Resources

Voicelore is a developing nonprofit organization that will offer free, music-based programs and peer-led advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence. We will serve individuals ages 18 and older and welcome survivors of all genders, neurotypes, communication styles, and cultural backgrounds. Our approach will be trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming, and rooted in lived experience. We will support survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking—including those who are still questioning or unraveling what happened to them. Many people struggle to name their experiences, especially when harm involves coercion, blurred boundaries, or minimized violence. If you are unsure whether your story “counts,” you are not alone—and you will still be welcome here. We trust you to know whether a space like this could support your healing. While our core programs are designed for survivors, allies will also be invited to contribute to Voicelore’s public-facing projects—such as advocacy campaigns, storytelling, and creative collaborations. Survivor leadership will remain at the heart of all we do. Voicelore is currently assembling its board of directors and preparing to formalize its structure in the state of Nevada. We plan to apply for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status later this year. Most of our programs will be held virtually and offered at no cost to participants. This work will be made possible through donations and in-kind contributions from partners such as Once Upon a Voice. Together, we are building something gentle, lasting, and true—a place where stories can be reclaimed, and voices can rise.

Unlike many traditional survivor programs, Voicelore will not offer therapy, case management, or legal advocacy. Instead, we will provide expressive, music-based spaces where survivors can process emotion, build community, and share their stories—without pressure to perform, explain, or be “understood.” Our programs will be peer-guided, not clinical, and designed to honor each survivor’s voice in whatever form it takes. We will not assess, diagnose, or teach musical skills. Music will be used as a vessel for storytelling—not as therapy or training, but as a companion in the work of expression and reclamation. Our offerings will include a yearlong virtual support program (The Reclaiming), an ongoing community space (The Murmuring), a survivor-led storytelling and advocacy branch (The Resounding), and a lived-experience–driven resource hub (The Knowing). Through it all, we will remain committed to accessibility, cultural humility, and the belief that healing and resistance can begin with a single, protected voice—and grow from there.

Music allows survivors to express what words alone often cannot. It creates space for truth—especially when that truth is complex, painful, or hard to name. At Voicelore, music will not only be a tool for personal expression, but a medium for advocacy, storytelling, and cultural disruption. In some branches of our work, especially The Resounding, survivors may choose to refine their music for public sharing. Allies may also create works in support of survivor voices or campaigns. But whether music is raw or polished, private or performed, its purpose will remain the same: to carry the truth of survivor experience where silence once stood. Research supports what many survivors already know intuitively—that music can help us process, remember, and reconnect. Recent studies have shown that musical engagement can support emotional regulation (Moore, 2020), promote post-traumatic growth (Ma et al., 2024), and strengthen social identity and connection (Williams et al., 2018). Music has also been found to activate multiple brain regions simultaneously, including those tied to memory, motor function, and emotional processing (Levitin, 2007), helping individuals access stored experiences and explore them in safe, embodied ways. While Voicelore will not offer music therapy and will not be supervised by board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs), we deeply respect the field and the life-changing support it provides. The American Music Therapy Association defines music therapy as the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship, guided by a credentialed professional. That is not what we will offer. Instead, our work will be community-based, survivor-led, and rooted in lived experience. We will not assess, diagnose, or treat. What we will do is create space—for creative agency, emotional release, and collective witnessing through music. Not as a clinical tool, but as a human one. For some survivors, clinical therapy is essential. For others, peer expression and public reclamation are just as meaningful—and often more accessible. These are not opposing paths. They are different ways to heal, and both deserve support. Our sources on music, emotion, and healing Moore, K. S. (2020). Music and emotion regulation: A meta-analysis. This study reviews how musical engagement can support emotional regulation across diverse populations. Ma, Y., Meng-Di, Y., & Zhoung, B. (2024). A systematic review of music therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. This review outlines how music therapy can promote post-traumatic growth and emotional recovery in trauma survivors. Williams, E., Dingle, G. A., & Clift, S. (2018). A systematic review of mental health and wellbeing outcomes of group singing for adults with a mental health condition. This article presents evidence that participatory music-making can strengthen social identity and community connection. Levitin, D. J. (2007). This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession. This popular science book explains how music activates multiple areas of the brain simultaneously—including those involved in memory, motor function, and emotional processing.

