This week’s guest has made it her mission to open up the conversation on mental health in the performing arts. Raffaella Covino has spent the past ten years working on the West End and internationally as a Dance Captain and Swing. She’s also the founder and director of Applause for thought which offers accessible mental health training and support to those in the entertainment industry. Raffaella joins Bronwyn on Singing Teachers Talk to chat about all things mental health.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• After dealing with her own mental health issues, Raffaella discovered a passion for helping people overcome their personal struggles. This led to the creation of Applause for thought in 2019.
• Applause for thought is now a triple award-winning Community Interest Company. It facilitates lower-cost mental health support, talks, workshops, accredited mental health training and bespoke consultancy to all those working in the arts.
• The mental health practitioners working for Applause for thought understand the industry so they know and understand the pressures facing performers. 
• The biggest industry-specific trigger around mental health is burnout. When you’re a freelancer, it’s hard to turn down work. And when you’re not working, you’re trying to find the next thing.  
• Singing teachers can support performers by not just focusing on the skill of singing, but also on confidence and resilience.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Mental health wasn’t spoken about the way it is now’ 

‘Education equals prevention’ 

‘Mental health is so tricky because it seems invisible’ 

EPISODE RESOURCES 

BAST Training 

Guest Website:

• applauseforthought.com

Social Media:

• Instagram: @applauseforthought
• Twitter: @ApplauseThought

ABOUT THE GUEST

Raffaella Covino is a creative who has spent the past decade working as a Dance Captain/Associate and Swing across the West End, UK and internationally. She took a year-long hiatus from the industry in 2018 as she navigated mental illness. But born out of that experience is the now triple award-winning Community Interest Company Applause for thought. 

AFT launched in February 2019 with the ethos and mantra ‘education equals prevention’. It facilitates lower-cost mental health, support, talks and workshops, accredited training and bespoke consultancy to the arts and entertainment industry.

Link to podcast presenter’s bios

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