My Story
I first discovered voice as an undergraduate falling into a workshop with people who had no larynx, and were learning to talk using their esophagus. I ended up staying and learning how to work with those people, helping them communicate and live full lives. The holistic approach that I took, seeing them as whole people, not just vocal folds. Turned me onto voice for the rest of my life.
Through my career I have worked with professional voice users; Singers, Speakers, Ministers, White Water Raft Guides etc. But my love has always been with singers and musicians. In addition to a Bachelor's Degree and a Masters Degree from San Francisco State, I’ve attended over 35+ years of voice conferences in San Francisco and UCLA. Speaking alongside voice doctors and specialists from around the world. I’ve worked with amateurs and well trained professionals and was a guest faculty member at the San Francisco conservatory of music, where I received an honorary membership to the Pacific Voice and Speech Foundation for my exemplary contributions to the pedagogy and care of the artistic voice.
Throughout my career I have found that no two voices are the same, that the needs and challenges are unique to the individual. And my love of voice, singing and music only continues to grow and develop, never a dull moment. The vocal folds are so miraculous, that even tho we can send probes to mars, we can’t create an artificial larynx that sounds human.
ABOUT MY PRACTICE
The Journey for non-singers and singers alike would begin with a full diagnostic evaluation, including; history, voice use, training, career goals, physical factors, emotional factors and actual voice tasking. The areas I look at are; vocal hygiene, eliminating vocal abuse and vocal retraining for singing and speaking voice. At the end of the evaluation I will explain the anatomy and physiology of your voice and its problems and give you specific recommendations and exercises to get started.
Voice Therapy usually entails one to two times a week, depending on severity and need which also includes daily exercises and practices. Frequently a singer needs to work on their speaking voice, even before their singing voice//same instrument! I observe rehearsals and performances, and can work with the singer in the studio.
The other side of my practice is with Neurological disorders such as; traumatic brain injury, parkinson's disease, stroke, and stuttering. After over 40 years of practice, I know that everyone who comes into my office gets treated as an individual with unlimited potential.
We also have another Speech Pathologist Angie Madrigal-Phipps who specializes in; oral motor function, swallowing and articulation. She is a Bi-lingual therapist speaking both English and Spanish. She has a Bachelor's Degree from UIC Urbana-Champagne and a Masters Degree from San Jose State.
We at this practice pride ourselves on working with people of all ages and all walks of life.
PAYMENT INFO
Contracted with the Palo Alto Medical
Foundation/Sutter Health we accept Private Pay and we can bill all private insurances.
We do not accept MediCAL or MediCARE.