Transgender Voice Coaching
We live in a time when varying gender identities are more widely accepted, but that does not eliminate the personal challenges of adjusting one's gender presentation to conform to one's psychological gender identity. You will receive the needed support as Alida helps you to reach your identity goals.
- Many trans- people struggle to find a non-strained voice appropriate to the identity they want to project. Vocal transition is not only about pitch, because other aspects of communication (verbal and nonverbal) identify one as male or female.
- Speech Pathologist Alida Engel helps you choose your goals, which extend beyond pitch and resonance for speech, laughing, and coughing, to more encompassing goals of changing mannerisms, dress, etc. All these goals are means of communicating who you are and how you wish the world to relate to you.
- Alida can coach you toward habituating to healthy, non-stressed voice use; natural-sounding, gender-conventional intonation, and ordinary-looking gestures and body language.
Testimonials
"Alida helped my voice to become more feminine (I'm a M to F person.), and I've become more confident in social situations. It was definitely a positive
experience. I was never pushed to do anything which made me uncomfortable, but my comfort zone was expanded so I could take things on when I
was ready. I would recommend the Center to others. My limits were respected, but I wasn't allowed to hold myself back out of fear so I made progress.
Alida was always supportive. I felt comfortable talking to her about anything. I'm very grateful for the huge impact she's had on my life."
--A., Transgendering Patient, New Haven
"As the mother of a trans-teenager, I truly can't say enough about Alida's services. Her sensitivity to the unique complexities of working with a
young person transitioning from male to female informed every aspect of the therapeutic experience, from creating a safe and comfortable space to providing
invaluable guidance in the form of concrete exercises and increased vocal awareness. In working with Alida, my daughter was able to find her true voice
and with that, a newfound self-assurance she will certainly carry with her in all social situations going forward."
--L.S., Mom
SLP Alida Engel's relevant training and experience for work with transgender voice:
- Speech pathologist and therapist Alida Engel has been working with transgender patients since early 2007.
- She has presented at the True Colors Annual Conference (the nation's largest LGBTA youth concerns event) and led voice workshops for transgender youth.
- Voice and Communication Training with the Transgender Client Seminar, in New York; Sandy Hirsch, MS CCC-SLP and Leah Helou, PhD., CCC-SLP (2 day course)
- Voice Therapy for the Transgender Patient, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Seminar; Leah Helou, PhD, CCC-SLP
- True Colors Annual Conference (the nation's largest gathering of and about the concerns of LGBTA Youth), where Alida presented a workshop titled "Finding Your Voice."
- New York Interdisciplinary Voice Group session on Transgender Voice Work, Christine Block, MA CCC-SLP.
