Carolyn Andrews is a speech and language therapist, specialising in adult voice problems and adult stammering. Carolyn has worked with singers and actors and can help with any voice difficulty e.g. nodules, papillomas, muscle tension dysphonia, muscle tension dysphagia, spasmodic dysphonia, Reinke's Oedema, vocal cord palsy and globus. Carolyn is also qualified to provide vocal massage which can help to relieve muscular niggles around the neck (including the voice box / larynx), face and head, and 'reset' the voice. She is a member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and her work is regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council.
She is also experienced in working with clients who do not have any obvious voice diagnosis from ENT but for whom their voice is working sub-optimally and not meeting performance-level demands. Carolyn offers services in speech and language therapy, voice therapy, voice manual therapy and stammering therapy. "I am skilled at identifying how individual clients and groups of professional voice users may unwittingly be placing limitations on their vocal potential, and I look forward to finding out what the voice means to you and how we can help you reach your goals".
Carrie Garrett is a Voice Specialised Speech & Language Therapist, Vocal Coach and Vocal Massage Therapist.
She offers support, assessment, and evidence-based treatment options to help with a range of voice issues which may result vocal fatigue or pain, voice quality change, or singing voice problems.
Whether it’s anatomy or technique contributing to your voice change, Carrie is trained in vocal performance (singing and speech techniques) and has experience evaluating with observation, discussion, manual palpation, acoustic analysis, and behavioural assessment to get you back to doing what you love.
She brings experience from professional live performance (Rock/Pop/CCM), studio recording and singing teaching, alongside 12 years working in NHS. This includes ENT/SLT Voice Clinics (Wythenshawe Hospital, South Manchester and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham) and working in outpatient settings across both acute and community-based services.
Clarissa Hardaker is a London-based Speech Therapist, Voice and Accent Coach, highly specialised in voice and vocal rehabilitation with actors, singers and professional voice users.
She offers skilled assessment and treatment for people with speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders. This includes but is not limited to adults with speech and articulation disorders and voice disorders.
Her MFA in Voice Studies has given Clarissa the skills and qualifications of a voice coach and teacher and she specialises in helping elite voice users with breath, phonation, resonance, and articulation. Online or face-to-face sessions are available, tailored to your needs.
Problems and conditions helped with include manual therapy for the release of tension which may be impacting voice, vocal nodules, cysts and polyps, spasmodic dysphonia, muscle tension dysphonia, dysarthria and apraxia, vocal trauma or loss, lisps and stutters, poor articulation and clarity, accent softening and dialect coaching.
Clarissa has experience working with trans clients who wish to work on their voice.
Clarissa is a singer and non-professional actor herself. She works closely with professional actors and singers on the West End and in TV and Film as well as professional voice users. Clarissa has also conducted research into the importance of providing voice training for teachers as standard as part of initial teacher training.
Krystina Stanway is a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist who works within the performing arts sector providing vocal coaching and acting classes, with a particular interest in supporting good vocal hygiene, vocal projection and vocal protection. She offers a combination of vocal coaching alongside clinical techniques to provide a unique and engaging form of therapy. Krystina also has extensive experience in working with the NHS. Krystina's interest in singers and actors has seen her support performers in the West End in vocal performance and health.
Krystina is experienced at the assessment and intervention of voice disorders, prevention of voice disorders / vocal health care and projection support.
Krystina is part of the 'More than Speech Therapy' team and works primarily within North West England (including Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire); however, with improvements to accessing digital and video appointments they can now offer online services UK wide.
Lucy Swain has over 30 years of experience as a Speech and Language Therapist and is also a practising musician with a special interest in vocal performance, voice care and preventing health problems for professional voice users and performance students. She is also qualified in Personalised Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and can provide additional advice in this area to support general health and endurance.
Lucy gained her degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Manchester University in 1990, before working in the NHS for 22 years, seeing both adults and children with a variety of speech and language difficulties. Her practice covers assessment of voice problems, referral to ENT, and therapeutic interventions including laryngeal manual therapy (LMT) and Speech and Language Therapy exercises. She is experienced in voice care and vocal cord pathology prevention, and helping patients with vocal cord pathology and those undergoing therapeutic intervention. She provides services in person and online.
Lucy maintains her registration with HCPC, the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, as well as being a member of the British Laryngological Association and a certified member of the British Society for Lifestyle Medicine.
Lydia Hart is a specialist Speech and Language Therapist, working in the field of Voice and Upper Airway. She works with people experiencing difficulties with their speaking or other throat symptoms, and has particular expertise helping singers, vocalists, actors and voice over artists.
