Speech Training
Do you want a voice that embodies your authority, empathy, passion, and creativity?
Does your profession demand more of your voice than you can manage?
Are you frustrated with being ignored, dismissed, or talked over?
Do feel like people often take what you say the wrong way?
Do you worry your voice doesn't express who you are and what you want to say?
If any of this is how you feel, please click CONTACT above to schedule a no-charge phone consultation. I'd love to talk with you!
Speech training can't stop others who want to gaslight, mansplain, dismiss, and pass you over - but it sure does make it harder for them to get away with it! You might say it's a kind of self-defense training for your voice.
And if you're a human - and especially a human lawyer, teacher, preacher, athletic coach, counselor, actor, politician, businessperson, or media content creator - you already know your voice is fundamental to success. Speech training gets you heard, elevates your impact, and supports your vocal health and longevity in a voice-heavy career.
Five vocal elements determine how others perceive your voice and make assumptions about you and your ideas:
Intensity (loud vs. soft)
Intonation (singsong vs. monotone)
Rate (rushed vs. drawled speech)
Frequency (high vs. low pitch)
Voice quality (ringing or resonant vs. breathy, pressed, vocal fry)
In speech lessons, you gain awareness and control of all of these parameters. I assess how to optimize your voice to meet your life goals and put you on the path to a vibrant, healthy, and expressive voice.
AN IMPORTANT WORD OF CAUTION: If you have persistent hoarseness, recurrent voice loss, or throat pain, you should first consult an ENT specialist in laryngology for a clinical voice assessment. After that step, I can work in collaboration with your ENT and/or licensed clinical speech language pathologist (SLP) to provide ongoing speech habilitation.
A word about gender - I use she/her/hers and respect how you wish to be addressed. My work with you is based on the characteristics of your individual voice and what you want to do with it, not on preconceived gender stereotypes or categories.
INTRO LESSON
60 minutes in-person or online ($90)
My primary goals in your Intro Lesson are to open communication, ease anxiety, introduce a vocal exercise routine, and gather the diagnostic info I need to begin our work together. I am sensitive to the anxiety some adult students experience taking lessons for the first time. We'll spend some time talking about your voice demands and goals, and then ease into physical exercises and vocalizations. Following the Intro Lesson, we'll decide whether we wish to collaborate further. There is no obligation for either party to continue.
ONGOING LESSONS
60 minutes in-person or online ($80, flexible scheduling, and pay-as-you-go)
During your lessons, I will teach you to warm up and cool down your voice for optimal function, care for your vocal health, and build your vocal power and stamina through functionally-based exercise. We develop efficient phonation and breath control, explore optimal resonance, and establish appropriate registration. We work to eliminate detrimental speech patterns. Students may take lessons weekly, bi-weekly, or on an ad hoc basis.
30 minutes online only ($50, flexible scheduling within a 5-week block, payment upfront in a 4-lesson block)
Are you short on time and worried about your wallet? Create the momentum weekly lessons provide, but at a lower cost in the comfort of your home. You'll get the personalized training you need in a hassle-free format that fits your life - just schedule your four lessons anytime within five weeks. And you're welcome to add on a 60-minute lesson whenever you want. Every new student must complete a 60-minute in-person Intro Lesson.
FAQs
Where do you teach?
Lessons take place both online and in my home studio space at 1501 Webster St NW, Washington, DC
There is easy, reliable street parking on Webster and WMATA Metrobus access via 14th and 16th streets.
For students with pet allergies, please be aware that I have a dog and cat.
What kind of a time commitment should I expect?
I highly recommend a weekly lesson during the first two months of study, on a pay-as-you-go basis. After that point, some students choose a bi-weekly or occasional lesson.
I work with you on reasonable goals for home practice that fits into your life. Your practice needs to be hassle-free, or you won't do it.
I may need a lot of scheduling flexibility. How do you handle this?
My online student portal allows you to change a scheduled lesson (at least 24 hours in advance) per your weekly needs. You receive an automated lesson reminder and can sync your lesson calendar with your devices.
If for any reason you can't attend a scheduled in-person lesson on a given day, you can convert to an online (FaceTime) lesson for the same price.
I teach various weekday mornings, afternoons, and early evenings. I will work with you to find a lesson time. I generally do not teach on weekends.
I'm worried about the expense. What do you recommend?
Take a look at my 30-minute online lesson format and decide if that might work for you.
Determine how much you can set aside for lessons and tell me how many you plan to schedule. Knowing this will help me meet your short-term needs. You can always decide to extend if that becomes financially feasible.
How do you handle payments?
Payment via Zelle, cash, or check at the start of the 60-minute lesson, or prepaid in 4-lesson blocks for the 30-minute lesson format.