the powerful aspects of the voice”
“If you want to improve the world, start by making people feel safer” – Steven Porges
Safety and connection
“For me, the values of ‘safety’ and ‘connection’ are guiding principles in my work and life. In my youth, I experienced a lot of unsafety, which kept me constantly on high alert. Fortunately, I discovered singing, and in hindsight, I can say that singing itself has been very healing and regulating for me. However, I noticed that I struggled with stage fright, which is quite understandable when your body has been in fight/flight mode from a young age. I have since learned that I can do a lot myself to experience that sense of safety and connection in the present moment. Working with the body and nervous system from the polyvagal theory has touched my heart. It aligns so beautifully with working with the voice! And it’s such a compassionate way of looking at people, beyond the judgment of ‘not being good enough'”..
New horizons
“Growth and freedom are also important in my life. They ensure that I remain challenged and regularly reinvent my work. As a quick, complex thinker, and deep feeler, I navigate the narrow path between burn-out and bore-out in connection with myself. I don’t do this alone! By being coached by mentors who are more advanced in their specific fields , I gain insights into new horizons. And I see what else is possible. And that is more than I ever imagined!”
My inspirators:
- Thich Nath Hahn
- Stephen Porges
- Brené Brown
- Michael Allison
- Gillyanne Keyes & Jeremy Fisher
- Edith Eger
- Richard Schwartz
- Maria Magdalena
Franka as singer www.muzinder.nl
Franka as choir leader of the Kamper Ladies Choir www.klc.nl