Frequently Asked Questions
Read answers to some commonly asked questions, or search our site for a specific topic.
What is involved in voice therapy?
In general, voice therapy by a speech and language pathologist brings vocal hygiene education, relaxation techniques, postural alignment and breathing therapy together with a variety of direct and indirect voice therapy strategies depending upon the voice needs of each individual client. The client has a home program to follow allowing them to stabilize and carry over the new skills into daily life. The ultimate goal is to improve voice quality, ease, power, endurance, flexibility and personal alignment with the recovered or newly developed voice. Voice therapy usually continues until the client achieves their voice goals or reaches their maximum potential.
Can I change my voice without training?
Everyone deserves a voice evaluation to determine the health and balance of the voice and to discover vocal potential. It is easy to push the voice into difficulties when we do not know what to look for, or how to use the voice in a healthy way. We urge individuals interested in changing their voice to approach it with the knowledge and confidence that is provided with an experienced speech and language pathologist.
What is chant talk voice therapy?
Chant talk is a rhythmic, prosodic pattern that serves as a preliminary foundation for spoken utterances. It is used in therapy to help reduce vocal effort that results in vocal fatigue and a decrease in coordination of respiratory, phonatory, and resonance subsystems. Once speakers habituate greater balance between these subsystems, more normal speaking patterns are integrated into therapy to support carryover of this new voice into daily life.
What is voice rest therapy?
Vocal rest is the process of resting the vocal folds by not speaking and singing typically following viral infections that cause hoarseness in the voice, such as the common cold or influenza, or more serious vocal disorders such as chorditis or laryngitis.
What is behavioral voice therapy?
Behavioral voice therapy is the process of changing lifestyle, (developing healthy vocal hygiene for example) that will reduce the toxic behaviors contributing to voice dysfunction. It alse relates to the behavioral use of the voice, changing the way one coordinates the breath with the voice for example to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of vocal function.
What is indirect voice therapy?
Indirect voice therapy includes but is not limited to supportive treatments such as vocal rest, amplification, vocal hygiene and counseling vs direct voice therapy. They may modify the mental, emotional, physical and behavioral environments in which voice may occur. It is often used in conjunction with direct voice therapy.
Direct voice therapy focuses on shaping the mechanisms involved in vocal productions such as respiration, phonation, musculoskeletal function to modify vocal behavior and establish healthy vocal balance for production.
What is symptomatic voice therapy?
The focus of symptomatic voice therapy is modification of the deviant vocal symptoms or perceptual voice components. Deviant symptoms may include pitch that is too high or low, voice that is too soft or loud, breathy phonation, or the use of hard glottal attacks or glottal fry. Symptomatic voice therapy assumes voice improvement through direct symptom modification using a variety of voice therapy techniques that are either direct or indirect.
What is resonant voice therapy?
Resonant voice therapy focuses on awareness of oral vibratory sensations, usually within the mouth, lips and face in the context of easy phonation. Treatment in this context uses a continuum of oral sensations and easy phonation, building from basic speech gestures through conversational speech.
What is a speech and language pathologist?
A speech and language pathologist is a certified and licensed professional with expertise in evaluating, treating and training adults and children with speech, language, voice, and social and cognitive communicative issues.
What does voice therapy do?
Voice therapy is designed to reduce vocal dysfunction and improve the quality of the voice through guided change in vocal behavior and lifestyle changes.
What is voice therapy for hoarseness?
Voice therapy is designed to reduce hoarseness through vocal behaviors and lifestyle changes. It consists of tasks designed to eliminate harmful vocal behavior and shape healthy vocal function. The duration of therapy is determined by the origin of the hoarseness and severity of the problem, co-occurring medical therapy, and, importantly, patient commitment to the practice and generalization of new vocal behaviors outside the therapy session.
How long does voice therapy last?
The duration of therapy is highly dependent upon the origin of the voice difficulty, and can generally range from a few weeks to several months.
How effective is voice therapy?
Voice therapy is highly effective for the treatment of a variety of voice disorders, difficulties and differences. In addition, most approaches are accompanied by vocal care home program recommendations as a part of treatment. The motivation and consistency with which clients participate in treatment has a large impact on success.
How much does voice therapy cost?
This is very broad and depends upon the site, the program, and experience of the clinician. It can range from approximately $150 to $400 per hour.
How do I get a more feminine voice?
A more feminine voice is highly personal and is approached following a very specific voice evaluation and interview of each client. In general, speech and language pathologists use research findings, normative data and the personal needs of each client in order to create a unique approach. Generally, voice training coordinates pitch elevation, oral resonance, intonation among a variety of other behavioral changes allowing the client to express their feminine self through vocal expression.
How does voice training work as it relates to gender?
Training begins with an evaluation of various aspects of voice and communication. Then a plan is created to train the voice in a whole new way. Each program is individualized and may include training around pitch, resonance, intonation and other skills for feminization, masculinization or neutralization. Sessions are weekly, private or group, and have optional intensive weekends for those interested in more concentrated training.