Many people might think “voice therapist, vocal coach - potaTO, PoTATo” but actually there are several differences between the two and often you need them both simultaneously. This quick read will hopefully give you an insight into how each one works.
1) Firstly Voice Specialist Speech Therapists are health care professionals and have usually worked within the NHS, more specifically in ENT departments of a hospital. Vocal coaches usually work outside of the health sector.
Being part of the health service allows Voice Therapists to liaise closely with other medical professionals including; ENT consultants, physiotherapists, psychologists and osteopaths. This allows for the voice to be looked at holistically from a medical, psychological, physiological and dynamic perspective. Vocal coaches work specifically on vocal and singing technique.
2) Voice Therapy aims to make the voice medically safe and rehabilitate the voice whereas a vocal coach works with a healthy voice (hopefully) and aims to improve vocal technique. A reputable vocal coach can help to optimise vocal technique which may prevent voice disorders and stop the need for a Voice Therapist. Although, sometimes vocal injury can occur despite fantastic vocal technique, sometimes it is just bad luck!!
3) Conditions treated by Voice therapists include: vocal fold nodules, vocal fold paralysis, vocal cord cysts, muscle tension dysphonia, laryngeal reflux and many more. There will be a caseload of performers but a large percentage of the client base will be rehabilitating the day-to-day speaking voice. Vocal coaches start with a healthy larynx (hopefully!) and usually work only with singers or performers.
The pathway between the two can be reciprocal. A vocal coach may suggest their client seeks advice from a voice specialist speech therapist (via an ENT Consultant) if there seems to be a vocal injury or strain. Similarly a voice specialist speech therapist may suggest that somebody who has had a vocal injury seeks support in their singing technique from a vocal coach.
Vocal Abuse is the term used to describe the abrupt and vigorous adduction (closure) of the vocal folds leading to hyper function of the laryngeal muscles. This basically translates to "bashing your vocal cords together"! If these behaviours are repeated frequently this can result in vocal fold surface issues, strain and maladaptive behaviours such as […]
Brace yourselves - This is a long one: reading time 10 minutes (give or take). As an ENT Speech Therapist I come across medically unexplained conditions on a daily basis. Of course this usually applies to voice or globus, but over the past couple of years I have had more and more referrals for patients who have a 'normal swallow' but report an inability to eat or discomfort when […]
Many people might think “voice therapist, vocal coach - potaTO, PoTATo” but actually there are several differences between the two and often you need them both simultaneously. This quick read will hopefully give you an insight into how each one works. 1) Firstly Voice Specialist Speech Therapists are health care professionals and have usually worked within […]
