Speech-language pathology is not known for its diversity, quite the opposite. Some traditions of the profession excluded minorities of all […]
Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion In Speech Therapy Read Post »
Digital therapy means providing therapy to the client using software and through online means. This is becoming immensely popular nowadays. There are different terminologies that are often used in digital therapy. The terms and what each term mean will be discussed in this article.
Feedback is known as the information provided which is based on the performance of something or someone. It is a very important component to improve the performance of a product, service or the skills of a person.
Importance Of Feedback In Speech Therapy Read Post »
With advancement in technology, people have been able to better connect with others through various means. Telehealth has been gaining popularity since then especially during COVID-19 pandemic. Even though telehealth was developed out of necessity, it has been gaining widespread popularity everywhere and has replaced the word ‘convenience’ instead of ‘necessity’.
Therapy Via Telehealth Read Post »
Are you an individual who is interested in working as an SLP? Aside from the education portion of becoming an SLP, it can be good to consider where you would like to practice as an SLP. This can be dependent not just on a physical location, but the types of clients you would meet and their main concerns. Here is a non-exhaustive list of job types as an SLP based on location, and the pros and cons usually associated with each.
Job Locations For Speech Pathologists Read Post »
As the popularity of online therapy services has increased since the start of COVID, many terms have become commonly used to describe aspects of this service which might previously not have been so important. It can be confusing to maneuver, especially if you do have not received therapy services in the past. Let’s have a review of terms which are helpful to know about.
The Words Of Digital Therapy Read Post »
In Canada, Speech Language Pathology is regulated by different regulatory bodies in almost all of the provinces. These provincial regulatory bodies set up the rules and various guidelines regarding practicing and also regarding the amount of fees that needs to be set for providing assessment and therapy.
A Cross Provincial License Read Post »
Presenting to others is something that we must often do, whether that is in-person or virtual. Many people consider a presentation to involve a large audience and a PowerPoint, but this does not always have to be the case. Even a meeting to 5 people about a recent project’s progress can cause similar levels of nervousness.
Benefits of Therapy vs Telehealth Read Post »
Speech language pathology is a field of expertise practiced by a clinician known as a speech language pathologist. Speech language pathologists provide a wide range of services, mainly on an individual basis. There are different working environments and job types for Speech Language Pathologists as outlined in this article.
Job Types In Speech Pathology Read Post »
Many clients who would prefer to modify their accent often consider speech sounds such as a different production of the sound ‘r’. However, another way to modify an accent is to consider the rhythm of the language. Every language has its own prosody which helps speakers sound more similar to native speakers. This can be an important area to consider when modifying an accent.
English Prosody And Word Stress Read Post »
The purpose of this blog post is not to delve into defining what all the different types of leadership styles are. If you would like to explore different leadership styles, there are many different resources and articles on the internet. However, in this blog post we will explore how you can learn to see yourself as a leader and communicate in a way that feels authentic to you.
Leadership And Communication Read Post »
In this blog post, we will get into a discussion about 1) what boundaries are, 2) power and social dynamics that influence who feels comfortable setting boundaries, and 3) strategies for learning to set boundaries in your own life.
Communication And Boundaries Read Post »
Stuttering is a disruption in the fluency of verbal expression characterized by involuntary audible or silent repetitions or prolongations of sounds or syllables. There is not one cause of stuttering. These are not readily controllable and may be accompanied by other movements or by emotions of a negative nature such as fear, embarrassment or irritation. Strictly speaking stuttering is a symptom, not a disease.
Relapse In Stuttering Read Post »
Many people have experienced anxiety when engaging in communication with others. When we experience this anxiety, we all engage in different strategies to cope with the uncomfortable emotional reactions to communication. Have you ever pondered on where this communication anxiety comes from?
How Trauma Impacts Communication Read Post »
Presenting to others is something that we must often do, whether that is in-person or virtual. Many people consider a presentation to involve a large audience and a PowerPoint, but this does not always have to be the case. Even a meeting to 5 people about a recent project’s progress can cause similar levels of nervousness.
Preparing For Presentations Read Post »
While working as a Leadership Coach and Mental Health Professional, something I have found useful that support people with developing their communication skills is a visualization practice.
