USA President Joe Biden’s Stutter
As most of us know by now or at least have heard something about it, USA President Joe Biden stutters. He has struggled with stuttering his whole life.
USA President Joe Biden’s Stutter Read Post »
As most of us know by now or at least have heard something about it, USA President Joe Biden stutters. He has struggled with stuttering his whole life.
USA President Joe Biden’s Stutter Read Post »
Certain ways of attempting to sound more feminine are unsustainable, damaging to the vocal cords and/or simply will not lead to a passable feminine voice. Let’s explore some of the common mistakes and misunderstandings that can prevent someone from achieving a natural and sustainable feminine voice.
Why Am I Struggling to Feminize My Voice? 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.
Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Or Psychotherapist Read Post »
In a job interview, you only have a short period of time to show the person on the other side of the table that you are the right candidate for the position. If you struggle with answering behavioural questions, don’t worry, you’re not alone! Read about how to use the STAR Framework when structuring your responses.
How To Ace Your Next Interview Read Post »
Curious about our recent event Dating On The Spectrum? Interested in participating in the future? Learn more here!
Dating On The Spectrum Read Post »
On Sunday, October 4th, Well Said hosted an event called Dating on the Spectrum, which gathered individuals on the spectrum between ages 20-35 to allow them an opportunity to meet. Here are some tips that were shared with the participants, most of which are useful reminders for any person who are interested in speaking with a specific person.
Tips For Dating And Making Contact Read Post »
Our intentions may be to communicate well, but when it comes to difficult topics, sometimes feelings take over and make things much more difficult.
Guilt, Shame, and Communication Read Post »
Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), Occupational therapy (OT), and Physical therapy (PT) are all types of rehabilitation therapy. Rehabilitation therapy provides assessment and treatment for people to help regain their function whether it be there speech/language, physical, or everyday life skills. Here we will discuss each individual therapy and the similarities and differences between all three professions.
SLP vs OT vs PT: What’s The Difference? Read Post »
Whether you’re convincing your child to eat their vegetables or selling a product to a potential client, persuasive communication is an essential skill for influencing those around you. To become an effective persuasive communicator, the following 6 principles of persuasion can guide you on your next sales call or dinner debate with the kids.
Principles Of Persuasive Communication Read Post »
We’ve all experienced the awkward interactions and painfully long silences that occur when small talk goes wrong. So how can you master the art of chit chat and feel confident entering your next casual conversation? Let’s begin by exploring what exactly is small talk.
Top 5 Best And Worst Small Talk Topics Read Post »
People often give feedback to each other on their executive presence, but what does that phrase really mean?
What Is “Executive Presence”? Read Post »
When you send a message, the way you say it is just as important if not more important than what you say. Even the most brilliant of ideas can seem like no big deal if presented without the right techniques. Here are the three components of a powerful message delivery.
Three Components Of A Powerful Delivery Read Post »
Often people mistake stuttering for typical dysfluencies. We all have dysfluencies at one point or another and this should not be confused with stuttering. A stutter is diagnosed by an SLP assessment looking at the types of dysfluencies the person is presenting, how often these dysfluencies occur, at what moments does the person stutter most (conversation, reading, single words), and how does the person react to their stuttering.
Stuttering Explained Read Post »
The Stuttering Severity Instrument is a standardized assessment used by speech-language pathologists (known as speech-language therapists in some jurisdictions) to evaluate the severity of a person’s stutter.
What is the Stuttering Severity Instrument? Read Post »
There are several synonyms that are used instead of stuttering.
Are there any synonyms for stuttering? Read Post »
Take a look into the research behind power posing as a confidence-building tool.
Strike A (Power) Pose Read Post »
Stepping in front of a crowd can be an anxiety inducing experience for anyone. This article outlines some of the most common mistakes as well as helpful pointers to ensure that when it’s time to take the mic, you can be confident that your presentation.
The Dos And Don’ts Of Presentations Read Post »
When feeling nervous or stressed during speech our body may tense up in various areas including: the shoulders, chest, stomach, neck, tongue, lips and/or vocal folds. Today we will discuss how tension can affect your speech and language, and what the impact of tension may be.
