Therapeutic and Skill-Based Exercises for the Professional Voice User
Presented by Katelyn Swiader
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Voice professionals face unique challenges that demand highly customized therapeutic care, balancing clinical science with the realities of performance. This course provides speech-language pathologists with a detailed approach to tailoring evidence-based voice exercises and interventions for singers, actors, broadcasters, and other vocal athletes. Through exploration of neuromuscular coordination, breath support, and vocal pacing, clinicians will learn how to apply and modify traditional therapy in complex, high-performance settings. This course is designed for clinicians working in outpatient rehab, private practice, or telehealth settings who support individuals navigating vocal injury, recovery, and career longevity.
Learning Objectives
- Outline customized vocal exercise protocols by modifying traditional therapeutic techniques to directly address the specific performance requirements and lifestyle limitations of professional voice users
- Recognize the critical vocal tasks and environmental conditions inherent in professional performance to predict how these factors shape the development of focused therapeutic interventions
- Interpret the connections between vocal proficiency, career pressures, and psychological well-being to develop practical methods for integrating skill-based exercises into a comprehensive therapeutic framework for professional performers
Meet your instructor
Katelyn Swiader
Katelyn Swiader, MS Ed, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist specializing in vocal health and performance. She holds a master’s in speech-language pathology and a bachelor’s in vocal performance, with over 15 years of voice coaching experience. With a background as a professional singer, she provides comprehensive voice…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Foundational Skill Development for Performance Demands
This chapter outlines the anatomical, physiological, and clinical competencies essential to voice therapy for professional performers. Emphasis is placed on building neuromuscular control, respiratory coordination, and vocal efficiency through evidence-based techniques, such as resonant voice and straw phonation. Learners will gain practical insights into how warmups, cooldowns, and breath training should be modified for different vocal genres and performance conditions.
2. Targeted Therapeutic Interventions for Performance-Related Challenges
Chapter 2 delves into the complex variables that shape therapy goals for voice professionals, including performance environments, emotional strain, and maladaptive behaviors. Clinicians will explore treatment strategies for muscle tension dysphonia, phonotrauma, and anxiety-related vocal changes, as well as ways to mitigate acoustic and physical stressors. Practical applications are reinforced through live demonstrations and discussions of therapy adaptations in real-world performance settings.
3. Integration of Skill-Based Exercises Into Comprehensive Performance Recovery
The final chapter focuses on long-term recovery planning, maintenance routines, and techniques to prevent reinjury in high-demand voice users. Topics include vocal pacing, recovery sequences, self-monitoring tools, and safe integration of stylistic vocal traits. Learners will also explore the clinician’s role in fostering independence and guiding patients in sustainable voice use beyond the therapy room.
