What is Voice Therapy?

Voice therapy is the intervention of voice disorders by educating patient and caregivers regarding vocal anatomy and physiology, vocal pathologies, vocal hygiene, preventing and improving vocal injuries, as well as exercises and strategies to improve voice functioning. A speech language pathologist (SLP) with training in address voice disorders comprehensive voice evaluation to help determine goals and best course of intervention. The treating SLP will address vocal hygiene and will provide therapy to balance the subsystems of phonation, respiration, and resonance. 

Voice therapy may take different courses depending on your specific needs. Therapy orientations:

• Vocal hygiene therapy 

  • Behavioral

• Symptomatic voice therapy 

  • Vocal symptoms such as breathiness, low intensity, low pitch, strain, etc.

• Psychogenic voice therapy

  • Emotional or psychosocial

• Physiologic voice therapy

  • Modification of respiration, phonation, and resonance

• Eclectic voice therapy 

  • Combination of the above

 Some therapy approaches: 

• Patient recognizing the problem

• Identify factors that hinder 

• Identifying strategies to enhance vocal performance

• Production of a new, more appropriate sound

• Maintaining and generalizing new vocal behavior 

Some techniques used to rehabilitate voice functioning is through:

• Breathing exercises

• Relaxation exercises

• Tension reduction exercises

• Articulatory changes

• Improving vocal hygiene

• Minimizing vocal abusive behaviors

• Behavioral and dietary changes

• Exercises and drills

At Central Health Therapy our SLPs will help you improve your voice through guided strategies and exercises in combination with change in vocal behaviors and lifestyle changes to improve voice functioning to satisfy your personal, emotional, social, and occupational needs.