Michael Gingerich and Tom Kaden are the Co-Founders and Co-Chief Encouragement Officers of the Pennsylvania-based nonprofit Someone To Tell It To, which helps the world to listen. They are podcast hosts, the authors of four books, bloggers, and public speakers on the art and science of listening.

Someone To Tell It To's teams of listeners have had more than 18,000 listening interactions during the past decade. We have trained over 800 people to be more intentional and relational listeners, as well. Not only do we listen in person to individuals, families, and groups of people, but we also listen to people virtually - through email, the phone, texting, Facebook private messaging, Zoom, WhatsApp, and other platforms. We meet people where and in whatever forum they are most comfortable and feel safest to share. This also has enabled us to listen to people across 25 U.S. states and 12 nations around the world. Our training work has taken us in businesses, colleges and universities, hospitals and healthcare institutions, schools, places of worship, hospices, funeral homes, civic organizations, and other nonprofits. Our podcasts have featured guest who also value the vital role that listening plays in everyday professional and personal lives. Our books relate stories of the life-changing role that listening plays and offer practical tips on how to listen better to one another to change the culture of organizations and to strengthen relationships in an increasingly fractured, lonely, and emotionally disconnected world.

Our workshop, based on the theme of our third book - "Listening 2by2: A Paradigm Shift for Leaders (That's When the Magic Happens!)" - will feature a short training seminar in Someone To Tell It To's 2by2 listening and presentation model. These six topics will be included:

1. Starting with a Belief (about listening),
2. Creating the Space (for listening),
3. Asking Good Questions (to help others open up and feel safe),
4. Listening Intentionally (for the meaning in what is spoken and unspoken),
5. Reaching for Your Tools (to enable good listening), and
6. Taking Time for Self-Care (since listening is often hard and vulnerable work).

The presentation of the topics will be followed by a series of listening interactions that show both helpful and unhelpful environments and responses for listening well.

Participants will have the opportunity to practice listening in pairs and being listened to by pairs of listeners, and to ask questions about Someone To Tell It To's listening, training, and educational experiences over the past decade.

This workshop will be interactive, relational, and illuminating. It will help participants to better understand the dynamics enabling good listening and will offer the practical tools necessary to growing one's listening abilities.

Interest Tags: Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Relationships, Safety, Socializing, Voice, Wellness, Workplace

Ready to find your inner voice and move to the beat of your own drum? Join handpan musician and the founder of Super Bloom Women’s Handpan Retreat for an interactive and immersive drum circle, play lab, laughter (yoga) and more. Sarah believes that there are musical (creative) seeds in all of us. In cultivating curiosity and imagination these seeds grow, and eventually thrive, if we let them bloom in abundance. This directly ripples into other facets of life. In this Play Lab Workshop, we will explore new beginnings through sound exploration, with the handpan as our guide. The process of discovery doesn’t have to end just because we "become adults"! Channel your inner self, unlock the key to your next personal evolution and share a memorable experience you won’t discover at any other conference. This is an event like no other and you may be surprised the joy that fills your heart and the peace that radiates through your body. No instrumental or musical experience necessary – all are welcome. Recommended to bring water and if you prefer, dress comfortably as you will have an option to sit in a chair or on the floor while holding the instruments.

Interest Tags: Aging, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Relationships, Safety, Socializing, Spirituality/Religion, Spouses/Signification Others, TransFeminine, TransMasculine, TransPeople of Color, Voice, Wellness, Youth

You have just gathered enough confidence to come out of your hotel room, and then you find yourself “Made” in less than 10 seconds! What can you do? This seminar is aimed at novices to know some basic tips on developing a feminine presentation. These tips will provide you countermeasures to take on your life in public as a woman, build your confidence, and avoid natural traps that give you away.

Interest Tags: Image & Presentation, Socializing, TransFeminine, Voice

This workshop is geared toward transgender and/or non-binary individuals who are interested in exploring voice feminization. This session will discuss the distinct components of the voice, the effects of adjusting those components, and how we can adapt each one to create new sounds and achieve your ideal, authentic voice. Breath support, pitch, intonation, resonance, and articulation will be addressed. If time permits, participants may have an opportunity to experiment with their own voices through guided tasks. Workshop will be led by voice-specialized, transgender speech-language pathologist, Arin Ayala, and his graduate extern, Dylan Tobias.

Interest Tags: Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, TransFeminine, Voice

This workshop is geared toward transgender and/or non-binary individuals who are interested in exploring voice masculinization. This session will discuss the distinct components of the voice, the effects of adjusting those components, and how we can adapt each one to create new sounds and achieve your ideal, authentic voice. Breath support, pitch, intonation, resonance, and articulation will be addressed. If time permits, participants may have an opportunity to experiment with their own voices through guided tasks. Workshop will be led by voice-specialized, transgender speech-language pathologist, Arin Ayala, and his graduate extern, Dylan Tobias.

Interest Tags: Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, TransMasculine, Voice

Dr. Thomas reveals how vocal cords function using video recordings of male, female and surgically altered vocal cords. Pitch and resonance are affected by the anatomy as well as how the anatomy is used. Surgical modification of the voice, especially Feminization Laryngoplasty (FemLar), one type of vocal cord (laryngeal) surgery is designed to obtain a feminine sounding voice and correct complications from Tracheal Shave procedures. Several other types of procedures target the frequency or pitch of the resting speaking voice to various degrees. CricoThryoid Approximation (CTA), vocal cord webbing, laser vocal cord thinning and pharyngeal narrowing procedures will be discussed and compared to each other. Not only successful interventions are covered, but complications, durability, incomplete outcomes are discussed. Options for correcting complications of any laryngeal procedures are discussed. If you have experienced a voice change after a Tracheal Shave procedure, he will discuss the correction of this problem. At the conclusion of this lecture, the listener should better understand the concepts that can help in decision-making about the roles of voice therapy as well as when, if and what type of surgeries to consider.

Interest Tags: Gender Affirming, Surgery, TransFeminine, Voice

Transition occurs on many levels and we are all collectively transitioning now from winter into spring, from the chaos of the outside world into inner peace. Join us for a break from the hustle and bustle of the conference with this relaxing immersive sound meditation which will be infused by the melodic, shamanic qualities of the handpan and frame drum. Interwoven with vocalizations, and an assortment of instruments inspired by the natural world – the 4 elements of Air, Wind, Water & Fire – we will oscillate between the stillness of silence and movement of sound to more deeply integrate elemental balance within. Please arrive comfortably. There will be chairs available for a seated experience, and floor space for a more restful position laying down. Please bring a yoga mat, pillows or bolsters if you wish, and consider bringing water or tea for grounding afterward.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Aging, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Professional Education, Relationships, Socializing, Spirituality/Religion, Spouses/Signification Others, TransFeminine, TransMasculine, TransPeople of Color, Voice, Wellness, Workplace, Youth

Rev. Dr. Kathryn Helms shares a message of love and hope in the telling of the story of her youngest adult child coming out as transgender male to female approximately one year ago. She speaks of her personal experience as a mom to choose love and shares the love lessons her transgender daughter has taught her. Discussion of their one-year collaboration to write their newest book The Underwater Ballerina: Two Sides to Transition- The Story of a Daughter’s Transition Told Through the Eyes of Herself and her Mother will be included. Personally signed copies or pre-orders will be available for purchase at the workshop.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Relationships, Voice