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Voice Therapy for Trans People

marcm225 | Oct 31, 2016

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By Marc Mitnick MS, CCC-SLP

The American Speech and Hearing Association [ASHA] is the professional organization that certifies licensed speech pathologists (SLP) are competent in areas of remediating speech, voice, language, cognition areas of communication as well as many other areas. ASHA published an article in the Journal of Speech Disorders that gave their position statement on Transgender voice improvement therapy.

Questions that are raised include: “What does the Speech-language pathologist do when working with clients who are transgendered/transsexual?

Transgender individuals may elect to see a SLP for voice and communication therapy to modify their voices in a safe manner without any trauma to the vocal cords during therapy. The SLP looks at the following aspects of communication, including vocal pitch, intonation and resonance as well as non-verbal communication.

The SLP will take a case history and evaluation your voice and language and will eliminate any abusive vocal behaviors resulting in changes to your pitch and intensity. Trauma includes such things as vocal cord nodules (growths on the vocal cords).

The areas that the SLP targets are: pitch, resonance, intonation (the rhythm of the language, rate, vocal loudness, language, articulation and pragmatics (the social use of language).

For more information on transgender voice modification, contact me at: [email protected] or visit my website: www.transgendervoiceimprovement.com

Contact The American Speech and Hearing Center at www.asha.org who can refer you to a speech pathologist in your area that treats voice modification therapy.

World Professional Association for Transgender Health[WPATH]

Mr. Mitnick,MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech pathologist practicing in the South Florida areas of Broward and Palm Beach Counties. His practice specializes in voice modification therapy for MTF and FTM individuals who want to change their voice to match their true gender identities and not be outed by their voice. You may contact him for a free 15 minute telephone consultation at: 954-687-4631 or email him at: [email protected]