Eleanor Martino Voice and Speech
Due to the arrival of a long-awaited new addition to our family, and our upcoming move, the office is now closed. I am happy to provide rederral information or answer general questions by phone or email. Thank you to everyone who supported my private practice!
Voice services include:
- Voice screenings, evaluations and treatment for adults and children
- LSVT (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) for Parkinson disease and related neurological speech disorders
- Singing voice rehabilitation and problem solving (available to collaborate with
voice teachers and coaches) - Preventative voice care
- Consultations and general voice improvement sessions for professional voice users (teachers, performers, newscasters, ministers, coaches, salespeople, parents...)
- Alignment, breathing, and relaxation techniques
- On location consultations to analyze and improve how you use your voice in work environments and performance spaces (travel fees apply)
- Voice lessons
Examples of conditions treated:
- Chronic hoarseness due to vocal abuse/misuse/overuse
- Vocal fatigue or pain, loss of vocal range
- Voice problems related to emotional trauma
- Presbyphonia (age-related voice changes)
- Chronic cough, vocal cord dysfunction/paradoxical vocal fold movement
- Muscle tension dysphonia
- Functional dysphonia/aphonia and psychogenic voice disorders
- Nodules
- Polyps
- Mutational/functional falsetto (inappropriately high-pitched voice)
- Vocal fold paresis/paralysis
- Parkinson disease and related disorders (dysarthria)
- Voice therapy pre/post vocal fold surgery
- Spasmodic dysphonia (research has shown that, while it is often resistant to treatment, voice therapy can reduce negative compensatory strategies and extend the effectiveness of Botox injections in SD)
- Stuttering, which may also interfere with normal breathing and voice production
Clinical voice therapy for a medical condition can not begin until you are evaluated by an otolaryngologist/ear, nose and throat physician. A written diagnosis and description of the doctor's findings and a signed release to communicate with your ENT are required to begin voice therapy. Stroboscopic images of your larynx are always appreciated; your doctor may be able to give you video as well.
Evaluations:
An evaluation must be performed in our office before voice therapy can begin, in order to gather accurate baseline data and formulate a treatment plan. This involves gathering health and voice history, analysis of vocal function and voice quality, and obtaining laryngeal function data via microphone (nothing invasive). Our office has a state of the art KayPENTAX Visi-Pitch IV unit to gather laryngeal function data before, during, and after therapy. It is also a valuable source of biofeedback, and has computer games which encourage children to participate in therapy.
Therapy:
Voice therapy typically requires on average 4 to 8 sessions with home practice and behavioral modifications to be successful. Some conditions will require more sessions, some will respond better to therapy than others, and some will respond best to a team approach (physician, speech pathologist, counselor, voice teacher, etc.)
LSVT for Parkinson disease and related disorders is an intensive therapy program of 4 sessions a week for 4 consecutive weeks - if it is not performed in this manner, it can not technically be called LSVT.
Note to Physicians and Voice Educators:
Please contact us if you would like to schedule an inservice or reserve a day for voice screenings at your location.
Note to Performers:
If you experience a sudden loss of vocal range and/or feel a pop in your throat during or following a performance or an occasion of yelling, coughing, or crying, call an ear, nose and throat physician and ask them to fit you in as soon as possible. Significant vocal fold trauma may result in hemorrhage, which is very serious and can cause permanent vocal damage the longer it is left untreated. Use your voice sparingly until you are medically evaluated... just in case.
Voice Therapy Links
Especially for Teachers
| Voice Academy |
Performers' Resources
| McClosky Voice Technique Estill Voice Training Fitzmaurice Voicework Speaking and Singing with the Same Voice Lessac Training Alexander Technique |
Voice Consultations:
• Voice Improvement
• Singing Voice Rehab
• Performer’s Checkup
• Preventative Voice Care