Most Voicelore programs will be held online, allowing survivors to participate from wherever they are. This includes our weekly support sessions, community gatherings, and resource offerings. Virtual access will help us reach those who may be geographically isolated, overstimulated by in-person environments, or unable to travel due to cost, caregiving responsibilities, disability, or health needs. Some of our advocacy work—including K–12 school presentations, college campus visits, and outreach within the music industry—may take place in-person, depending on location, need, and capacity. As the organization grows, we also hope to offer occasional in-person gatherings across all four program branches—creating opportunities for survivors to build connection not only through screens, but through shared space and collective presence. We are working toward a flexible, hybrid model that allows us to support survivors everywhere while nurturing community wherever it forms. Whether online or in person, participation will be designed to be inclusive, adaptable, and grounded in care.

No. Voicelore will not offer therapy or instruction. Our programs will be expressive and peer-guided—not clinical, and not designed to teach musical skills. Music will be used solely as a tool for emotional processing, storytelling, and connection—not for training, critique, or performance. For survivors interested in exploring music more independently, participants in our yearlong program will receive free access to self-paced learning materials donated by Once Upon a Voice. These optional resources—including exercises and courses in voice, songwriting, piano, and producing—will be available for personal use throughout the year but are not part of Voicelore’s peer-based support model. When a survivor—or, in some cases, an ally—chooses to share music through our advocacy program, whether in a school presentation, college event, or music industry setting, we will collaborate with Once Upon a Voice to help ensure that the work is presented with clarity and care. This support may include help with song structure, recording quality, or production polish. Any guidance will be offered gently and with deep respect for the message, pace, and artistic intent.

Voicelore is a developing nonprofit organization that will offer free, music-based programs and peer-led advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence. We will serve individuals ages 18 and older and welcome survivors of all genders, neurotypes, communication styles, and cultural backgrounds. Our approach will be trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming, and rooted in lived experience. We will support survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking—including those who are still questioning or unraveling what happened to them. Many people struggle to name their experiences, especially when harm involves coercion, blurred boundaries, or minimized violence. If you are unsure whether your story “counts,” you are not alone—and you will still be welcome here. We trust you to know whether a space like this could support your healing. While our core programs are designed for survivors, allies will also be invited to contribute to Voicelore’s public-facing projects—such as advocacy campaigns, storytelling, and creative collaborations. Survivor leadership will remain at the heart of all we do. Voicelore is currently assembling its board of directors and preparing to formalize its structure in the state of Nevada. We plan to apply for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status later this year. Most of our programs will be held virtually and offered at no cost to participants. This work will be made possible through donations and in-kind contributions from partners such as Once Upon a Voice. Together, we are building something gentle, lasting, and true—a place where stories can be reclaimed, and voices can rise.

Unlike many traditional survivor programs, Voicelore will not offer therapy, case management, or legal advocacy. Instead, we will provide expressive, music-based spaces where survivors can process emotion, build community, and share their stories—without pressure to perform, explain, or be “understood.” Our programs will be peer-guided, not clinical, and designed to honor each survivor’s voice in whatever form it takes. We will not assess, diagnose, or teach musical skills. Music will be used as a vessel for storytelling—not as therapy or training, but as a companion in the work of expression and reclamation. Our offerings will include a yearlong virtual support program (The Reclaiming), an ongoing community space (The Murmuring), a survivor-led storytelling and advocacy branch (The Resounding), and a lived-experience–driven resource hub (The Knowing). Through it all, we will remain committed to accessibility, cultural humility, and the belief that healing and resistance can begin with a single, protected voice—and grow from there.

