Everyone has a unique voice that wants to be free and healthy. It reflects how someone feels, who they are and how they communicate from the inside out.
Voice Therapy
The voice can express physical or emotional imbalance, distress or disease. It may be used in a way that over or under utilises its capacity.
Children and adults may have difficulties with their voice because of problems they are born with or have acquired. This may be due to an infection or disease, trauma, neurological or endocrine disorder/disease or benign or malignant tumours. It may also be due to the way they use their voice or emotional difficulties and life stresses
Therapy focuses on understanding the voice, what may be causing the difficulties, experimenting with life-style changes, emotional support and vocal ‘gym’ work, to create balance and efficiency in how the vocal system works.
Nicola works with a wide range of people, including professional voice users, such as teachers, actors and singers, with children and their families, with older people who are experiencing changes to the voice through ageing and with psychogenic voice disorders.
An examination of the voice box (larynx) by an ENT laryngology specialist is usually recommended prior to treatment.
Habit Cough and Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO)
Habit cough and ILO (also known as vocal cord dysfunction, or paradoxical vocal fold movement) are conditions that can be resolved with the behavioural approaches used by Speech and Language Therapists specialising in voice and airway disorders.
Habit cough is a cough that is due to oversensitivity in the larynx (voice box) resulting in a persistent, frequent, dry cough.
Treatment includes understanding the cause of the problem, and physical and psychological ways to inhibit the cough.
ILO is when the vocal folds move together instead of moving apart when trying to breath in. This can often be mistaken for asthma and some people with asthma may also have ILO
Treatment includes understanding how the larynx (voice box) works, how to breath in a more normal pattern and psychological approaches to inhibit or minimise the dysfunctional breathing pattern.
Public Speaking
Being seen and heard means stepping into a place of vulnerability and taking a risk.
Voice coaching and Speech Therapy provide support with voice and communication skills to speak from a place of authentic and confident self-expression.
Some people may feel anxious and nervous around public speaking. A wide range of psychological approaches can help to find a way to express oneself with greater calm.