Barbara McAfee is a master voice coach, author, keynote speaker and singer-songwriter who helps people communicate with clarity, confidence and authentic presence. Drawing on 12 years in organizational development and more than 30 years of vocal coaching and performance, she brings a rare blend of strategic insight and embodied wisdom to the art of communication.

Barbara is the bestselling author of Full Voice for Leaders: Cultivating Vitality, Presence and Impact in a Changing World, a foundational work on vocal presence and expression that has supported leaders, professionals, educators and creatives in finding their voice—whatever that means in the context of their lives and work. Her newest book, Vocal Intelligence: Leading with Vitality, Presence, and Impact, was released as an audiobook in 2025, with the paperback edition forthcoming in spring 2026. Together, these works offer practical, transformative approaches to using the voice as an instrument of leadership, connection and impact. She shares some of these tips on this episode.

Since 2013, Barbara has certified Full Voice coaches around the world, extending her commitment to what she calls “midwifing voices into full expression.” Her five-element approach consistently creates lasting shifts—not only in how people speak, but in how they listen, relate and lead.

Her TEDx talk on Full Voice has received more than 100,000 views. In addition to her teaching and speaking, Barbara has produced nine recordings of mostly original music and is the founder of the Morning Star Singers, a volunteer hospice choir in the Twin Cities, where singing becomes an act of service and care. While they were singing, they have had people in comas wake up, as well as nonverbal people with Alzheimers start speaking. She believes in the medicinal qualities of song. She also helped birth singing as a form of nonviolent protest and community solidarity in Minneapolis, particularly against ICE operations and authoritarian practices, which has spread around the world.

She lives near the wild and scenic St. Croix River in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. Her work continues to be shaped by water, song and silence.

Learn more:

Website: https://www.barbaramcafee.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mcafeemusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbara.mcafee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbaramcafeesings/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaramcafee/

TEDx talks:

Bringing Your Full Voice to Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze763kgrWGg

How Oral Tradition Singing Helps Us Work & Live Better Together:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrRQulQnaoQ

Audiobooks:

Full Voice for Leaders: Cultivating Vitality, Presence, and Impact in a Changing World

https://www.audible.com/pd/Full-Voice-for-Leaders-Audiobook/B0FPPDSP8S

Full Voice: The Art and Practice of Vocal Presence, 2011

https://www.audible.com/pd/Full-Voice-Audiobook/B008S06VR0

Paperbacks:

Full Voice: The Art and Practice of Vocal Presence

https://www.amazon.com/Full-Voice-Practice-Presence-Business/dp/1605099228

Vocal Intelligence: Leading with Vitality, Presence, and Impact

Bandcamp: A catalogue of Barbara’s original music

https://barbaramcafee.bandcamp.com/

Elizabeth Clemants is a survivor who helps other sexual abuse survivors survive and heal. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Hidden Water, a restorative justice response to child sexual abuse. Her own family has five generations of abuse and she chose to do something to break these cycles for others. Hidden Water uses a Circle model, which is a 12-week system, based on the indigenous practice of Circle and founded on the belief that abuse harms all members of a family, community and society, not just the persons directly impacted. "In Circle, we work to heal individuals, families and communities from the devastating impacts of child sexual abuse. We strive to prevent future harm by educating others, inspiring collective responsibility and cultivating a culture of healthy boundaries for all." Hidden Water's services are provided to the community for free. They very much appreciate donations, however, because they have no formal funding. There are 200 people on the waitlist at almost all times to join the Circles.

She is the author of the just released book: Healing Together - A Family Guide to Recovering from Sexual Harm. It is largely directed to family members of people who have been sexually abused, to help them show up for the survivor. "It was the system that was harmed and the system has to show up to heal itself," Elizabeth says. This book can help family members learn how to help and there is no other book like it.

Elizabeth opened her private practice, Planning Change, in 2004 and has dedicated her career to teaching conflict resolution, training mediators and working with individuals, families and organizations on conflict and healing. She has been an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School since 2005, and a conflict resolution trainer for the New York State Unified Court System since 2000. Elizabeth has a Bachelor's in Social Work from Iowa State University ('93). Upon returning from the Peace Corps ('93-'96), she moved to New York City and earned a Master's in Social Work with a Minor in Law from Columbia University ('98).

Learn more: www.hiddenwatercircle.org and elizabethclemants.com (buy the book on her website)

Safe(r) Adult link: https://www.hiddenwatercircle.org/posts/in-the-water-a-training-for-becoming-a-safe-r-adult

Newsletter: https://www.hiddenwatercircle.org/newsletter

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenWaterNYC

https://www.instagram.com/hiddenwaternyc

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-clemants-2612ab3/

Joy Vanichkul is a former supermodel from Thailand, TV host and owner of six premier wellness spas. She began modeling at age 16 and became a household name in Thailand. She had fame and money, but felt unfulfilled. So she began her own search.

She experienced both success and struggles working in the beauty, wellness and consciousness industries for more than 30 years. To rediscover her true self, she expanded her consciousness with Eastern and Western wellness practices, pursued a PhD in Natural Medicine, and became a certified HeartMath trainer. Joy’s personal transformation to find self-love and balance while running multiple successful businesses has given her a unique opportunity to share her journey, experience and insight, guiding others worldwide to redefine and refine their true beauty, and bloom into the optimal versions of themselves, the Intelligent Beauty way.

She created what she calls the Intelligent Beauty Method, which means internal and external beauty in harmony. She thinks of beauty as energy. Her mission is to inspire others to prioritize self-care, as well as to foster a supportive community where you can safely understand, apply and integrate tools and techniques to express yourself consciously, authentically and effectively in the world.

In this episode we discuss:

• Intelligent Beauty as Self-Optimization
  How understanding your skin, body and lifestyle empowers smarter beauty and wellness decisions, rather than following trends blindly.
• The Connection Between Beauty, Confidence and Personal Growth
  How personalized, science-backed beauty routines can support self-esteem, daily habits and a growth mindset.
• From Overwhelm to Intention: Simplifying Beauty Choices
  Helping listeners cut through marketing noise by focusing on education, awareness and what truly works for them.
• Wellness, Longevity and Intelligent Self-Care
  Exploring how skincare, nutrition, sleep and mental wellbeing intersect in becoming your best version over time.
• Mindful and Ethical Beauty as a Reflection of Values
  How conscious consumption aligns with personal development, purpose and living more intentionally.

Joy provides practical insights you can immediately apply in your journey toward becoming your authentic self. Joy joined us from Los Angeles. Learn more:

Website: https://www.wellnessofjoy.com/intelligent-beauty/

YouTube IBM:

https://www.youtube.com/@IntelligentBeautybyJoy

YouTube Personal:

https://www.youtube.com/@JoyVanichkul

IG: https://www.instagram.com/joyvanichkul/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/joy.vanichkul/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyvanichkul/