A Physiologic Approach to Voice Therapy
Presented by Joseph C. Stemple

 Non-Financial: Joseph C. Stemple has no competing non-financial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are presented with multiple types of voice disorders to evaluate and treat. These disorders arise from a variety of etiologies and numerous patient vocal compensations. Given the variety of potential treatment options, how does the SLP choose the most effective treatment? Speech-language pathology literature identifies several general voice therapy orientations, vocal hygiene, symptomatic voice therapy, psychogenic voice therapy and physiologic voice therapy. This course will introduce the participant to these orientations as well as the evidence supporting their use. Choosing the appropriate evidence-based therapy approach is essential to successful voice therapy.
Meet your instructor
Joseph C. Stemple
Joseph Stemple is a Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky. He joined the faculty in the UK Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2005, following a 30-year clinical career as founder and director of the Blaine Block Institute for Voice…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Introduction of Voice Therapy Orientations
Speech-language pathology literature identifies several general voice therapy orientations, vocal hygiene, symptomatic voice therapy, psychogenic voice therapy and physiologic voice therapy. This chapter will introduce the participant to these orientations as well as the evidence supporting their use. Choosing the appropriate evidence-based therapy approach is essential to successful voice therapy.
2. Voice Therapy Orientations: A Case Study
The concepts behind physiologic voice therapy will be introduced. With the aid of brief case histories and video examples of three pathological vocal conditions (nodules, unilateral paralysis, presbylaryngeus), participants will learn that a physiologic approach to voice therapy applies to a wide range of pathologies and patient compensations for those pathologies. Whether the voice problem is one of hyperfunction or hypofunction, the physiologic approach will balance the three subsystems of voice production to improve overall vocal function.
3. Physiologic Voice Therapy: Case Examples
A case study will be discussed to demonstrate vocal function exercises in detail, including the four main exercises as well as goals and rationale. The importance of therapy documentation and post-therapy details will also be discussed
4. Theoretical Underpinnings of Physiologic Voice Therapy
This chapter will introduce the genesis of the physiologic approach to voice therapy including its development and the theory upon which it is based, including the understanding that SLPs do not treat the pathology, but rather the underlying physiology that causes the pathology.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Medbridge courses.
Who creates Medbridge courses?
We work with industry-leaders, top researchers, and consultants to build content roadmaps that are then structured into courses, filmed, and edited by our production team before being launched to our site.
How often does Medbridge release new courses?
New courses are added monthly and are automatically included in your subscription as they launch.
How often does Medbridge update courses?
Medbridge reviews its courses annually for relevance and to assess if content is up to date. Based on these reviews it may be determined that a course is out of date resulting in the course being re-filmed or retired, if the content is no longer needed (e.g. a replacement course already exists, the concepts are no longer best practice, etc.).
How many courses does Medbridge offer?
We have over 3,000 accredited courses and we are continually updating our library with new courses. Check our course library for the most up-to-date count for your discipline.
Are there any additional fees for taking a Medbridge course?
There are no additional fees for taking a Medbridge course, obtaining a course certificate of completion, earning CEUs as a subscriber, or accessing any of the additional tools your subscription may include.
Is there a limit to the number of courses I can take?
There is no limit to the number of courses you can take as a subscriber! As a subscriber to Medbridge, you have unlimited access to over 3,000+ accredited CE courses.
If you are a Premium subscriber, you also have unlimited access to our Patient Engagement Tools such as the Home Exercise Program, Patient Education Library, Orthopedic Exam Tests, and Manual Therapy Techniques. We have over 7,000 exercises and over 650+ videos and handouts of patient education resources with more exercises and patient education added to the library based on subscriber feedback, volume of request and specialities.
What is your refund policy?
You are eligible for a refund provided your request is received within 30 days of your subscription purchase and your account has no activity.