The COVID-19 pandemic taught us many lessons, not the least of which is flexibility—how important it is to change quickly when necessary.

But another critical takeaway is the profound effect that stress and anxiety have on our students. As teachers, we’ve seen firsthand how mental health challenges can create barriers to learning. Part of that anxiety is about safety: how can we feel safe in a world that is virus-prone, full of war and worsening climate change, has massive refugee and immigrant crises, and nationalist regimes that are creating ever more discrimination and persecution of specific populations?

In the United States there are two additional stressors:

Current college students have experienced active shooter drills every year since they were 5. School, which should be a haven for learning, is not safe.
After the recent US elections, more than half of our population is feeling targeted and threatened. Immigrants, queer folk (LGBTQ+), Asians, Jews, Arabs, women, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, neurodivergent folks, and so many others – are subject to harassment and discrimination on a daily basis. Many live in places where they literally fear for their lives or deportation. Depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation are common.

In our classrooms and studios, we witness these pressures daily. Every teacher I speak with is worried about their students. They see students riddled with emotional and physical tension, often leading to pain and injury. They’re not quite sure how to deal with the emotions that students bring into the studio. Some want to take the time to talk and help them with their problems. Others just want to teach music and don’t see how dealing with students’ emotions can help.

Young people come to music for joy and fulfillment, but for many, it can also cause tension, frustration, and even physical pain. How can we expect young people to thrive in a culture where they don’t feel safe?

It’s becoming clear that our traditional teaching methods do not equip us to deal with these problems or our 75-85% of injury among students and professionals.

It’s time to shift!

If you are a studio teacher and are willing to make a few changes, you have the potential to profoundly influence the students you love.

Why Creating a Safe Studio Matters

Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) shows that childhood trauma—whether emotional, physical, or social—can have lasting impacts on a student’s academic and personal life. But there’s hope: mentorship and strong, supportive adult relationships can change a young person’s trajectory. In fact, studies show that a consistent, one-on-one relationship with a caring adult can help students heal and thrive.

Many students don’t even have one-on-one time with their parents, let alone other adults. We have that weekly time. Music lessons offer a powerful opportunity for this type of mentorship. Unlike many other subjects, music lessons happen in a more personal, one-on-one setting, where students can feel seen and heard. As music teachers, we must create an environment that not only serves as a sanctuary for growth, facilitating artistry and creativity.

We have a sacred duty to make our studio a safe haven for these vulnerable young people – a refuge.

As studio teachers, we are in a unique position to help. We can create an environment where students feel safe, accepted, and supported—where they can not only grow as musicians but also as individuals. This article explores how we can shift our approach to teaching, creating studios that nurture both the mind and body, while developing excellence at all levels.

I. How to Build a Safe Studio: Key Strategies for Teachers

1. Clarify Your Goals

What do you want your students to experience when they enter your studio?

Here are some:

Reduce Anxiety and Physical Tension:

Help students manage performance anxiety, self-doubt, and perfectionism, which create tension leading to pain and potential injury.
Learn some basic anxiety recovery tools that students can use whether they’re in a performance situation or in real life. Or trauma-infused teaching practices that support student-centered learning. (See resources)

Support Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-Being:

Learn to look for and prevent pain and injury with somatic techniques, like Body Mapping or the Alexander Technique. These methods improve physical comfort, prevent injury, and promote greater emotional resilience. Many teachers find that training in these and other somatic methods not only helps students be more successful, but also makes teaching more rewarding.
Be curious about how thoughts, emotions, and experiences influence the way we play. In particular, how they can create issues of tension that hamper full expression and also release tension and support ease.

Promote Inclusion and Acceptance:

Ensure every student feels welcome, no matter their background, ability, or identity. Does the sign on your studio door say? “Please take off your shoes?…” Or “Welcome! This space is for you.”

