Because healthy communities support healthy individuals

At CAYA Creative Health we know that health and wellbeing are about having a supportive community, a way to destress, and the chance to connect and express ourselves. Our voices are fundamental to our identities, our communication and our health. We are dedicated to providing and facilitating friendly, accessible community groups that use movement, breathwork, voicework and singing to support community and belonging and, in turn, support our health and wellbeing.

The simple act of making sound together can be a powerful tool to overcome challenges like social isolation, stress, and anxiety as well as improving heart, lung and brain health.

You don't need to be a "performer" or “singer” to join us - come as you are.

“we sing but are not a choir, we do movement but not dance, we support and care for each other” - Wendy, Joyful Voices

Why Vocal Expression & Singing Matter for Our Health & Wellbeing

Life can be tough, and sometimes it's the simple things that make the biggest difference. Expressing yourself vocally with others is one of them. Here is how group singing and vocalising fit into the 5 Ways of Wellbeing model:

  1. Connect with others: When we join our voices, our bodies release feel-good hormones that help lift our spirits and calm our minds. Additionally when we sing together our hear rates synchronise (entrainment) so the feeling of connection we experience is more than that - it’s actually happening to our hearts. Our groups are safe, non-judgemental spaces where you can connect with people, make new friends, and feel a sense of belonging.

  2. Be active: Group singing has been shown in lung health research to be comparable to a brisk walk in terms of its effect on our heart and lungs. In addition, our sessions involve the whole body and include gentle movement and stretching, breathing, voice and body-rhythm exercises carefully designed and evidence-based to support optimal lung, heart and brain health.

  3. Take notice: Music happens over time so concentrating on a song, coordinating with others to sing together along with the body and breath awareness exercises we incorporate into our sessions, means that we are actively taking notice of ourselves and what is going on around us without even trying. It is mindfulness in action.

  4. Keep learning: All our sessions are paper-free which means that songs and exercises are learnt by heart. We take the time to do this is in a relaxed, fun and co-creative way, supporting different learning styles. This also means that people can go away having learnt something, which they can then share with others at home or do themselves outside of sessions.

  5. Give: Turning up to a session and using your voice and whole person to contribute to the whole sound is an act of giving. Similarly a fundamental part of what we do is going out into the community to share the joy, fun and connecting power of music and songs with the wider community in sharing events