What Is Tension And How To Reduce It Read Post »
The main purpose of communication is to understand, and to be understood. The understanding component can be done through active listening, which involves paraphrasing and clarifying. The second part— expressing yourself the way you intend—can be a trickier task. How are you to send a clear message when your needs, wants, feelings, and opinions are convoluted?
You may not be aware of what uptalk is but it refers to the rising intonation in the end of sentences. When uptalk is used continuously in someone’s speech, it may seem as they are constantly asking questions when they may be wanting to make statements. But why is up talk even important to mention?
Apologizing is difficult. Doing it well is harder still. People often think of apologizing as a task that they need to complete according to tick-boxes. Let’s explore why that can be problematic.
Saying You’re Sorry Read Post »
Many transgender individuals experience incongruence between their gender identity and the sex they were assigned at birth. This incongruence can lead to gender dysphoria which can be psychologically distressing for those who experience it. At Well Said, we are dedicated to helping our transgender and gender non-conforming clients find their authentic, congruent voice.
Transgender Communication Training – Finding Your Congruent Voice Read Post »
We have been hard at work writing four online courses that will appear on our website within the next coming weeks! The four courses will cover the topics of assertive communication, women’s communication, leadership communication, and communication wellness.
Online Courses Coming Soon! Read Post »
Behind every remark, response and story is an intention. We can call them hidden agendas. Some speakers are very well acquainted with their intentions, and may use them to craft a desired impression, while others use it to help make a case for their essential value as an individual, or to engender feelings of pity.
Deciphering Intentions Behind Communication Read Post »
Here are 10 quick tips to support more effective listening skills in a workplace, whether that be during a meeting, or an interaction with a colleague. These can apply in-person, or virtually!
10 Quick Tips To Better Listening At Work Read Post »
Silence is an uncomfortable experience for many speakers in today’s fast paced world. We often feel pressure to fill these moments with meaningless words such as “um” and “uh” instead of recognizing the important and impactful role that silence can play in our daily interactions. So, how can you learn to slow down and harness the quiet power of pausing?
The Power Of Pausing Read Post »
Lessons from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are appropriate for managing our responses to the COVID-19 pandemic; they can also help us to manage our communication-related anxiety.
Communication And Control In The Time Of Coronavirus Read Post »
Showing confidence through your verbal communication as well as non-verbal communication is important to show confidence in the workplace. How does one go about this in a way that is respectful, and shows that you know what you are talking about?
How To Communicate In The Workplace Read Post »
The month of May is when we celebrate our communication skills and the healthcare professionals that treat them. It is also when we advocate for changes to improve the lives of people with communication disorders. Click to learn more.
May Is Speech And Hearing Month! Read Post »
Concision is the act of being concise. While some individuals may mistake frequent and verbose speakers as good communicators, these two are of a completely different nature.
The Art Of Concision Read Post »
Vocal hygiene is used to describe appropriate maintenance for a healthy voice. There are many different ways one can maintain vocal hygiene by following these practices
What Is Vocal Hygiene? and How to Care for your Voice Read Post »
Did you know that sound at its core is vibrations? This is one of the reasons why your voice seems louder to yourself than it is to others.
Flow And Vibration Read Post »
A lot of people are learning this skill now, but don’t worry! If you are a good communicator, the new medium won’t ruin your skillset.
Communicating Effectively With Video Conferencing Read Post »
Working with them has been a blast – and keep your eyes open for more in the future!
Saying Goodbye To Our S-LP Students Read Post »
For those of you who have been coming into the downtown main location in the last few months, you may have noticed some big changes going around in the clinic. We have recently been going through an office expansion for the last few months. Renovations are now complete and we are finally pleased to offer three new office spaces for our wonderful clients to enjoy.
Office Expansion Complete Read Post »
Vocal fry may be a new word for you but you have definitely heard it in action. Vocal, or glottal, fry is a register of voice that sounds low in pitch, creaky, and breathy.
Vocal Fry: Are You Frying? Read Post »
My name is Anna Pasternak and I am a registered Speech Language Pathologist (CASLPO) who has been working at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy since October 2019.
