Our Approach
My Approach
As elucidated in her doctoral dissertation, Gwendolyn's groundbreaking theory weaves Cultural Anthropology, Music Therapy, and Jungian Psychology into a tapestry which uses the human voice for transformation of consciousness and healing. Her multi-faceted research approach includes anthropology and music therapy fieldwork combined with Jungian Psychology and case studies from her vocal sound healing practice. Gwendolyn documents how indigenous group ceremony and healing visits with a medicine woman/man or shaman using vocal sound and song has been occurring for thousands of years on this planet. Gwendolyn's Vocal Sound Healing Work re-introduces modern humans to our ancient knowledge and innate capacity to heal our bodies, minds, souls, and spirits with vocal sound and song.
Gwendolyn started her healing career as a certified then licensed massage therapist in 1987 (she retains her license to massage and touch individuals to this day). Later in 1987 she entered a masters program in counseling psychology and began working with individuals and groups as a psychotherapist. In 1990, two weeks after graduating with her masters degree, Gwendolyn received an auditory "Vision" inviting and encouraging her to create a healing modality using vocal sound as the therapeutic medium, such as in the fields of dance, art, and sandplay therapy. Within a few weeks she led her first vocal sound healing workshop on August 5th, 1990.
In early 1991 Gwendolyn had a dream, interpreted by her Jungian psychotherapy practice supervisor to symbolize that she needed to get her Ph.D. After briefly eschewing this potential future, she woke up one morning two weeks later in deep excitement at the prospect of writing her Ph.D. Doctoral Dissertation on the use of the human voice as a tool for transformation. Gwendolyn was thrilled at the prospect of grounding her experiential healing work in the realm of intellectual and rational thought with the intention of protecting this sacred body of work from those who might doubt the methods and results of this "new" healing approach.
In the fall of 1991 Gwendolyn entered her 3-years of Clinical Psychology course work, and then in 1994 conducted 4 years of research and writing of her dissertation, culminating in a successful Doctoral Dissertation Defense in front of her committee and the community. At the Defense, Gwendolyn made an intellectual presentation, and then sang a healing song to offer an embodied demonstration of Vocal Sound Healing.
In the mid 1990's Gwendolyn left her Psychologist/psychotherapy practice and later left her massage technician practice to focus exclusively on her vocal sound healing work.
Gwendolyn graduated in 1998 from Pacifica Graduate Institute having successfully defended her doctoral dissertation entitled: "A Cross-Cultural Interdisciplinary Study of the Healing Power of Singing and Vocal Sounding." Gwendolyn is the first person on planet earth to write a doctoral dissertation on this topic.
A few months later in 1998 she began studying with her Beloved Apache medicine man teacher from N.E. Texas who guided the spiritual expansion of her work until his death in 2007.
Gwendolyn taught college level Psychology courses and experiential Vocal Sound Healing courses at Brooks Institute of Film and Photography (2004-2011), and at Santa Barbara City College's Adult Extension Program from 2000-2017.
An ultimate dream Gwendolyn had was to lead global sacred sites tours. She now leads participants to sing, sound, heal and ground on the lands of Ireland, Scotland, Australia and Fiji.
These days Gwendolyn facilitates solo and group Vision Quests out on her sacred land in Arizona.
Vocal Sound Healing Academy! In 2023, Gwendolyn manifested a Vision which came to her in 1999 to create a Vocal Sound Healing Academy to train students how to use vocal sound healing as a primary, or as a complementary healing approach to their existing healing practice: https://vocalsoundhealer.com/announcing-vocal-sound-healing-academy-oct-22nd-2023-may-5th-2024/ .
Gwendolyn lives happily with her partner Brian, their six dogs, and Brian's two sons on the land of mesquite, sajuaro, rabbit and roadrunner.
A way to receive the benefits of Vocal Sound Healing is to listen to Gwendolyn sing original & cover songs in the “videos” & “streams” sections of her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GwendolynMcClurePhD/videos. Songs & Vocal Sound Healing tools & techniques are shared in Gwendolyn’s class-songs recordings, and in her 16-wk. radio show recorded series in the “streams” section of the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GwendolynMcClurePhD/streams.
You can also find both of Gwendolyn’s albums on ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS via ALBUM TITLE:
“Songs for the Earth”
“Lullabies For The Heart”
ENJOY THE CALMING, SOOTHING, AND HEALING MUSIC!!