From Vocalist To Pathologist - Laura Janzen, M.H.Sc.
Written by: Laura Janzen / SLP / April 2020
Hello Everyone! My name is Laura Janzen and I am a registered Speech-Language Pathologist with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO).
I received my Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language from McMaster University and my Master of Health Sciences in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Toronto.
I am thrilled to be joining the amazing group of clinicians here at Well Said and would love to tell you all a bit about me, my background and how I can help you achieve your communication goals!
How it all started
I want to begin by explaining how I got into the amazing field of Speech-Language Pathology. First of all, I LOVE to talk, but my favourite way to express myself has always been through music! I have over 10 years of professional voice and acting training. As a young adult, being on stage was where I felt most comfortable and singing for a crowd brought me immense joy. During one of my more vocally demanding roles, I started to struggle with vocal soreness and intermittent voice loss. My doctor and singing coaches were unable to provide an explanation and eventually I was referred to a Speech-Language Pathologist. During that first session, I was taught about proper vocal hygiene and voicing techniques which kept my voice strong and healthy during the following weeks of performances! I was impressed and intrigued by the clinician’s advice and the many other services she offered in the world of communication. After that experience, I started to look into the field of Speech-Language Pathology as a potential career path.
I began my academic journey at McMaster University in Hamilton. I took some introductory linguistic classes to get a taste of what this field could offer me and after the first semester, I was hooked! I knew I had barely scratched the surface of communication sciences and I was excited to dive deeper. Not only did I want to unravel the mystery of speech, I also wanted to help those who struggle with it.
After completing my undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science of Language, I went on to obtain a Master of Health Sciences in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Toronto. It was an intense but extremely rewarding program. I learned in depth about all the areas of S-LP and honed my skills during several amazing clinical placements. One of the most impactful clinical experiences I had, was at the Voice Clinic in St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. During that time, I worked with clients to develop healthy and effective speaking and singing techniques that would allow them captivate their audience without damaging their instrument. I also had the amazing opportunity to work with transgender and gender non-conforming clients on finding their congruent voice.
After graduating with my Masters, I quickly entered the world of private practice at a clinic in Richmond Hill working with children and adults on their speech and communication goals. In this position, my skills and knowledge grew in the areas of articulation, fluency, language development, social communication, voice, accent modification and cognitive communication therapy for individuals following a traumatic brain injury. Despite learning and growing immensely as a clinician and a person during my time at that clinic, I began to realize I actually wanted to gear my practice towards an exclusively adult population. I enjoyed the intellectual conversations and joint goal setting that accompanied this type of work, and I was ready to shift my career in that direction.
A New Path - Welcome to Well Said!
When I was offered the wonderful opportunity to join the Well Said team in Toronto, I was overjoyed! I knew my unique skill set and background would make me a perfect fit for this type of clinical environment. My professional performance training as an actress and vocalist combined with my clinical experience allow me to guide clients with an approach that draws from both art and science. In my sessions, I aim to support my clients in developing and reaching individualized goals that result in meaningful, lasting change in their lives.
Our physical doors may be locked, but you can still unlock your communication potential and put your best voice forward! I am currently providing online services to individuals in the areas of voice, fluency, accent modification, lisps, social skills, and professional communication training, as well as voice and communication training for transgender and gender non-conforming clients.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me! If you’d like to work together on your speech goals, book an initial consultation so I can get to know you!
I hope to meet with you soon!
Laura Janzen, S-LP., M.H.Sc. reg. CASLPO
To work with Laura Janzen, as your speech-language pathologist at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or by calling (647) 795-5277.
Part 1 of this series reviewed what artificial intelligence (AI) is and a broad overview of its role in speech and language therapy. This entry will focus on how specific populations can optimize on AI and how AI can be incorporated throughout the client life-cycle. To note, here at WELL SAID, we do not offer a specific artificial intelligence program such as Jessica. However we do intentionally aim to optimize on the artificial intelligence systems that you may already be interacting with on a daily basis.