speech therapist

[Bunny Girl Zoe]

Received letter today for my first appointment to speech therapist for early next month and can't wait to start training my voice to sound more female so match with how I look.

[Rianna Humble]

Congratulations, Zoe! I've been attending Speech therapy for a few months now and it is working wonders for me.

At the start, my therapist measured what he called my "modal pitch" (that's the pitch my voice naturally reverted to when I was not making an effort) and I came out at 80Hz which is about 10 Hz below the bottom of the average male voice range. Last time, we re-measured and I was able to sustain around 160Hz which he felt was a good female pitch for me. It still takes some work, but that's far and away better than I had managed without help.

Do let us know how you get on.

[Aprilrain]

No need to wait, just start doing it! its all about practice and just doing it. going full time helps with this as there is never a time when you will want to revert back which just hampers your progress!

[Bunny Girl Zoe]

Just over two weeks to appointment be good to sound female when open mouth. Rianna sounds like you getting nice results as fairly big jump.

[Rianna Humble]

If I can do it, so can you!

[Amber Anderson]

speech is my #1 fear when I go out, I open my mouth and give myself away ever time

[Bunny Girl Zoe]

speech is my #1 fear when I go out, I open my mouth and give myself away ever time

One the biggest give a ways that' for sure.

[Jorja]

Just wait until you stub your toe wearing sandals. :D Which voice do you think will come out?

[Stephanie-L]

I have been going to speech therapy at a local university clinic for about four months now. It is second only to starting hormones as far as making a difference in my transition. I have learned so much from the two graduate students who are my therapists, far more than just altering my pitch, that is the easy part. And we also work on the non-verbal aspects of communication, how a lady sits, moves, gestures, stands, etc. I am fortunate that I have two young women who seem to enjoy the challenge and the "something different" in working with me, I certainly enjoy the therapy sessions, even though they can be hard work. I highly recommend anyone who is transitioning to find a professional speech therapist, they are invaluable..........Stephanie

[crystalann]

A few years back I went to see a speech therapist weekly for months. I really don't feel I got much out of it. But looking back now I can understand why, I was living on both side and was back and forth with the voice. Soon after I went full time the voice fell into place for me. Also your voice may sound funny to you and the ones in your past but not so much to the people you see day to day. Hope it all works out for ya:)

[Rianna Humble]

I have been going to speech therapy at a local university clinic for about four months now. It is second only to starting hormones as far as making a difference in my transition. I have learned so much from the two graduate students who are my therapists, far more than just altering my pitch, that is the easy part.

I have to totally agree with this. Thank you for posting it Stephanie. You are so right about it being more than just pitch. One of the lessons I have had to learn is about modulation. By comparison, most men's speech patterns are much flatter than a woman's.

Have you also noticed how we are much more descriptive than a man too? Men seem to keep their descriptions down to the bare minimum. For example, the waitress in a restaurant where I went the other day had on a beautiful salmon coloured top with lace edging which really complemented her natural colouring - or as my dad put it "a pink top"

[LisaMallon]

I think I'm going to need a therapist as well. I have a 'tin ear' for my own voice and tinnitus as well and find it very hard to judge and modulate it. Another thing to add to my list LOL.

Let us all know how it goes.

[sierra_g]

I know it is less evasive and better because any surgery is risky but as far as results go, is voice therapy better than voice feminization surgery?

[Rianna Humble]

Voice therapy/training has definite advantages. My voice therapist told me that the surgery can only achieve a limited difference at best and he always prefers to try coaching first.

The other advantage that I see about having the voice therapy is that you learn a lot more than just how to change the pitch of your voice - the surgery does not teach you about speech patterns, modulation and non-verbal communication.

[Stephanie-L]

One of the lessons I have had to learn is about modulation. By comparison, most men's speech patterns are much flatter than a woman's.

Have you also noticed how we are much more descriptive than a man too? Men seem to keep their descriptions down to the bare minimum. For example, the waitress in a restaurant where I went the other day had on a beautiful salmon coloured top with lace edging which really complemented her natural colouring - or as my dad put it "a pink top"

Oh yes, you are right. Those are some of the things I have been working on also. Part of it comes from the fact that women use about 3000 words a day versus men using about 1000. Women are much more descriptive as you said. Also, women are much more communicative. I have found that changing my speech pattern is going to alter my personality, I think for the better. Before, I was very reserved and shy, rather withdrawn actually, now I am much more outgoing and interact with strangers much more easily. This is partly due to other things like feeling better about myself in general since I started transition, hormones helping my mood, etc, but a big part of it is the fact that I put an effort into communicating with other people now that I didn't before, and this has carried over into the rest of my life. As I said, this is one of the biggest things in my transition, surprisingly more important so far than any clothes or makeup..........Stephanie

[StephanieC]

Very timely topic for me. I start speech classes June 11