Beyond the Cello: Speaking Without the Shield

Send Lauri a messageWhat happens when your voice disappears—right when you need it most?In this deeply human conversation, Lisa Roche, host of the Find Your Flow podcast, joins Lauri to explore what it really means to find your voice when your body says no.Lisa shares a powerful story of freezing, sobbing, and being unable to speak in front of others—despite years of performing on world-class stages. What followed wasn’t a technique or mindset shift, but a profound reckoning with vulnerability, community, and worth.Together, Lauri and Lisa weave theater, music, somatics, spirituality, and leadership into a conversation about why so many of us hide behind our own “cellos” like slides, scripts, or peppy masks—and what becomes possible when we drop down into the truth beneath our words.This is not a conversation about sounding better. It’s about becoming more available. To ourselves. To others. To life.If you’ve ever felt your throat close, your breath disappear, or your truth hover just out of reach—this episode is an invitation to come home.Takeaways1. Your voice doesn’t disappear because you’re weak—it disappears because something tender is asking to be met2. Performance anxiety is often unprocessed vulnerability, not lack of skill3. Many speakers hide behind “cellos”: slides, scripts, roles, or personas that feel safer than presence4. True safety doesn’t come from control—it comes from connection5. Harmony is not agreement; it’s different truths resonating together6. Speaking becomes transformational when it’s a two-way energetic exchange, not a projection7. Community can hold what the individual cannot8. Finding your voice also means remembering and embracing your worth9. When we stop trying to heal others, clarity and boundaries emerge Soul Sucker QuizTake the Soul Sucker Quiz to learn which Soul Sucker screams the loudest in your mind so you can release them from being in charge and set your voice free!https://voice-matters.com/soul-sucker-quiz/ The Speaker Alter Ego QuizTake the Speaker Alter Ego quiz to find out which protective mask hides your natural radiance so you can learn how to get present, connect deeply, and share your vision when it matters most!https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/ Support the showThank you so much for listening!Take the free Speaker Alter Ego Quiz to find out which protective mask is hiding your wild, untamed radiance. https://voice-matters.com/speaker-alter-ego-quiz/Follow me on:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/voice_matters_llc/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-smith-voice-matters/YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/@voicematters9646