Visualization & Embodiment Practice for Communication Read Post »
Breathing is an automatic function of the body which many people don’t think about. It is one of the most important processes to sustain life. It is observed that a lot of people have inadequate breathing. Proper breathing is essential not only for a healthy body and mind, but also for a good voice and effective speech.
Adequate Breathing In Speech And Communication Read Post »
Many may experience difficulties with maintaining attention when they are communicating with others or trying to complete daily tasks. No matter what the cause is or what sort of difficulties one may be experiencing with attention, it can lead to many day-to-day problems that affect the overall functioning of the person. These difficulties can impact the person’s personal and professional life.
Inattention When Communicating Read Post »
Throughout my time working in the area of communication and leadership from a psychotherapy approach, I have begun to wonder how our journeys with enhancing our communication with others is also a stage-by-stage process and is influenced by our trauma healing journeys as well.
How Do Patriarchal Social Norms Impact Women’s Communication? Read Post »
Throughout my time working in the area of communication and leadership from a psychotherapy approach, I have begun to wonder how our journeys with enhancing our communication with others is also a stage-by-stage process and is influenced by our trauma healing journeys as well.
The Non-Linear Path Of Effective Communication & Trauma Healing Read Post »
Have you ever struggled to communicate your experiences with your mental health, trauma triggers, or simply your life story to others? In many ways there are benefits to feeling confident and able to share our life experiences with our mental health and trauma with others if we need support, accommodation, or someone to understand our story.
Trauma Survivors Struggle With Communicating Their Stories Read Post »
Our voices are not something we often have to put much thought into, until something goes awry. Although voice disorders are often associated with neurological conditions, such as nerve damage, there are many behaviours and events in daily life that can cause voice damage as well.
The Importance Of Vocal Care And Hygiene Read Post »
Applying psychotherapy to address communication issues can be a useful process because together, we can address the underlying causes of your communication issues. I draw on different psychotherapeutic frameworks and approaches in my practice.
Learn About My Psychotherapy Approach Read Post »
Have you ever wondered how your communication style and strategies may be influenced by different life experiences or by your experiences within different social and cultural institutions? In this blog post, we will explore a Bio-Ecological Model that analyzes the ways people’s mental health is impacted by different life experiences and how this model translates to treatment of communication issues.
Communication Issues: ‘Bio-Ecological’ Model and Psychotherapy Practice Read Post »
This blog post is part of my 2-part series on clinical literature review-based articles that highlight the effectiveness of CBT for treating communication anxiety and social avoidance tendencies. I have aimed to focus on analyzing the ways that CBT is used in these articles as a clinical method for treating anxiety and social avoidance symptoms that may happen to share similarities with other mental health issues that the articles discuss.
Continuing Communication Anxiety & Avoidance from a CBT Approach Read Post »
Leadership skills have a great impact in a person’s personal as well as professional life. Leadership can be defined as a kind of action or many actions that leads other individuals or a team to success. This helps people with different skills and ideas to put forth their abilities to work for a common goal or achievement.
Enhance Your Leadership Skills Read Post »
I define communication anxiety as physiological responses to social situations that are perceived as a threat by our nervous systems – for example, one with communication anxiety may experience a racing heartbeat, digestion difficulties, trouble sleeping, headaches, etc when confronted with certain social situations.
Addressing Communication Anxiety & Avoidance from a CBT Approach Read Post »
Many professionals come into the clinic wanting to work on professional communication. Some of the biggest challenges many clients face are presentations. Whether its nerves, getting a new role, or just general presentation skills. This is something that can be improved through time and practice.
Best And Worst Presentations Read Post »
Something I have noticed over the years is that communication issues and communication anxieties often arise when people are feeling insecure or lacking confidence in who they are. Often, I have seen people feel anxious about their communication because they are fearful of how people may perceive them.
Meditation for Confidence and Communication Read Post »
Our mental health can have a significant influence on our ability to communicate effectively with others and have fulfilling social relationships. Does your ability to communicate effectively change whenever you feel anxious, tense, fearful, or stressed?
How Psychotherapy Addresses Communication Read Post »
Living an assertive lifestyle can help us to become truer to ourselves, in other words more ‘authentic’ and happier. People strive to live an ‘authentic life’ one where their actions and words match their core beliefs and values.
