June 4, 2020
Most of us are shifting our personal and professional interactions to online platforms as we practice physical distancing. From telepractice to staff meetings to social commitments, we often find ourselves in back-to-back meetings and conversations.
Today’s guests talk about ways this new emphasis on virtual meetings may strain your voice and the voices of your clients.
They share strategies and exercises for protecting vocal health during online meetings.
First, SLP and voice specialist Jennylee Diaz shares strategies for protecting the voice during telepractice. She frames her voice-protection techniques in three domains: the environment and equipment, vocal hygiene, and vocal pacing.
“Something I tell my patients all the time is to think of the voice sort of as a limited resource,” says Diaz. “Just in the way you would make withdrawals from the bank. There are only so many withdrawals you can make from your voice during the day until you start to experience some issue with it.”
Diaz, a singer, demonstrates how voice strain shows up in her singing. Then, she shares what she’s doing to protect her voice while continuing to deliver services via telepractice.
Related
An SLP shares four steps to recharge and rejuvenate the voice.
ASHA Voices: It’s a Critical Period … COVID-19 and Early Intervention
How Can We Increase the Odds of Retaining Expanded Telepractice Coverage?
3 Questions to Ask Clients About Their Vocal Care
ASHA Practice Portal: Voice Disorders, and the ASHA Evidence Map on Voice
In the second half of the episode, we’re joined by SLP Elizabeth Banaszak. She guides us through a series of semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises to perform between calls and telepractice sessions.
Because some of the exercises involve a straw and glass of water, Banaszak says some people refer to them as water aerobics for the voice. Hear examples of each exercise and how they can keep the voice healthy throughout the day.
Read the transcript for this episode.
Meet our guests:
- Jennylee Diaz, MS, CCC-SLP, SLP and Voice Specialist, University of Miami
- Elizabeth Banaszak, MA, CCC-SLP, SLP, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Both of today’s guests are affiliates of ASHA Special Interest Group 3, Voice and Upper Airway Disorders.
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Questions or comments? Email us at [email protected]. Or leave us a voicemail at 301-296-5804. We may include your comment in an upcoming episode.
Support for this episode of ASHA Voices comes from CSUN, California State University, Northridge.
