In the Voice Evaluation and Treatment Clinic at UW Speech & Hearing Clinic, voice therapy is tailored to meet the needs of each individual. The type of therapy or voice training approach used will depend on the cause of the voice problem and the goals of the individual. More than one method may be used to best address an individual's voice problem and personal preferences. Therapy is conducted by graduate-level Speech-Language Pathology students under the supervision of experienced, licensed, and ASHA-certified Speech-Language Pathologists. Our clinical supervisors in voice are also involved in ongoing research in Dr. Tanya Eadie's Vocal Function Lab.

The therapy methods we use are current evidence-based therapies, meaning there is published research supporting the effectiveness of the therapy approach. Some of the voice therapy approaches used in our clinic include (this is not an all-inclusive list):

  • Resonant Voice Therapy (RV) - There are several approaches to RV, including Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy (LMRVT)
  • Flow-Resistent Tube (FRT) exercises - A type of therapy using a semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT); often called straw phonation. Click HERE to go to a YouTube video of Dr. Ingo Titze, Director of the National Center of Voice and Speech, demonstrating straw phonation.
  • Vocal Function Exercises (VFE) - A structured set of 4 exercises that work to balance breath support, easy voicing, and resonance. Click HERE to see a YouTube video of Dr. Joe Stemple, the developer of VFEs, demonstrating the exercises.
  • The SPEAK OUT!® Therapy program, developed by the Parkinson Voice Project is a comprehensive program to help people with Parkinson’s and related neurological disorders regain and retain their speech and swallowing. Our clinical supervisors have been trained to provide this treatment program for those with Parkinson's Disease.
  • Manual Voice Therapy Techniques- A “hands-on” approach to addressing muscle tension in the neck that affects the voice.
  • Gender affirming voice and communication training- Includes a variety of techniques that can be used to address modifications in pitch, resonance and other aspects of communication that align with an individual’s goals.

If you have already had a voice evaluation and would like to begin voice therapy, please contact Cara Sauder at csauder2@uw.edu. Please note that we regularly maintain a waiting list for voice therapy and voice training. We contact individuals at the start of each academic quarter to provide information about current wait times for voice therapy and voice training. To maximize the number of clients that can receive voice services in our clinic, we typically limit voice therapy and voice training to 2-3 quarters. If you would like updates, additional referral sources, or have questions, please contact us by email at csauder2@uw.edu or phone (206) 616-6810.

If you need to cancel or reschedule an existing appointment, please call our clinic office (206) 543-5440.