Transgender Voice Therapy

The goal of transgender voice modification is to help people develop a voice that is more aligned with their gender identity. This can include masculinization or feminization of the voice, depending on the individual's goals.

Voice therapists work with clients to identify their goals and tailor a treatment plan to help them achieve them. Treatment may involve vocal exercises, breath work, pitch, intonation, and fluency practices. Voice therapists may also provide feedback on making certain vocal characteristics sound more natural.

In addition to working on the voice itself, gender-affirming speech therapy may also include instruction on nonverbal communication skills, such as gestures and facial expressions. This can help people create a more congruent gender identity.

That's a common question. The length of therapy varies depending on each individual's goals, starting point, and rate of progress. People can generally expect to spend at least a few months in therapy, with weekly or twice weekly sessions.

To see progress, you'll need to practice the exercises and techniques you learn in therapy on your own. This is typically done through at-home assignments given by your therapist. The more you practice, the faster you'll see results.

An assessment for transgender voice therapy typically includes a conversation about your goals, a review of your medical history, and an evaluation of your speech and voice. This may be done through listening to recordings of your voice, observing how you produce sound, and measuring the pitch and volume of your voice.

One of the goals for voice and communication training is to address the voice pitch to help you achieve the gender perception you desire.

The voice box, or larynx, is responsible for producing sound. The vocal cords, which are two bands of muscle located in the larynx, vibrate to produce sound. The pitch of a person's voice is determined by the tension of the vocal cords and the amount of air that flows through them.

To produce a higher pitch, the vocal cords need to be tighter, and the air needs to flow through them more quickly.

To produce a lower pitch, the vocal cords need to be looser, and the air needs to flow through them more slowly.

Voice therapy may involve learning how to control the pitch of your voice. One strategy may that may be used is to have you listen to a target pitch that you are trying to achieve on a keyboard. You will practice modifying your voice to achieve the target pitch range.

Although a deepening of the voice is likely to occur as a result of masculinizing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), there may still be aspects of your speech that you want or need to change, such as inflection, language, and articulation. Voice therapy can also address any vocal issues you may have due to masculinizing hormone therapy, such as a hoarse voice or difficulty speaking for long periods. While undergoing HRT, you will want to maintain good vocal health.

Feminizing hormone therapy does not have any direct effect on the voice. Therefore, voice therapy would be recommended to help you learn how to make your voice sound more feminine.