Singing: Therapy or Skill Development? 🤓

I’ve been a voice teacher and singing coach for over 20 years, and there’s a pattern I’ve noticed—one that science now helps explain.

Here are just a few things I’ve heard from my students over the years:

• “I had to choose between spending money on therapy or voice lessons, and I chose voice lessons. Totally worth it.”
• “My lessons create an escape from the mental load of life. You should call it voice therapy and charge a lot more money!”
• “This is my happy place. My favourite hour of the week.”

Now, I’m not suggesting singing should replace therapy—but there is something to this.

Singing is hard work. It’s a total body experience. Your body is your instrument. And like learning any skill—dancing, athletics, painting—it takes consistency, focus, and mental energy. But singing is also more than just skill-building. Many of my students walk into their lesson carrying the weight of the day… and leave a little lighter, standing taller, breathing deeper.

So what exactly is happening here? Let’s look at what the science says.

1. Singing Reduces Stress and Anxiety 

When you sing, your body releases endorphins and oxytocin—natural chemicals associated with pleasure and emotional bonding. Singing has also been shown to lower cortisol, the body’s stress hormone.

A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that singing (especially in a group setting) significantly reduced stress levels and improved mood in participants.

2. Singing Improves Breath and Body Awareness

Voice lessons teach diaphragmatic breathing, posture, and tension release. Breathwork is widely used in somatic therapy and mindfulness practices, and singing engages these same systems. You become more grounded, more aware, and more connected to yourself.

This mind-body integration is powerful. In fact, research published in the Journal of Music Therapy found that singing improves respiratory control and self-regulation, which contributes to emotional stability.

3. Singing Supports Mental Health and Emotional Expression

Singing gives us a safe space to express emotions—especially those we can’t always articulate in words. This expressive quality of singing activates the limbic system, the part of the brain tied to emotional processing.

In clinical settings, singing is used in music therapy for individuals with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic illness. A 2016 meta-analysis found that music interventions, including singing, had a significant positive effect on mental health outcomes.

4. Singing Builds Focus, Confidence, and Flow

We often think of confidence as something you either have or don’t—but singing shows us otherwise. When students dedicate themselves to a challenging phrase or master a new song, they experience what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “flow”—a mental state of full immersion and satisfaction.

That’s where the magic happens. Progress becomes possible. And confidence grows—not from praise, but from purpose and fulfillment.

✨ So, Is Singing “Therapy”?

Not quite. But it’s deeply therapeutic.

Whether you’re singing to perform, to express, or simply for the joy of it, the benefits reach far beyond the studio walls. Singing activates the brain, regulates the body, supports mental health, and connects us—both to ourselves and to each other.

At Donais Studios, our voice programs are about more than just hitting the right notes. We work on technique, artistry, storytelling—and the inner transformation that comes from showing up, week after week, to do something that matters.

🎶Ready to Experience the Difference?

If you’ve ever wondered if singing could help you feel more focused, more expressive, more grounded—or just a little happier—I invite you to give it a try.

Join us at Donais Studios for the 2025/2026 Season. Whether you’re a first-time singer or a seasoned performer, your voice has power. Let’s ignite it.

Keep singing,

Andrea “feeling good” Donais

P.S. Registration is now open for the RISE Children’s Choir 2025/2026 Season. Learn more about our 5th Anniversary Season here. We would love for you to join us and experience the many benefits of singing with others.