Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy
It’s an honor and a privilege to help people of all genders discover their most authentic expression through their voice!
What is gender affirming voice therapy?
The goal of gender-affirming voice therapy is to help each client express their unique identity through their voice. Transgender and non-binary people may desire to make their voice and speech patterns more (broadly speaking) masculine, feminine, or gender neutral. Regardless of gender identity, anybody is welcome to seek voice therapy to develop a voice that accurately reflect their authentic self!
What kinds of things can I change about my voice?
Your voice is an instrument! There are many layers to voice. They are all “dials” that can be adjusted and played with to develop the voice you want. This can include-
Pitch- how high or low your voice is
Resonance- the tone, quality, or “color” of the voice, which is affected by how sound vibrates as you speak
Intonation- the rising and falling of the voice as you speak
Articulation- the precision and placement of speech sounds
Non-verbal language- the ways we move our body or use facial expressions to communicate
Will my voice change if I am undergoing hormone therapy?
If you are taking testosterone, your pitch will likely decrease by one octave in approximately 6 months. If you are taking estrogen, there will be no effect on your vocal tract (your voice will not increase in pitch because of the hormones). Many people who want to feminize their voice will seek voice therapy for this reason. However, people of all gender identities may benefit from speech therapy to address the different vocal qualities described above.
Is voice therapy itself permanent?
No. Changing your voice output takes practice, because you are learning new motor patterns. If you decide you want to change your voice again, you will need to re-learn a different motor pattern. You may be able to do this on your own, or you may benefit from another course of voice therapy to help. (Note that if you take testosterone, the deeper pitch you develop will be more permanent).
“Alisha is a hard-working, determined, and thoughtful SLP. Her knowledge of speech and language disorders is expansive and up-to-date. Alisha’s temperament is perfectly suited to a field with varying needs and dynamics, and she has a remarkable ability to stay even-keeled no matter the circumstance. She is organized, creative, and flexible. Perhaps most importantly, Alisha is an exceptional communicator and beloved by all — students, parents, siblings, families, teachers, and colleagues.”