Services for Clients. Opportunities for Students.
Individual and group voice services are provided by graduate student clinicians in our MA-SLP program during their clinical voice team rotation. We offer both in-person and telehealth sessions. The student clinicians are supervised by Louise Pinkerton and Brian Peterson, licensed and certified SLPs, who specialize in voice and upper airway disorders across the lifespan.
The voice is integral to who we are, how we see ourselves, and how others see us. Voice therapy can help rehabilitate the speaking and singing voice following a vocal fold injury or address vocal changes from a neurological condition like Parkinson’s Disease. Professional voice training teaches people how to make the most of their voices and how to prevent injury. The University of Iowa, in conjunction with University of Iowa Health Care, has a long history in voice science, voice assessment, and voice therapy.
Voice and upper airway disorders
At the UI Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic, we provide voice and upper airway treatment across this lifespan. Common diagnoses treated include vocal fold nodules, muscle tension dysphonia, presbyphonia, and chronic cough. We also work with clients with vocal fold paralysis, tremor, spasmodic dysphonia, puberphonia, and vocal fold dysfunction (paradoxical vocal fold motion). Clients can be referred to our clinic by their primary care provider and/or their ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist). Please check with your insurer if an evaluation by an ENT is required.
Voice treatment for people with Parkinson's Disease
We offer SPEAK OUT!® for adults with Parkinson’s Disease and LSVT LOUD® for adults with Parkinson’s Disease and adults and children with other neurological conditions. These intensive, research-based therapies target increasing vocal effort to increase the quality, loudness, and intelligibility of the speaker. You can get a referral to our clinic from your neurologist. Read our webpage, Voice Treatment for Parkinson's Disease, for more information.
Professional voice rehabilitation
Professional voice users are people who depend on their voices for their livelihood, such as singers, actors, broadcasters, teachers, courtroom lawyers, clergy and telemarketers. The goal of therapy is to return them to a professional level and prevent future injury. Graduate student-clinicians may have an opportunity to serve these elite clients in collaboration with Louise Pinkerton who has a unique background in speech pathology, vocology, and vocal performance.
Vocal health and voice modification
Individual and group services are available as needed to educate healthy voice users about voice use, to learn ways of modifying and changing the voice, and to use the voice effectively. These services are less likely to be covered by health insurance.
Workshops on voice use and vocal health are available for a variety of groups including educators, coaches, singers, and voice actors. Contact Louise Pinkerton to discuss workshop availability.
For more information about keeping your voice healthy, visit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) webpage.