Living An Authentic (Assertive) Lifestyle Read Post »
One of the most damaging things a child with a speech impediment can hear at an early age is that they need to “fix” their speech. Many children who stutter internalize this message and believe they are “broken” in some fundamental way.
Stuttering and the Power of Acceptance Read Post »
Many people feel that they are able to complete their presentation well, but when it comes down to answering questions sometimes they blank or become less fluent. Many clients describe this as being caught off guard, or not be able to prep for questions, resulting in them becoming more nervous and less fluent in their speech.
Answering Questions Read Post »
Gender is a social construct and therefore, “gendered” voice is also a construct. When working on modifying your voice, first you have to understand the different elements at play in how a voice will sound.
Breaking Down Voice Feminization Read Post »
Have you ever experienced difficulties saying ‘no’ to others? Why do you think that happens? Sometimes it may be that we feel bad hurting other’s feelings, or we form elaborate stories in our mind that may potentially play out when we say ‘no’.
Having More Confidence Saying ‘NO’ Read Post »
Breathe in, breathe out…seems pretty simple, right? Well, you may be surprised to know there are actually multiple types of breathing patterns and only one is most efficient when speaking or singing. Today we will go through 4 different types of breathing patterns, starting with the optimal breathing pattern.
What Type Of Breather Are You? Read Post »
One of the most important things when it comes to being assertive is thinking assertively. If we want to be assertive communicators but are not thinking assertively, then it will be very difficult to reach our goal.
Our Assertive Rights Read Post »
In this article, I will share with you some guidance on how to talk to yourself in a way that doesn’t negatively impact how you talk to others.
How To Talk To Yourself Read Post »
You might have noticed that the clinic shut down on June 22nd. Learn a little about what we did on that date here.
Our June 2021 PD Day Read Post »
The writing of a clear, concise, and effective email is an area of professional communication that is often overlooked.
Common Pitfalls Of ‘Work’ Emails Read Post »
Undesirable vocal behavior can occur for various reasons, and within my practice I have found that understanding the cause is always integral to finding the solution. If you struggle with a voice that is unreliable and cracks without warning, keep reading to learn some of the possible explanations, as well as strategies to develop a stronger, more consistent voice.
Why Does My Voice Keep Cracking? Read Post »
Sometimes I have clients come to me and start talking about how they are having a difficult time staying focused when in conversations, or when becoming emotional, having a difficult time self-regulating and controlling their own emotions.
Having Problems With Executive Functions? Read Post »
Some people who stutter are so good at masking their struggle with fluid speech that you would never know they stuttered.
Stuttering, Without the Stuttering Read Post »
Public speaking is a common area of concern that clients from all walks of life come to us for support with. However, upon further investigation, it is often specifically the fear of “speaking on the spot” that can have a wider spreading impact on a client’s quality of life.
Speaking On The Spot Read Post »
There are four basic types of word stress that lead to proper intonation in English. These include: Tonic stress, Emphatic stress, Contrastive stress and New information stress.
Don’t Stress About Word Stress! Read Post »
Since the pandemic started in 2020 masks were made mandatory in June/July last year. Masks are required to be worn in all enclosed public spaces, public transportation and many workplaces. Since then we all know the struggles of wearing a mask and trying to communicate.
Are Masks Affecting Your Voice? Read Post »
Gendered expectations and feedback influence our vocal presentations from a young age. When adults speak to children and assume their gender, they alter the pitch and tone of their voices.
Gendered Vocal Behavior Read Post »
If you are interested in what we did on our non-clinical day, here is where you can find out
Our April 2021 PD Day Read Post »
If you want to appear more confident in professional environments, eliminating “sorry” from your vocabulary is a good place to start. You don’t need to apologize for not understanding, stating your opinion or asking a question. Be unapologetically assertive when voicing your thoughts in the office and watch your confidence grow.
How To Replace “Sorry” At Work Read Post »
When giving feedback we maybe often worry about hurting the others feelings or not clearly giving the feedback they had hoped for do too language that is too flowery and not to the point.
Difficulties Giving Feedback? Read Post »
Help yourself by playing an active role in goal-setting.
