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Today, I’m sharing a conversation with psychologist and musician Dave Juncos to explore the nuanced world of music performance anxiety (MPA). We examined how MPA presents across cognitive, physiological, and subtle behavioral spectrums, and we dive into the underlying psychological mechanisms that perpetuate it. Dave shared insights from his research on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as an effective framework for musicians, highlighting how psychological flexibility allows performers to reconnect with artistic expression rather than engaging in subtle avoidant behaviors. We also discussed the development of the Musicians Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (MAAQ) and explored actionable strategies clinicians and educators can implement to support performing artists.
03:58: Defining music performance anxiety through Diana Kenny’s framework and Barlow’s tripartite model
09:37: Diagnostic considerations and classifying MPA within social anxiety disorder performance sub-types
13:15: Identifying subtle behavioral avoidance patterns and performance rigidity in musicians
19:28: Developing the Musicians Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (MAAQ) for domain-specific assessment
28:25: Research findings on psychological flexibility as a predictor of performance outcomes and competition entry
36:54: Applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions in clinical and coaching settings
42:46: Comparing ACT with traditional approaches like Alexander Technique and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cool Things Mentioned
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Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists
The Psychology of Music Performance Anxiety (Dianna Kenny): https://www.academia.edu/24452238/The_Psychology_of_Music_Performance_Anxiety_Phenomenology_of_music_performance_anxiety
Association for Contextual Behavioral Science: https://contextualscience.org/
Voice Study Center: https://www.voicestudycentre.com/
ACT for Musicians: www.actformusicians.com
Musicians Acceptance and Action Questionnaire: http://actformusicians.com/maaq-questionnaire/
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About Dr. Dave Juncos
David Juncos, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, lecturer, performance coach, author, and music performance researcher based in Philadelphia, PA. He has over 20 years’ experience in treating a variety of clinical problems, including anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. He specializes in treating music performance anxiety (MPA) and has presented internationally on his research in using ACT to treat MPA and enhance music performance. He is the primary author of ACT for Musicians: A guide for using Acceptance and Commitment Training to enhance performance, overcome performance anxiety, and improve well-being (2022), published by Universal Publishers. He is also affiliated with the Voice Study Centre, a UK-based provider of postgraduate study in Voice Pedagogy. There he lectures on MPA, ACT, achieving peak performance, and he trains clinical and non-clinical professionals in ACT to help them manage students’ MPA and other performance-related problems.
Get in touch:
Website: www.actformusicians.com
Email: drdavidjuncos@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-juncos-psy-d-b688a53b/
About Dr. Jeremy Sharp
I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.
As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.
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This post is Copyright: | September 7, 2026
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