Music allows survivors to express what words alone often cannot. It creates space for truth—especially when that truth is complex, painful, or hard to name. At Voicelore, music will not only be a tool for personal expression, but a medium for advocacy, storytelling, and cultural disruption. In some branches of our work, especially The Resounding, survivors may choose to refine their music for public sharing. Allies may also create works in support of survivor voices or campaigns. But whether music is raw or polished, private or performed, its purpose will remain the same: to carry the truth of survivor experience where silence once stood. Research supports what many survivors already know intuitively—that music can help us process, remember, and reconnect. Recent studies have shown that musical engagement can support emotional regulation (Moore, 2020), promote post-traumatic growth (Ma et al., 2024), and strengthen social identity and connection (Williams et al., 2018). Music has also been found to activate multiple brain regions simultaneously, including those tied to memory, motor function, and emotional processing (Levitin, 2007), helping individuals access stored experiences and explore them in safe, embodied ways. While Voicelore will not offer music therapy and will not be supervised by board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs), we deeply respect the field and the life-changing support it provides. The American Music Therapy Association defines music therapy as the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship, guided by a credentialed professional. That is not what we will offer. Instead, our work will be community-based, survivor-led, and rooted in lived experience. We will not assess, diagnose, or treat. What we will do is create space—for creative agency, emotional release, and collective witnessing through music. Not as a clinical tool, but as a human one. For some survivors, clinical therapy is essential. For others, peer expression and public reclamation are just as meaningful—and often more accessible. These are not opposing paths. They are different ways to heal, and both deserve support. Our sources on music, emotion, and healing Moore, K. S. (2020). Music and emotion regulation: A meta-analysis. This study reviews how musical engagement can support emotional regulation across diverse populations. Ma, Y., Meng-Di, Y., & Zhoung, B. (2024). A systematic review of music therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. This review outlines how music therapy can promote post-traumatic growth and emotional recovery in trauma survivors. Williams, E., Dingle, G. A., & Clift, S. (2018). A systematic review of mental health and wellbeing outcomes of group singing for adults with a mental health condition. This article presents evidence that participatory music-making can strengthen social identity and community connection. Levitin, D. J. (2007). This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession. This popular science book explains how music activates multiple areas of the brain simultaneously—including those involved in memory, motor function, and emotional processing.

Most Voicelore programs will be held online, allowing survivors to participate from wherever they are. This includes our weekly support sessions, community gatherings, and resource offerings. Virtual access will help us reach those who may be geographically isolated, overstimulated by in-person environments, or unable to travel due to cost, caregiving responsibilities, disability, or health needs. Some of our advocacy work—including K–12 school presentations, college campus visits, and outreach within the music industry—may take place in-person, depending on location, need, and capacity. As the organization grows, we also hope to offer occasional in-person gatherings across all four program branches—creating opportunities for survivors to build connection not only through screens, but through shared space and collective presence. We are working toward a flexible, hybrid model that allows us to support survivors everywhere while nurturing community wherever it forms. Whether online or in person, participation will be designed to be inclusive, adaptable, and grounded in care.

No. Voicelore will not offer therapy or instruction. Our programs will be expressive and peer-guided—not clinical, and not designed to teach musical skills. Music will be used solely as a tool for emotional processing, storytelling, and connection—not for training, critique, or performance. For survivors interested in exploring music more independently, participants in our yearlong program will receive free access to self-paced learning materials donated by Once Upon a Voice. These optional resources—including exercises and courses in voice, songwriting, piano, and producing—will be available for personal use throughout the year but are not part of Voicelore’s peer-based support model. When a survivor—or, in some cases, an ally—chooses to share music through our advocacy program, whether in a school presentation, college event, or music industry setting, we will collaborate with Once Upon a Voice to help ensure that the work is presented with clarity and care. This support may include help with song structure, recording quality, or production polish. Any guidance will be offered gently and with deep respect for the message, pace, and artistic intent.