Information for patients
Voice therapy
for the transgender individual
Speech and Language Therapy
Voice therapy for the transman/woman is offered at RHH
for those who are referred by the Sheffield Gender
Programme based at Porterbrook Clinic. This leaflet helps to
explain why you have been referred and what therapy will
entail.
On receipt of the referral letter the Speech and Language Therapy
Department (SLT) will aim to see you within 12 weeks. Depending
on the stage you are at in the gender programme this may be a
'one off' information session or the start of therapy. Once regular
therapy commences there will be homework consisting of
exercises, which are best carried out when living in your chosen
gender. Therefore it is advisable that you come to all your
appointments 'in role' to maximize the benefit of therapy. Clearly
there are physical limitations as to what can be achieved when
changing gender role. Therapy for voice will work on achieving a
safe change in voice, which will look at various aspects of voice
and its production. It is not possible to change your voice simply
by altering the pitch. Therapy will focus on many other aspects.
Therapy for Transmen/female to male transsexual
individuals
One of the effects of testosterone is to deepen the voice. This is
a direct result of the vocal cords increasing in bulk. During the
early stages of hormone taking, the voice may be unpredictable
and the muscles around the vocal cords will feel the strain. Voice
therapy is therefore important to facilitate a smooth transition
from the female to male pitch. All transmen will be seen prehormone prescribing, to advise on the likely changes and safe
voice use during his time. When hormones commence they will
be seen again to advise on voice stabilisation as appropriate.
Therapy for Transwomen/male to female
transsexual individuals
Hormones have no effect on the voice. Changes in voice can be
achieved through exercises carried out under the guidance of
your speech and language therapist. There are many aspects of
the human voice that make others perceive it as masculine or
feminine.
These include:
• Articulation patterns; the way we say certain sounds
• Intonation patterns; the 'tune' of our speech i.e. the ups and
downs.
• Volume; loudness of voice
• Resonance; the tone of the voice and how it is filtered
• Pitch; how high or low the voice is
• Communication aspects; timing and non-verbal skills e.g. eye
contact, gesture etc.
Assessment of your voice, carried out by the speech and
language therapist, will highlight which areas, if any, need to be
focused on. You may already be aware of changes in your voice.
The aim of therapy is to work towards a voice that is compatible
with your chosen gender bearing in mind the physical limitations
of the vocal tract.
As a member of the Sheffield Gender Panel the speech and
language therapist will meet regularly with other panel members.
Your therapist will discuss her comments to the panel with you
before the meeting in order that you are fully aware of her
recommendations. Therapy is extremely flexible and much
discussion will take place within therapy sessions.
Therapy and discharge
The amount of therapy offered differs from one individual to
another. All voices are different and people learn new skills at
different rates. Some people may have a smooth transition into
their new role whilst others may find voice changes particularly
difficult. Current practice offers up to 6 sessions of speech and
language therapy. It is therefore imperative that you are able to
devote time to practise the skills suggested in the therapy
sessions to maximise the usefulness of therapy. Discharge from
therapy will be agreed between you and your therapist when all
targeted areas of therapy have been covered, or when further
therapy is not considered helpful at that time.
Please inform the Speech and Language Therapy department of
any change in address as we keep separate notes from
Porterbrook and do not have access to this information unless
you tell us.
If for any reason you are unable to keep an appointment
please let us know as soon as is practicable. If you do not
attend and fail to let us know, no further appointments
will be offered.
Sheffield Teaching
Hospitals supports
organ donation.
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This information can be made available on request in alternative
formats including Braille, large print, audio, electronically and other
languages. For further details email: [email protected]
© Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2011.
Re-use of all or any part of this document is governed by copyright and the “Re-use of Public Sector
Information Regulations 2005” SI 2005 No.1515. Information on re-use can be obtained from the Information
Governance Department, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Email [email protected]
PD6061-PIL2198 v1
Issue date: Apr 2011. Review date: Apr 2013