Speech-Language Pathology As A Regulated Profession Read Post »
There are many reasons to ditch gendered language. In this brief article I will give some examples of language to revisit and rationale, as we move toward a more inclusive society.
Let’s Revisit Gendered Language Read Post »
Are you sometimes talking and all of a sudden you blank because the word you are trying to use just isn’t coming to mind? Well, this is something we call word finding or word retrieval. Having difficulties finding words is something that happens to everyone at some point or another.
Can’t Remember Your Words? Read Post »
Help yourself by playing an active role in goal-setting.
Setting Goals For Speech Therapy Read Post »
If you often receive feedback that you are “short”, “blunt”, “intimidating” or even “rude” it’s likely that you are someone who leans towards being an aggressive communicator. Let’s take a minute to breakdown what qualities of someone’s communication may lead them to come across as aggressive.
Breaking Down The Aggressive Communicator Read Post »
Some people who are transgender/nonbinary use testosterone in order to change elements of their gender presentation. On occasion, someone who has been on testosterone for many years continues to be misgendered due to their vocal presentation. Why does this happen? Is there a way to make sure your voice changes with testosterone? How does vocal change occur, and why doesn’t it happen for all people?
Testosterone (T) And Gender Voice Modification Read Post »
Muscle tension dysphonia can occur in both men and women and is usually caused by abuse or misuse of the voice. Muscles can become tight and this makes it difficult for the individual to use their voice efficiently.
Muscle Tension Dysphonia Read Post »
If you are frequently finding yourself in awkward silences not knowing what to say next, these conversation tips are for you!
Maintain An Engaging Conversation Read Post »
Being misgendered can range from uncomfortable to unsafe. Correcting someone on the spot isn’t always an option. Here are some situation-specific tips for when it happens to you.
Misgendered? Communicate Effectively Without Losing Your Cool Read Post »
Often I have a lot of clients telling me that they are having difficulties with the ‘L’ sound. So why is it so hard to say the ‘L’ in words in English such as ‘ball’, when you already have this sound in your language as well? The reason is because there are differences in how we pronounce the ‘L’ sound in English.
Differences Between Pitch, Intonation, and Inflection Read Post »
The real problem with stuttering is actually non-stutterers. Let’s put the blame where it’s due.
Stuttering Isn’t Actually The Problem Read Post »
Many of us are now working from home through Zoom or other similar platforms. If you are finding yourself struggling to be an effective communicator in online meetings, you may be falling victim to one of these top 5 virtual communication mistakes:
Top 5 Zoom Meeting Mistakes Read Post »
Free yourself from the notion that your vocal characteristics are gendered. Imagine yourself, hear yourself, listen to yourself…
Deconstruct Your Voice Read Post »
Building strong habits is the key to behaviour change – and here is how you can do it.
Often I have a lot of clients telling me that they are having difficulties with the ‘L’ sound. So why is it so hard to say the ‘L’ in words in English such as ‘ball’, when you already have this sound in your language as well? The reason is because there are differences in how we pronounce the ‘L’ sound in English.
Are You Having Difficulty With The ‘L’ Sound? Read Post »
In addition, with lockdowns and restricted movement and social interaction for many folks working at home, many of us are having a difficult time holding ourselves accountable to the things we want to do. This article addresses how to tell if your practice habits are working for you or against you.
Am I Getting Enough Practice In? Read Post »
Wearing a mask muffles the sounds of speech and can make higher pitched voices difficult to understand. Additionally, face coverings remove our ability to get visual cues from lip movements and facial expressions, which are very helpful for understanding speech. So how can you project your message clearly while still protecting your health?
Masked Messenger – Communicate Clearly During Covid-19 Read Post »
As a Speech Pathologist working in an adult clinic, I often get asked what the difference is between a psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist. In order to find and pick the right person to see, you have to have a good understanding of what each profession does.
/S/ and /Z/ Sounds: Are You A Dipper Or Tipper? Read Post »
A common question I get from many of my clients of accent modification is, “why does it sound like that?” They are referring to the lack of one-to-one correspondence between sound and symbol. English seems to be a toss salad with five exceptions accompanying each rule.
