What Is Voice Therapy?
Gender-affirming voice care can help you change the way you speak to closely match your gender expression. During voice therapy, a voice-specialized speech-language pathologist will design exercises specific to your communication needs. Your speech-language pathologist will develop a customized voice training plan for you while keeping the following in mind:
- Their clinical knowledge and experience
- Latest research evidence
- Your voice goals
What to Expect During Voice Therapy & Training
Our speech-language pathologists will first conduct an in-depth assessment of your voice quality:
- Get to know your voice training goals
- Analyze the sounds of your voice
- Evaluate the characteristics of your speech and breathing patterns
During our acoustic analysis, we will have you speak into a microphone to record your current voice. We will ask you to perform a range of vocal activities:
- Pitch glides (gradually increasing or decreasing the pitch of your voice until you reach the highest or lowest points of pitch)
- Reading sentences
- Using your voice in conversation
- Sustained sound production
We will then analyze your recording using specialized software to assess your voice and determine which vocal aspects we need to target in your training sessions. You will also complete a questionnaire that asks about how you would like to sound and communicate and your perception of your current voice. We will use the results from each of these assessments to design a treatment plan that will help you achieve the voice that affirms your identity.
You may be treated by one of our graduate student clinicians. They will provide you with all of your evaluation and treatment under the direct supervision of clinical faculty providers. Each of our providers have Certificates of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). They also hold licenses to practice speech-language pathology in the state of Utah.
Our Speech-Language Pathologists
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Vocal Hygiene
An integral part of your training will include improving your vocal behaviors and vocal hygiene, which will allow you to easily modify your voice. The following habits that will help improve your vocal behaviors and hygiene:
- Adequate hydration
- Getting plenty of rest
- Avoiding excessive throat clearing or coughing
- Monitoring the amount of time you spend using your voice
Voice Training Exercises
Our individualized voice exercises will also teach you optimal vocal techniques to use when speaking. Our aim is to cultivate healthy vocal behaviors and eliminate harmful ones as we help you shape the voice that reflects your gender identity. Voice exercises can train different areas of your voice:
- Pitch – The tonal range of your speaking voice.
- Resonance – The placement of sound in your vocal tract.
- Voice quality – The clarity and texture of your voice.
- Voice box height – The height of where your larynx or voice box sits in your throat, which affects pitch, resonance, etc.
- Volume – The loudness of your voice.
- Intonation – The stress and rhythm of your speech.
- Rate – The speed of your speech.
- Articulation – The precision of your pronunciation.
We can also target other areas of communication:
- Language – The words you choose when speaking.
- Nonverbal sounds – The quality of laughing, coughing, etc.
- Body language – The posture, gestures, and facial expressions you use.
All of this is accomplished through behavioral modifications that you can develop and train. Your speech-language pathologist will use a variety of techniques to help you modify the above parameters and find the voice and communication presentation that is right for you.
Practicing at Home
Changing the mechanics of your voice—such as pitch, resonance, and other vocal elements—takes time to achieve. You can speed up this process by practicing your voice exercises every day at home and following the recommendations from your speech-language pathologist.
The frequency and duration of voice training sessions varies from person to person. In most cases, training sessions are scheduled once a week and continue for several months.
We encourage you to use your new voice with friends and family as soon as you feel comfortable. Using your new voice outside of training and practicing your voice exercises at home will help you develop and cultivate the voice that matches your identity.
Is Voice & Communication Training Right For Me?
Voice training is typically the first line of treatment for changing your voice to match your gender expression. Hormones for feminization have a limited effect on your voice, and hormones for masculinization can have a varied effect. For example, testosterone (the male hormone) therapy, will lower the pitch of your voice. However, it has no effect on any other aspects of your voice or communication.
We do not recommend trying to change your voice on your own without a professional or it could lead to adverse side effects:
- Pain and discomfort
- Hoarseness
- Strain
- Voice loss
Voice training helps you take control of your voice changes. A speech-language pathologist can help you fine-tune your vocal pitch and quality and communication. Voice care professionals can provide you with feedback and reinforcement to help you bring out your desired voice and communication style.
Other Services
Hearing Services
In addition to gender-affirming voice care, the University of Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic offers a variety of assessments and treatments for hearing loss and related conditions. Our audiologists will ensure that you have all the necessary hearing tests to provide the best solutions for your hearing loss. If your treatment requires hearing aids, we have an assortment of hearing aids to meet your needs. Please contact our clinic if you have any concerns regarding your hearing.
Voice Related Health Conditions
For voice related health conditions like airway, swallowing, and voice disorders, please contact our Voice Disorders Center. Our Voice Disorders Center is separate from our voice training services.
Next Steps
At our clinic, gender-affirming voice care can be scheduled at any time without a referral from a physician. We will schedule your appointments as soon as possible at a time that is convenient for you. However, we sometimes place patients on a waiting list until a recurring time becomes available because we schedule sessions over a number of consecutive weeks. Please contact our clinic for more information at: speechpath@utah.edu or call 801-581-3506.