Happy World Voice Day!

My observance today included hydrating, and singing classic rock in the car during a long drive.

World Voice Day is an annual, now-international event created to recognize and honor the importance of the human voice – “to share the excitement of voice science, pedagogy and the vocal arts”[1]. We use our voices to communicate from the very beginning of life, crying, laughing, and babbling before we can hold a crayon or even know a word of language. Voices carry emotion and information, speech and song. Voice is central to human identity and interaction throughout our lives, and especially important in my life and work.

We often take our voices for granted, perhaps until an illness or vocal injury limits a person’s ability to communicate, whether at home, work, school, or even on stage. As a medical voice pathologist I work with teams of dedicated professionals including physicians, allied health providers, and scientists, taking advantage of leading-edge research and technology to help people of all backgrounds enjoy better vocal health and function.

Outside of the healthcare world, I am fortunate as a communication coach to work with clients of The Speech Improvement Company in fields of business, education, and others, to enhance their expressive abilities, often drawing on the power of vocal presence and authenticity to help inform, entertain, and persuade.

Here’s to a happy, healthy World Voice Day 2017! I leave you with just a few suggestions for the care and feeding of your voice:

  • Vocal strain, screaming, whispering, coughing, and throat clearing can all affect the health of your vocal tissues and muscles, especially over the long term. Be gentle to your voice.

 

  • Our vocal fold (vocal cord) tissues are composed largely of water. Hydration will help keep your voice in good working order, as well as humidification in dry environments.

 

  • Many irritants such as smoke, allergens, and acid reflux can contribute to symptoms like hoarseness and throat irritation. Talk to your doctor or consider trying a lifestyle change.

 

  • If you think your voice could be doing more to help you communicate effectively, talk to us!

 

[1] From the World Voice Day mission statement. Read more at http://2017.world-voice-day.org/

Spread the love

Author

Similar posts

Identifying Manipulative Communication in the Workplace

Manipulative communication in the workplace decreases work efficiency, increases job dissatisfaction, contributes to a hostile environment and lowers morale. Most people are challenged to identify manipulative tactics and even when they spot them, they do not feel competent in responding effectively. Spotting the manipulator can be difficult. They can be everywhere that humans are found. The manipulator can be anyone! They are difficult to identify because they are so well camouflaged and have no outwardly

Spread the love

Sometimes It Takes All Day To Get Nothing Done

In the past three years, we’ve had to look for creative ways to collaborate. We’re in the era of real-time virtual technology mixed with in-person meetings. It’s overwhelming. When we’re overwhelmed and spread too thin, we tune out and barely participate in one meeting as we often try to multitask. Zoom, Teams, Slack, WhatsApp, and many others give us no reason not to collaborate on our day-to-day jobs. However, with so many meetings, are we

Spread the love

Defensiveness Prevents Clear Communication

The First Moment: Defensiveness  If your listener is defensive, your point is probably missed. They have been left with the impression that you, intentionally or not, are criticizing their idea or them. Instead of focusing on getting solutions, they will be driven by this passion for defending the idea or their persona. They are struggling, and it may be your fault. You may have needed to set the right expectations; your tone may have needed

Spread the love