Though too often rare, I think many of us can remember a time when you meet someone and instantly hit it off— it’s like you’ve known them for ages. I had the absolute joy of giving Bethany a tarot reading this past Samhain at a private gathering, and hearing her discuss her work, I was enthralled. Her passion for her craft is contagious, and her clear dedication to uplifting the voices of others makes her a perfect example of the Tending the Hedge ethos of “magical stewardship,” living and working with intention.
A Central New York-based voice over talent and actor, Bethany Arrington-Peck is the magic-maker behind BAVO (Bethany Arrington-Peck Voice Overs) and offers coaching services for everyone, from beginners looking to get comfortable on mic to experienced vocal professionals in need of “an extra ear.” Here we discussed the healing power of accessing your voice and sharing your stories.
[CONTENT WARNING: This conversation includes discussion of disordered eating. If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is available to help.]
What are your pronouns and what is your sign?
My pronouns are she/her and my signs are Libra sun, Pisces moon, Sagittarius rising.
Are you a witch? If so, what does that word mean to you?
I am a witch! I call myself an accidental witch and like most accidental witches I was raised in a Christian faith and realized over time that I did not fit there. Also, #patriarchy… no thank you. For me, being a witch means being authentic to my true femme self and the divine wisdom I already possess. I believe we are born into this crazy world knowing who we are and knowing what we need and life makes us forget via trauma, loss, loneliness, etc. and it’s our job to remember who we are because deep down we know. We just have to remember. Being a witch helps facilitate that in my life. I also think being a witch means celebrating all femme folk in all ways and passing on any knowledge I can to those who want it.
What drew you to your work? Why is it important?
I was what I call a “real person” actor in Chicago for about a decade. Right before the pandemic I was slated to make my debut in Fargo Season 4, I had booked a whole year of theatre jobs, and I had big commercial traction according to my agent at the time. Then the pandemic happened and all my work was gone literally overnight. They didn’t just cut me from Fargo….they wrapped the season as quickly as possible and cut all my scenes. All the theaters I was slated to work with put everything on hold and we really didn’t know when we’d be back. There was no way anyone was doing any commercial shoots so there I was in my third floor walk-up in Chicago with my partner and my dog staring into the abyss wondering if I’d ever get to be an actor again.
I took to my bed like a Victorian woman with typhus for a full week then my partner lured me out with Oreos and the dog and was like, “maybe now is the time to try voice over (VO) because you literally don’t have to leave the house and also you have nothing left to lose.” And he was right. I booked a regional commercial my first week trying it out and the rest is history. I now own my own business doing VO and coaching full time. It is WILD.
I also have to add that when the pandemic hit and I started voice over I was suffering from an eating disorder. I have actually suffered from one since the age of nine and had sought treatment many times but nothing really stuck. By really diving into VO and finding success that wasn’t tied to my appearance and also not having to see anyone for months on end other than two beings who loved me unconditionally (my partner and the aforementioned dog) I was able to take the leap into finding treatment virtually that worked for me and I could afford it because I was actually making money. The healthier I got, the more VO I booked and that is not a coincidence. I have been in recovery for almost five years now and I still have bad days but I’m really, really proud of how far I’ve come.
I didn’t even get into the ‘why is this important part!’ VO isn’t important. What I do is not important. I’m not saving lives. There’s no such thing as a voice over emergency but you know what is important? Your voice. My voice. Yes, the actual instrument, and I could wax poetic about vocal health and breath but …what I do is important to me because it has helped me heal. Why I keep doing it is because I love it. Voices are important. Being heard is important. Black, femme, queer, POC, trans, disabled voices are important. YOUR VOICE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE NO ONE CAN TELL YOUR STORY BUT YOU. How do you tell your story? Well… I’d argue it starts with finding your voice.
How can others engage with this work and tend the hedge in their own communities?
So how do we engage with this finding your voice thing? Now I do get to be nerdy about breath work for a second. The first thing we all need to do – and I mean everybody – is drop our breath from our chest into our diaphragm. The best way to do this is to lay flat on a comfortable surface and place your hands on your lower belly. Then take a big inhale of air and watch your belly rise and then exhale out and watch the belly fall. Practice this. Take a break if you get dizzy. Soon you can graduate to doing this in a standing position. When you feel comfortable there, you can start doing this in your day to day life. When we move our breathing from that huffy chest place down into diaphragmatic breath we essentially tell our brains, “hey, we’re safe and relaxed.” When we are safe and relaxed (even if we don’t feel like it) we can express ourselves more authentically. Femme folks, you may start noticing that your voice is lower when you speak after doing this breathing. We have been conditioned to raise our voices to express femininity and subservience even when that isn’t where we naturally speak. Unlearning this starts with the breath. Masc folks you may notice that your voice is a little higher after breathing low into your diaphragm. You’ve been conditioned that low voices are a masculine attribute and you must sound that way, Surprise! You don’t. That might not be where your voice sits or it could sit lower…who knows!? You’ll soon find out. Trans and non binary friends, your voice can be confusing to you and even triggering at times. Practice the breath work. Find what is comfortable for you.
Side note: Just breathing like this can be a very emotional experience at times. It’s ok. Let it out. My friends that are struggling with body image and eating disorders… this exercise can feel scary. Take your time. Be gentle.
Actually, everybody be gentle!
Next step after we work on ourselves is to uplift voices that are not like ours. We can do that in so many ways. We can do that on social media by sharing other perspectives and art from people who maybe don’t get to share their art often. We can do that interpersonally by genuinely working on our listening skills especially when we are in relationship with people whose life experiences are different from our own. We can do this in community by attending protests, listening to community leaders, and supporting their causes. Finally, we educate ourselves. The world may feel like it’s on fire but we are only in charge of ourselves. The only thing we can control is us so find your voice, find how you want to use it, and then go do that.
Did you enjoy this feature? Check out other magic-makers in the Tending the Hedge series!
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