Finally A Formal Introduction – Anna Pasternak, M.Sc. Read Post »
Click to learn more about another University of Toronto student working with us in January and February 2020.
Introducing Another S-LP Student Clinician: Jennifer Smith Read Post »
Click to learn more about a University of Toronto student working with us in January and February 2020.
Meet your S-LP Student Clinician: Michelle Simmons Read Post »
Stuttering, refers to speech characterized by an abnormally high frequency of stoppages. Such stoppages in the flow of speech — or disfluencies—may come in the form of involuntary repetitions of sounds, syllables (beats), words, sound elongations, blocks or pauses. How is it caused? Why does it happen?
A Bit About Stuttering Read Post »
These tools have become staples in my practice, saving both my time and the planet!
New Year, New Speech Therapy Tools! Read Post »
You come in for speech therapy sessions every week and your speech language pathologist assigns you exercises/homework to practice until the next session. It may seem like extra work that you may not always have time for but it is very IMPORTANT!
Weekly Home Practice Read Post »
While an intersection of a client’s hearing level with their familiarity with English may make effective therapy sessions seem out of reach, as communication experts, we return to the main intention of communication—to understand and be understood.
Intersection of Cochlear implants and English as a L2 Read Post »
What do we do on our clinic closure days? Read here to learn more.
Updates from our Fall 2019 PD Day Read Post »
If you are a regular client of our clinic, you may have noticed some new developments recently! Here’s everything that you need to know.
Your Guide to Recent Changes at the Well Said Clinic Read Post »
It can get frustrating when your spoken message is not understood as soon as it leaves your lips. Initial confusion leads to frustration which eventually leads to reluctance to communicate. The next time someone asks you to repeat yourself, take a moment to consider these four factors:
Why You May Have to Repeat Yourself Read Post »
Now that you’ve spent time and money addressing your speech, language, or voice goals, you may be looking for ways in which you can practice your goals. Practicing can happen in a variety of ways – the more diverse you make your practice, the better. Feel free to use these strategies as you generalize your goals.
Ways to Practice your New Skills Read Post »
Conflict is inevitable. Whether the setting is professional, romantic, social or even public, there will be as many opinions as there are individuals. Seeing conflict as an opportunity to better understand one another is essential in facing conflict when it arises. Here are three approaches to help better manage conflict.
Managing Conflict in Three Approaches Read Post »
Validation is a critical listening skill that many of us are never taught. It can help us improve not only friendships and romantic relationships, but also relationships that are fraught with conflict.
What You Can Say to Become a Good Listener Read Post »
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of symbols standardized to represent sounds (or phonemes) of spoken language. It is the perfect alphabet in which every letter represents one phoneme only, and each phoneme has its appropriate symbol.
The Value of IPA in Accent Training Read Post »
Choosing Your Clinician (Before You Begin) When you book an initial consultation at Well Said, you may choose or be
How to Find a Speech-Language Pathologist Read Post »
The similarities between swimming lessons (or other sports) and speech therapy may initially seem very different, but they will soon become clear.
Four Ways Speech Therapy Is Like Learning To Swim Read Post »
Speaking may seem as easy as opening your mouth to allow the sounds to come out. However, speech-language pathologists are challenged to return to the four subsystems of speech: respiration, phonation, resonance, and articulation.
The Four Components of Your Running Speech Read Post »
We often work with people who know that they have trouble with certain sounds, but who say they don’t hear the difference between their version and the “correct” version. How can they learn to say what they can’t even hear? We often work with people who know that they have trouble with certain sounds, but who say they don’t hear the difference between their version and the “correct” version. How can they learn to say what they can’t even hear?
Pronouncing a Sound You Can’t Hear Read Post »
Myofascial Release is a form of manual therapy that helps issues of pain and movement dysfunction. Valuing clients as partners in recovery is crucial as they are the experts of their body, their pain and their concerns. The greatest therapy efficacy is observed through consistent communication between the therapist and client, where the client reports what they feel and the location in which they feel it.
