Voice therapy is indicated for voice disorders and upper airway dysfunction (see below).  Voice disorders include difficulties such as a change in vocal clarity (hoarseness or raspy voice), loss of voice, or throat pain when speaking.  These symptoms are typically diagnosed by an otolaryngologist (ENT).  We provide individualized treatment plans of care to address voice disorders caused by aging, use-related injuries, benign lesions (nodules, polyps, cysts), excessive muscular tension, and neurological conditions.  We are skilled in providing pre-and post-operative voice therapy for all those who require surgery for treatment of their voice disorder.

We are devoted to helping people across the gender spectrum find ways of speaking that reflect not only their gender identity but also their core identity for professional and personal settings.  We work with TGD individuals who wish to modify their voice and speech.  Our approach is highly individualized and focuses on meeting your personal goals rather than a predetermined fixed ideal.  We offer individual and group training, during which we may address pitch, pitch range, relaxation techniques, breath control, resonance, articulation, intonation and prosody (speech rhythm), and/or body language.

We are certified in both the SPEAK OUT! and the LSVT LOUD programs designed to improve speech and voice for individuals with Parkinson's and other neurological impairments.  Parkinson's Disease in particular can cause individuals to believe they are speaking at a typical loudness level when in fact their voice becomes more and more quiet and difficult to understand. We have seen great success with both Speak Out! and LSVT to combat these difficulties.  

Upper airway conditions requiring intervention with a voice therapist may be identified by an otolaryngologist and/or pulmonologist.  Our approach to breathing and voice retraining is consistent successfully for patients with sensorineuropathic chronic cough or irritable larynx syndrome and those with paradoxical vocal fold motion disorder (PVFMD, aka vocal cord dysfunction or VCD).   We are highly experienced in managing athletes with exercise-induced laryngeal-level breathing disorders and generally utilize Olin's EILOBI exercises with our athletes. 

We help school-aged children, teens, and adults who are bothered by their speech sound production.  It is never too late to make speech sound changes if desired. While many sound differences spontaneously resolve in early childhood, those that do not will require intensive practice if standard production is desired.  Improvement is often faster with an individual approach in addition to school-based services.  Our services are also available for those who do not qualify for sound production modification in school, desire more rapid improvement with intensive individual therapy, or to keep up skills during school breaks.  For mature children, teenagers, and adults, we are happy to work with you via telehealth.  In-person play-based therapy is preferred for younger children (Age 5-8).  We travel to your home  within a limited radius. Travel fee may apply. Contact us for details.

We are credentialed through the Compton PESL program to provide accent modification training.  If you have a strong accent, it may reduce your listener's ability to understand you when you speak.  By reducing the intensity of your accent, you can help your listeners better focus on the content of what you are saying.

Carissa works with the educational companies Pearson and Pro-Ed to give your kid(s)/teen(s) (and sometimes adults too!) the opportunity to earn money by field testing a variety of standardized tests. Some of the tests are verbal, some are written, and some are completed on a computer or ipad.  When educational companies develop new versions of tests, they need new “normative data” (figuring out what a normal range of scores is for the new test), so they are willing to pay people who may not actually need the test to take it in order to determine that information. They also need to know what kind of performance to expect with a variety of people, so they need both typically-developing and educationally exceptional participants. To see if there is a need for your specific demographics, please reach out!