Lydia works for the NHS including the Joint Voice Clinic at Wexham Park Hospital, with leading laryngologist Declan Costello, and privately at the Voice Care Centre. This involves assessment and management of a range of voice disorders, from muscle tension dysphonia to vocal cord paralysis.
Lydia is dedicated to developing her knowledge and experience in fields outside of Speech and Language Therapy, in order to provide holistic, biopsychosocial care. She is currently undertaking a Diploma in hypnotherapy, and has undertaken training in manual therapy for singers and professional voice users. She is experienced in breath work, including training in Buteyko Breathing Method, and is also undertaking training in Reiki.
Lydia can help with issues relating to dysphonia or aphonia of any structural or functional origin, singing voice issues, laryngeal hypersensitivity, chronic cough, globus, throat clearing, nasal airway issues, dysfunctional breathing, breathlessness and poor breath control. She offers video assessment and treatment sessions for speech therapy and in person assessment for manual therapy/vocal massage.
Pemma Ashdown is a voice specialist Speech and Language with extensive experience working with singers and professional voice users. Pemma´s approach and ethos is as holistic, integrated and embodied as possible, working with each individual's strengths to improve vocal quality and health whilst developing wellbeing. Pemma has additional training in Mindfulness for singers and for musicians which she draws on when appropriate. She works with a range of intervention approaches including supporting breath work, de-constriction exercises, posture, alignment. She is experienced in working with transgender and non-binary voice and communication with people who are going through their transition process.
Pemma is also a singer, songwriter and musician and knows from experience how challenging it can sometimes be to have your vocal instrument in top condition. From an early age she has been inspired by singing, music and the benefits these bring. Her own journey to overcome vocal challenges in her early twenties was the catalyst to embarking on a degree course in speech and language therapy.
She has been a Speech and Language Therapist since 2000, graduating from City University London in Clinical Communication Studies/Speech and Language Therapy. Wishing to deepen her integrated approach to voice intervention, in 2010 to 2012 she completed training in a postgraduate course in Mindfulness from Aberdeen University. She has also trained with the Mindfulness Association. She is interested in the art and science of voice and wellbeing, and maintains an interest in continually learning about this.
Pemma has a wealth of experience in improving people’s voices and rehabilitating vocal difficulties and problems. For many years she was the Specialist Voice Speech and Language therapist in Tunbridge Wells NHS, and has worked in the NHS and with independent clients for many years.
Philippa Ratcliffe is an experienced speech therapist working privately and with the NHS. She has worked extensively with singers, comedians, broadcasters, voice over artists, and other performers from musical theatre, opera and rap. She can help with issues relating to muscle tension dysphonia, palsy, oedema, spasmodic dysphonia (SD), Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), papilloma, chronic cough and others.
Patient referrals have to come from an ENT surgeon having viewed the larynx first. NHS referrals may be made via the GP to UCLH's ENT voice centre and then if the ENT refers on to SLT they will be seen by that service. However, it is not possible to request a specific clinician within the UCLH SLT team.
Sally Dennis is a registered Senior Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with clinical specialism in the field of Voice Disorders. She has particular interests in Voice Therapy and vocal rehabilitation for professional voice users (including singers, performers, actors and teachers). She has worked in the field for over 18 years and has expertise, knowledge and skill of supporting service users to achieve improvement or resolution to voice difficulties and associated symptoms of throat discomfort. She has extensive experience with working with creative professionals particularly over the last 10-12 years, including professional and student singers/performers and actors including commercial, soap opera, and West End.
In her NHS role she is Clinical lead for Voice at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where she see's patients in a dedicated Performer and Professional voice user Clinic, with laryngoscopy and stroboscopy alongside an ENT Consultant with special interest in voice and a Vocal Rehabilitation Coach and Singing Specialist also present in the clinic. She also sees patients privately online and for face-face sessions in Liverpool and Manchester.
Sally can help with problems including:
Dysphonia / voice difficulties
Issues with vocal stamina or vocal fatigue
Issues with vocal projection
New issues and changes to vocal range
Muscle Tension Dysphonia
Vocal nodules
Vocal cysts and polyps
Post-op vocal rehabilitation
Vocal cord palsy
Therapies offered include:
Assessment of voice and factors influencing the presenting difficulties, including auditory perceptual analysis and laryngeal manual palpation and assessment of the extrinsic laryngeal musculature
Voice Therapy
Laryngeal Manual Therapy
SOVT (Semi Occluded Vocal Tract therapy)
Accent Method
Postural alignment
Optimising breath support for voice
Resonant Voice Therapy
Techniques to promote vocal stamina
Tori Burnay is a Voice Specialist Speech and Language Therapist who works extensively with singers and professional voice users. She is a clinical expert in voice disorders and the clinical lead for the NHS Voice Clinic at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital. Private appointments are also available. Please contact BAPAM for further information.