Hi
There
I'm Amy Thiessen
I work at the intersection of body, voice, & communication to help you know & express the fullness of who you are.
It's Time...
To lay down the burdens
that keep you quiet
The stories that keep you small
It's time...
To hear the call of the wild
The wisdom of your womb
The strength of your bones
& the knowing of your heart
It's time to be steady & listen
To be strong & to speak
To be willing to engage
& to find comfort in silence
It is time to hear
Time to know
Time to share
Your Voice.
✨It's Time
My mission is to help passionate & conscientious individuals express themselves with grace, confidence, & impact. By weaving together somatic techniques, mindfulness, vocal exercsies, & communication skills you will unwrap the power & resonance in your full expression.
Authentic expression is a force that builds bridges. It’s potency exists at the communion of profound listening & steady self trust. In a time when things are becoming more polarized the balance of our expression is often lost either to the bondage of self doubt & insecurity or the explosive places of self righteousness or superiority. These are two sides of the same coin. Where one holds us back the other pushes away ~ each leaving us feeling more disconnected.
On the home page I share a story about a drive with my dad. A moment where we met in conversation in a way that was more honest & vulnerable then I had experienced before. This conversation was many years in the making. It took me a long time to understand my feelings & an even longer time to be able to express them in a way that felt clear.
My work is about building bridges within ourselves & with each other. About finding the truth beneath the ‘shoulds’ where our authentic expression lives & sharing it from a place of sovereignty. Whether it’s finding the freedom of song, engaging a difficult dialogue, or leading a team our expression is a bridge to greater connection.
Building Family
My work is a convergence of over 15+ years spent performing music, practicing & facilitating yoga & extensive studies in psychology, philosophy, voice, & somatics.
The moment I truly understood the intention of my work was rather unceremonious. I was holding a monthly gathering in my home which I called Jnana to Bhakti (roughly meaning discernment to devotion) or as I affectionately called it "Church but not Church."
The point of these gatherings was to bring people together & have meaningful conversations around big esoteric topics like devotion or authenticity & make them tangible to daily living. It's one thing to contemplate 'non-attachment' it's another to understand how that applies when your heart is broken after a divorce.
My hope in these discussions was to invite an exchange of experience, to deepen our individual understandings, interconnection, & to allow for disagreement. So many of long for a place where we can have mature conversations that include differences of opinion or belief. Here instead of arguing or dismissing every person shared from their perspective & listened with genuine respect.
After our discussion we shift into singing together ~mantra, prayer songs, & a standards. The singing allowed everything to integrate. It took the mental energy of our conversation & allowed it to settle into the space of our hearts. We sang together. We listened together. We laughed, played, & prayed... together.
In the background of all of this was the flow of family mayhem (in the best way). I welcomed kids, dogs, & multiple generations because I believe we are meant to gather in this way, to learn from different ages, genders, backgrounds & experiences. I loved when a dog ran through or a kid asked a question loudly mid-song. This is life. This is family.
It was during one of these events that I realized the core of my work was to foster a sense family. To create a space where each individual could be fully themselves, have space for the realities of their life, be respected, & offer that same respect in return.
For many of us our greatest challenges in expression are with family ~ So I suppose it only seems natural that family is at the core of this work.
A place to know & accept ourselves & each other. A sense of home & family.
Finding Resonance
SAYING "NO"
In my extended family/community there was one relationship that could be particularly difficult. When I did something dis-pleasing to this person they could become very angry & belligerent towards me. At times this was because of my mistake, like showing up late and other times it seemed to arise out of something seemingly innocuous.
When they got angry they would go off, call me selfish, spoiled & tell me how they didn't need me. No matter how I responded they couldn't seem to hear & would cut me down. Every time it happened I left the altercation drenched in shame, hurt, & rage.
This went of for decades.
It happened again about 5 or so years ago. They asked if I could take care of something that day & I wasn't able (I'd just run a 4 day intensive & was exhausted). Again they began to yell, called me names, but this time I was different. Loudly & clearly I said "No." And again "No."
I felt the strength of anger. Not as a hurtful force but as a sense of self ownership, like a titanium backbone holding strong. Again "No"
They hung up the phone.
Surprisingly, I felt... good! Like seriously good. It was the first time ever in this type of situation where I didn't leave this interaction completely twisted & emotional. It wasn't about me, it had nothing to do with me, & it never had.
Whoaaa.
What's more interesting was that I wasn't angry at this person. I felt grounded, in myself, & even compassionate. It was obvious to me in that moment that they were dealign with their own stuff that day ~ but this time I didn't take it on.
I could share with you stories of big performances or television appearances but the most impactful stories of my personal self expression are just that... very personal. Here are two stories that no one no saw but that were anchors in the development of my own expression.
THE BEAUTY IN TRUTH
I want to share with you a story that incited a transformation in both the way I sing & the way I speak.
It was 2011 & at this point I had been doing music professionally for about 7 or 8 years. I'd played in jazz trios, funk bands, & was more recently working as a solo artist with one EP & full length under my belt.
I reached out to a very successful producer/musician & asked if I could mentor under him. He was a musical genius & I was ecstatic when he agreed!
On our first session he asked me to play a song for him, which of course I did. Then he said something that I will never forget. He said,
“Amy you have a beautiful voice & could make the phone book sound good. But often good singers hide behind a pretty voice”
The words landed like a hurricane. He was talking about my singing, but he spoke to my life. It all began to flash before my eyes ~ how I put on persona's, tried to please, & how I attached to those comfortable voices (teacher, singer, facilitator) but struggled in the more nuanced arena of relationships.
He had me sing it again but this time to feel it through. My voice was shaky, I trembled, but the sound & the feeling... was powerful.
I learned in that moment that to be in authentic expression means taking off any ideas of how it 'should' sound & letting myself (& others) express what it is. This changed my life.
A FEW FUN FACTS ABOUT ME
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I have a pug named Molly who basically lives on my lap & will chase her tail anytime I scratch her bum.
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At some point today. I can guarantee I will make up a ridiculous song about nothing.
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My parents (in their late seventies) live on a farm in the house where my dad grew up.
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During one of the pandemic lockdowns I dressed Molly as a giraffe & took her on a walk in the hopes of cheering people up. (One women ran past then ran back just to say hi)
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I grew up on a cattle farm & became a vegetarian at 12. (I didn't meet another veg till I was in my twenties.
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I graduated with honours from a commerce degree (minor in philosophy) & then decided to sing & teach yoga.
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I got my first dirt bike when I was 5. I loved it! I tried dirt biking agin with my nephew last summer & white knuckled the whole time..
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I am a meditating mantra singing yogi who still swears like a farmer & loves a good intellectual debate. *Don't worry I don't debate with clients :)
The Official Bio
In Resonance Coaching & Sundari Studios
Amy Thiessen is an international coach & performer dedicated to creating transformational experiences of self expression & human connection. With 15 years of experience in yoga facilitation & performance Amy weaves together the wisdom body & voice with somatic integration & communication skills.
Amy's music & presentations have included performances with Wanderlust, Janet Stone, & Ted X. Her work/performance has been featured in print (Gaia, Globe & Mail) radio (CBC, CKUA), & television (Travel Alberta, Stampede Sessions, Born to Explore, Epic Rides) and she has offered her work internationally on trainings with Meghan Currie, Alice Hong, & through various self led international retreats & trainings.
MY HEART IS WISER
My heart is wiser. Amy embodies a rare feminine energy that feels welcoming, supportive, nurturing and...honest. Her voice is testimony to her Truth and her personal practice is proof of the art of Perseverance.
~Cori Everet
@shoot4_the_moon
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