Remembering the Essential Partnership Read Post »
Many of the clients who visit our clinic have never seen a speech-language pathologist before. Take a look here and learn about what to expect.
Making the Most of Your Initial Consultation Read Post »
On Friday, June 7th, the Well Said team attended the 2019 Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologist’s Voice Symposium. Here are some highlights from the conference
The 2019 OSLA Voice Symposium Read Post »
Avoidance and struggle are both typical experiences for people who stutter. Leaning in and embracing stuttering can often have surprising and far-reaching effects on their lives.
Making Your Stutter a Part of Your Personal Brand Read Post »
Whether you are being introduced to the person of your dreams for the very first time, or you’re sitting in the lobby area nervously waiting to be interviewed for the job you so desperately want to get, we have all been in situations where we know that we need to make an amazing first impression. Here at some tips on getting through those important few seconds.
Make a Great First Impression Read Post »
There are different “hats” that a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) must wear to be effective. These hats are skills that we use when working with you as a client, to fully flesh out treatment needs and a plan that is suited specifically to you.
The Four Hats of a Speech-Language Pathologist Read Post »
Assertiveness is the point of balance on the spectrum of effective communication, where on one end there is passivity and on the other there is aggressiveness. Assertiveness is respecting oneself as well as others by letting the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of both parties be heard. Learn more about how to become an assertive communicator.
The Happy Medium Between Passivity and Aggressiveness Read Post »
For many people with aphasia, there is some evidence that communication partner training can increase the effectiveness of their interactions with their loved ones, even though this type of therapy does not directly impact their ability to produce sounds, words or sentences.
How a Speech Therapist Can Help You If Your Loved One Has Aphasia Read Post »
Cognitive fallacies are unfounded and inaccurate thoughts that taint and twist our understanding of reality. These beliefs take root in our minds through our subjective experiences and reinforce negative thoughts and emotions, which add greater negativity to our self-perception. Here are the four cognitive fallacies that you didn’t realize your mind might be committing.
Fallacies You Didn’t Know Your Mind Was Committing Read Post »
The two main tenets of practice in healthcare are: evidence-based practice, and client-centred practice. Speech-language pathologists must consider the best ways to practice, by keeping scientific evidence and the individuality of their clients in mind, while also considering how a given strategy will fit with a client’s individual needs.
Comparing the Two Main Practice Standards in Healthcare Read Post »
Prosody describes the pitch, loudness, and rhythm of speech. It is understood in two components: stress and intonation, and has multiple layers that subtly yet dynamically impact our message’s meanings. To learn more about Prosody, one of our Speech Language Pathologists explains further.
Prosody: The Music of Language Read Post »
Diaphragmatic breathing is a deeper, more relaxed breathing, which results in a more powerful voice, verses clavicular breathing which leads to vocal cord tension;and causes your voice to be quieter, and harder to hear. One of our Speech Language Pathologists explains the differences, and how diaphragmatic breathing helps you to speak more loudly and sound more powerful.
Diaphragmatic Breathing Read Post »
Working in a customer service role may not be easy, but many of us find that we need to interact with customers, clients, guests, or visitors, to our business on a daily basis. So how do we ensure that we make the best impression possible and that each interaction results in an excellent customer service experience? Here are some words that those of us in customer service roles can use to portray a positive attitude to our clients.
The Power of Positive Words Read Post »
T is often a difficult sound to grasp for non-native speakers of English, and it isn’t because the sound is hard to pronounce. Instead, it is because what we think of as the “T sound” is actually composed of several different sounds, and pronouncing the T correctly requires an understanding of the rules surrounding which version to use in a given word.
The Many Faces of T Read Post »
Small talk is used to fill the uncomfortable and even unbearable silence we feel amidst others. We may not delight in it but most of us tolerate engaging in small talk as a part of socializing, mostly with strangers or acquaintances. One of our Speech Language Pathologists gives advice on how to become better at small talk.
Refining the Art of Small Talk Read Post »
There are many sounds in English, but people often have trouble with R. What makes this sound harder for some people to pronounce, even into adulthood?
What Makes “R” So Difficult, and How Can I Change It? Read Post »