Evaluate images you have on your website and in your studio: are they inclusive in terms of abilities, ages, and ethnic/racial variety? Even if your studio is fairly homogenous, having pictures of other folks around makes it feel more comfortable for all.

Consider the language you use and see if you are thoughtfully including everyone in the way you speak. There’s lots of great information about inclusion and accessibility in terms of both the physical and emotional environment. (See Resources.)

Ultimately, the goal of a safe studio is to create a place where all students feel comfortable to explore. If we don’t feel safe, we don’t learn. I’ve written about these in other articles in the Babel Flute. (See Resources)

Step 1: Clarify what’s most important to you in making your studio a safe place.

II. Relationships with Communities and Families

Whether you are meeting someone from the very first time or welcoming previous students back into your studio at the beginning of a semester, the first contact you have with a student sets the tone for the entire relationship. This is your opportunity to create a warm and welcoming space from the outset.

Be curious: Express interest in the student as a person. What do they love about music? What are their challenges or goals? Do they have any unique learning needs or preferences?
Distinguish yourself as a teacher. If your website and studio policy are a list of rules and requirements, consider starting with your approach to teaching and learning. Let parents and students know specifically how you plan to support them, both as musicians and individuals. Share examples of students you have helped. Lift up every student for whatever successes they achieve.
Create an intake questionnaire giving students a chance to tell you about themselves, their favorite things to do, the role of music in their lives, and why they want to play. Add your own questions.
Share your journey: When appropriate, let students know about your own musical journey, struggles, and how music has impacted your life. This can help create a sense of connection and trust.

Even if a student is assigned to you through a school program, taking the time to check in with them individually can make all the difference. The more you know about your students, the better you can tailor your teaching to their needs and create a space where they feel heard and valued.

This might seem like a lot of work. But what could be more important than getting to know a student well? You can teach them so much more effectively when you know how they learn, what they like, how they think, and what their experiences have been.

Step 2: Be intentional about how you communicate with students and families.

III. How we Teach – an Approach that Promotes Safety and Well-Being

“We cannot always rush to answers and solutions. We need spaciousness and a willingness to be present, to see and listen, so that we may receive clarity. The flame of our creativity is sure to dim without a consistent practice of creating space.”
Reverend Rebecca Bryan

Most important is the way you actually interact with students. Whether you teach in a concrete cubicle or beautiful modern room with lots of space, it’s the quality of your interaction with a student that creates or destroys safety. (Did you ever feel anxious going into a lesson? Think of teachers you’ve had who didn’t make you feel comfortable or welcome.)

Weaving these strategies into your regular teaching is not hard, but it does take practice. Here are some tools you’ll find helpful.

Honor the student’s experience

There’s no way to know what a student is bringing into the room. They may feel unsure about sharing what’s going on with them. If they’re trying to block something, they won’t be able to absorb and embody what you are teaching.
One of my favorite things to do at the beginning of a semester is have them tell me about their Happy Place, or Safe Place – a place where they feel at ease and comfortable. If you learn what this is, I promise you it will come in handy during some future lesson where they get upset, or walk in with a load of troubles.
Teach them how to embody that memory it in a multi-sensory way, so they can change their state from worry to calm in just a few minutes. (See Resources.) This is hugely important to dealing with performance anxiety and performance in general. (A drumming teacher I used to work with in an after-school program would say to a group of antsy kids, “Lets’ go to the beach.” To center them and calm them down, she’d take them on an imaginary visualization of a trip to the beach. Mind you, most of these kids had never been to a beach.)

Inquiry

Instead of just telling students what to do, ask them questions that guide them to discover solutions themselves. This builds their confidence and encourages a growth mindset.

