What good, if any, has come of the COVID 19 global pandemic? It is difficult to identify positive effects of this health crisis. I am hopeful that nature and the world as a whole have had a period of time for growth and healing. The article, Finding positives from the pandemic: 10 ways life might be better post-coronavirus outlines some positive thoughts that I considered and that have given me hope during this time.

I also experienced a revelation that was totally unexpected – reconnection with far-flung friends is easily achievable. After becoming accustomed to conducting business via technology, I realised the same strategies could enable connection with others for social purposes. I had Zoom gatherings with friends in Italy, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and America. Afterward, I chastised myself for not taking the initiative much sooner. It took a pandemic for me to realise making time for loved ones that are far away is not a hardship.

In addition, I realised how easy it is to connect with other professionals who work within the same domains. One such person is Hilary Weissberg, a Speech and Language Therapist working in Connecticut. I found her via Google alerts and reached out to her to enquire about group voice therapy sessions she was running for the trans community. After a delightful conversation via Zoom, I’m pleased to introduce Hilary through her guest blog.

Unmasking The Voice
by Hilary Weissberg, MS, CCC-SLP

Have you ever been told to "keep your voice down," or "Speak up! Can't hear you," or "Shut up!"? How about to speak/act "lady-like?" Or that "boys don't cry?" Have opinions or feelings you shared been criticized or dismissed? Over time these harmful messages and imposed gender stereotypes can send your voice, and you, into hiding. They can cause you to feel that sharing your authentic voice isn't safe. Or that it isn't worth sharing because it won't be listened to anyway.

But your voice is an intrinsic part of who you are and it deserves to be heard. The individual sound that you emit is unique. It transmits your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and enables genuine heart-felt connection with others. Your voice can make a powerful, positive impact on the world, no matter your age, gender, sexuality, race, or ethnicity. And we need that now more than ever.

Physical conditions, of course, can also impact the voice. Vocal misuse and abuse, like shouting, or speaking without sufficient breath support can be damaging to the delicate tissues that comprise the vocal cords. Illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions can dampen volume, inflection, and articulation. If you have Parkinson's you may think your loved one(s) need hearing aids. Which may also be true! But low speech volume is likely a factor. Stress and anxiety can also lead to physical problems with the voice due to prolonged muscle tension in the larynx, the anatomical voice box. Symptoms include vocal fatigue, hoarseness, and even pain while speaking or singing.

So what can be done? The physical condition and appearance of one's body can be transformed through exercise. Can a similar principle be applied to voice and speech? YES! Absolutely.

In my practice it always begins with love and acceptance. Learning to accept yourself for who you are is easier said than done, of course. But it is a process, and it can be facilitated through therapy. You can learn to create an internal environment in which the voice gradually feels safe to come out of hiding. Vocal exercises and play can simultaneously serve to free your intrinsic sound and unlock patterns that have held it back. If, due to illness or injury, you have lost the voice that you once knew and loved, you can learn exercises that strengthen pharyngeal and respiratory musculature. The focus remains on play, creativity, and nurturing as the voice is gradually unmasked and freed for all the world to hear.

One positive of the COVID 19 pandemic for each and every one of us is the realisation that if we are looking to connect with someone, for whatever reason, we needn’t feel limited to those people in our immediate vicinity. We can reach out to people all over the world for voice therapy, talking therapy, counselling, friendship or any number of reasons. If there’s someone out there you wish to reach, it is possible. (The virtual gamers were way ahead of the rest of us with this phenomenon.) Connecting globally has never been easier.