What Kinds of Voice Problems Can It Help With?
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Hoarseness – when your voice sounds rough, scratchy.
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Loss of Voice – when it’s hard or impossible to speak.
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Voice Fatigue – when your voice gets tired or sore after talking.
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Strained Voice – when your voice feels tight or painful to use.
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Pitch Problems – when your voice is too high or too low.
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Breathy Voice – when too much air comes out while talking, or feels weak.
What Causes These Voice Problems?
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Overusing your voice – yelling, singing or using projected voice too much, or talking for a long time.
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Infections or colds – which can make your throat and voice box (larynx) swollen.
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Structural changes to the vocal folds such as Nodules, cysts or polyps etc...
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Paresis/Palsy of the vocal cords – when one or both vocal cords don’t move properly, due to nerve damage/weakness.
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Stress, anxiety and traumatic events – which can affect how you hold your body, breathe and speak.
How Can Voice Therapy Help?
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​Voice therapy isn’t just about talking differently. It involves several important areas that work together to support a healthy voice some of these areas include:
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Posture
Voice therapy helps you find a balanced, relaxed posture that supports your breathing and vocal control. -
Breathing
Your voice starts with your breath. In therapy, you’ll learn how to use your breath more effectively so you can speak / sing with balance, without straining your voice. -
Effort Levels
A healthy voice doesn’t need to feel like hard work. Voice therapy helps you find the right level of vocal effort—so you’re not pushing too hard or holding back too much. -
Resonance
Resonance is about where your voice “vibrates” or feels like it’s coming from. Therapy teaches you how to shift your resonance so your voice sounds clearer and has more power without strain.
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References
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Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT): www.rcslt.org
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American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): www.asha.org
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NHS Voice Therapy Guide: www.nhs.uk