Ask what the student understands and knows, or needs help with, rather than just telling them how to fix something.
There are hundreds of questions you can ask, from “What did you notice” to “Is there anything you would want to play differently?” to “What’s one thing you could do to make this passage easier?”
Ask questions about the meaning of the piece, what their goal in learning it is this week, or how they did with their goals from last week.
If you are teaching a concept or technique, ask them “What do you think about all this?” It gives them time to process the information and say it in their own words. And it gives you the opportunity to see what they did or did not understand

Observation

Watch the student, not the music. Sit or stand in a place where you can see their whole body. If on camera, have them back away so you can at least see from the top of the head to the knees,
Do they look comfortable standing? Are they tense or at ease? How do their arms seem? Are they holding their instrument comfortably? Is their breathing free and full-bodied or does it seem stuck? Is there tension in the neck and shoulders? All of these aspects have a tremendous effect on playing.
Our tradition of teaching has ignored most body use, so we are not always comfortable with it. Asking questions based on your observations is a powerful learning tool for you and them, and models how to observe themselves in practicing. Their answers can indicate underlying stress or discomfort; addressing them early can prevent injury and help students play with more ease.

Validation and celebration

Most of us learn an instrument through a process of correction and criticism. The teacher tells us what we do wrong and we try to fix it. In general, the ratio of correction to celebration is heavily weighted on the side of “that was wrong.”
Many students struggle with perfectionism, and their self-criticism can hold them back. Take judgment out of the learning process.
Make sure to celebrate their successes—no matter how small—and validate their efforts. Celebrate all the small things they do well with exuberant “Yesses” and joy. They’ve learned how to embody negativity. Show them how to embody celebration!
Help them evaluate what works and what doesn’t work in a passage, and why. Students of all ages need to be taught this because it doesn’t come naturally. This one skill will make practicing more joyful.

Collaboration

Rather than just giving instructions, work with your students to solve problems together.
“Let’s try playing this together. What do you think would happen if…? Tell me what you want to know and I’ll help you figure out how to do it.”
In general, resist the urge to “fix” their “mistakes”. Teach them how to think about playing so they will know what to do when they practice!
If you teach group lessons, these are wonderful opportunities to do collaborative projects. (See resources. Teacher Feature with Penny Lazarus by Joy Morin.)

Agency

Taken together, Collaboration, Validation, Observation, and Inquiry build Agency. Agency is a student’s sense of power and control over their own learning and ability to do things. In traditional teaching where the teacher transmits most of the information, the student is a passive learner. But when students feel empowered to take ownership of their learning, they are more likely to engage deeply and confidently.
Encourage students to explore their ideas, ask questions, and experiment with their music.

Step 3: Use Inquiry, observation, validation and collaboration to empower students to become independent learners.

IV. Activities to Promote Exploration in Learning – Play and Movement in the Studio

We know that children learn best in play, but in the seriousness of our mission we sometimes forget that young adults and adults also love play. An essential part of every studio should be balls of different sizes, pool noodles, and a repertoire of physical games to help them become more connected to their bodies and physically expressive.

One of my favorites is a large yoga ball, where they can bounce before the lesson starts. It’s fun, a good use of energy, and cultivates sitting in balance. Take a few workshops in Dalcroze Eurythmics and learn some ball games.
Any kind of playful movement is beneficial! Another favorite is light-saber play with pool noodles, which gets students into their hip joints with martial arts-type movement so they use the whole body.

Also, rockstar movements! Have them bring videos of their favorite rockstars, and explore how they move.
It doesn’t mean they have to move this way on stage, but it will help them feel more free in the way they play. (These are great activities for group classes.)
We know that movement and play are essential for learning, especially for children, but they’re valuable for adults, too. Building fun physical activities into your lessons can help students release tension, boost energy, and feel more comfortable in their bodies.

Step 4: Anxiety causes tension and contraction. Encourage playful activities that expand freedom, creativity and resilience.

V. Beginning the Lesson

There are two things that I have found essential in beginning every lesson, for the benefit of the student and myself.

Presence pause

One of the most powerful tools for creating safety is simply making spaciousness at the beginning of each lesson.Take a couple of minutes to just breathe, and let go of everything that happened before this moment. For you, it’s an opportunity to re-center yourself, feel grounded (especially if you’re teaching online), and get ready to devote your full attention to the student.
For the student it’s an opportunity to learn about being present in the moment, which is one of our most important performance tools. Teach them how to develop a multi-sensory awareness – to hear, see, sense their whole bodies, and sense the space around them.
You will be giving a gift that will serve them their whole lives. Whether taking an audition, working out a problem with a friend, practicing, dealing with a home situation, creating spaciousness in the present moment develops self-regulation. It’s also one of the primary tools for lessening anxiety.

Physical warm-ups.

Whole-body movement gets your blood flowing and your muscles oxygenated. It makes you feel grounded, whole, and free, and deepens your breathing. The movement of playing become easier and more supported.
- For you, this is a great way to keep yourself engaged and to rejuvenate your energy.
- For the student, it helps them become present, let go of the stress of the day, and bring joy into making music. Any whole body movement will do. My favorites are bouncing on the ball, jumping jacks, and any kind of twisting and swinging. The only requirement is that it loosens you up, and is fun. (See resources for Arms Warmups.)

Step 5: Welcome each student with your full attention and join them in whole-body warmups.

VI. Embrace Your Role as a Teacher-Mentor

As a private music teacher, you have the power to create a profound impact on your students—not just in terms of their musical abilities, but also in their personal growth and well-being. By including safety, physical comfort, and inclusion, you will provide a safe haven where students can truly thrive.

You are a leader. You have the ability to create a huge ripple effect, which students will then pass on to their own students and friends. That sanctuary where they can be accepted in their wholeness may be their most important hour during the week. It’s not just about teaching music; it’s about teaching resilience, self-acceptance, and the joy of expression.

I invite you to embody that role and use your power to help your students grow not only musically, but as healthy, confident, curious, and resilient people!

Let’s rise to the challenge and celebrate every student who walks through our door.

Resources

1. Arms warm-ups
Videos of whole-body warmups for arms
Download here

2. Etudes to reduce anxiety
Download here

3. Accessibility and Inclusion Resources for Musicians
Katherine Lewis accessreimagined.com

4. Nurturing Resilient, Pain-free and Confident Musicians with student-centered teaching. By Lea Pearson
Download here

5. Articles by Lea Pearson in the Babel Flute
Helping Students with Pain and Anxiety
Helping Students with Pain and Anxiety, part 2
Cultivating the 21st Century Garden
Navigating Embodied Practicing

6. Dystonia research
Anna Détári’s research showing the holistic and chronological model of the development of Musician’s Focal Dystonia, applicable to other injuries as well.
Musician’s Focal Dystonia: A new, holistic perspective
PHD dissertation, Doctor of Philosophy , University of York Department of Music, July, 2022, p. 150, The holistic and chronological model of the development of MFD.

7. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and Resilience
Mentoring to Address Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences

8. Collaboration Projects
Teacher Feature with Penny Lazarus by Joy Morin, 22 November 2024

Lea Pearson

Music Minus Pain | Transformational Teacher Training Program | Crack the Codes of Breathing and Tension

Lea Pearson, DMA, has been studying education, psychology, movement, anatomy, neuroscience, Body Mapping, the Alexander Technique, entrepreneurship, leadership, performance practice, and Dalcroze Eurhythmics since 1970.

A licensed Body Mapping Educator, she is an award-winning Master Teacher, a Kennedy Center-trained Teaching Artist, a Fulbright Scholar, and a Certified Health Coach. Formerly a member of the South Bend Symphony, Jackson (MI) Symphony, and a sub with the Toledo Orchestra, Lea performs works by women, Black, and other under-represented composers.

Her dream is that every musician will share their artistic vision with joy and ease – wherever, whenever, and for as long as they want. To that end, she trains teachers in the Transformational Teacher Training Program “Music Minus Pain“.