WHAT WE DO
People develop voice and upper airway problems for many reasons, and these problems can have a big impact on quality of life. Having a healthy voice is important for everyone, whether you are a professional singer, a teacher, a salesperson, a call center operator, fitness instructor, or you simply like to sing in the shower or read aloud to your grandkids. If you struggle with hoarseness or are having trouble with your voice or throat, Vocal Concepts is here to help you recover and restore your voice. If you are plagued by a chronic cough or throat clearing issue, or are having shortness of breath or swallowing difficulties, we are here to train you to manage these issues and improve your quality of life.
Call for a free initial fifteen minute consultation and to schedule your evaluation. We offer mobile, in-person and telehealth services.
GETTING STARTED
Prior to beginning therapy, we will discuss your goals, needs and concerns. A visual laryngeal examination, called videostroboscopy, must be completed in order to identify the etiology, or cause of your voice problem. Videostroboscopic assessment of the structure and function of the larynx is the best test for reaching an accurate diagnosis, and it allows us to determine the safest and most appropriate individualized course of treatment for you. If you have not recently had a videostroboscopy exam (within the last 3 months), we will be happy to refer you. Once this information is obtained, we can begin your voice, speech, upper airway, or singing evaluation and treatment.
EVALUATIONS
After an initial consultation to gather some basic information regarding your concerns and areas of difficulty, an appointment will be made to evaluate and identify strengths and areas of challenge or deficit to determine best possible treatment options. The evaluation findings will be compared with norm- and criterion-referenced tests, and a plan of care will be established. An evaluation will include some or all of the following:
- A detailed medical, behavioral, and social history and Patient Outcomes measures
- An oral motor examination to assess the integrity of muscles and nerves of the head and neck.
- Laryngeal Function Studies exam, consisting of aerodynamic and acoustic measures
- Auditory/perceptual/visual assessment
- Behavioral voice and communication analysis
- Stimulability trials to assess your potential for improvement using different therapeutic probes
Occasionally other assessment referrals may be made to fully evaluate systemic effects contributing to the problem. These may include referrals to ENT, Allergy, Pulmonology, Gastro Enterology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy counselors, Neurology.
TREATMENT
Once your evaluation is completed and results are determined, an individualized therapy program and home exercise program with be implemented.
A therapy program is tailored to your specific goals, whether it is to improve and protect your voice, to be able to breathe during exercise, or to reduce or eliminate a refractory cough. Treatment is usually scheduled once weekly, and the number of sessions needed will vary dependent upon individual needs, but may be accomplished in as few as 4 sessions for some upper airway issues, and will often require 10-12 sessions for restoring voice to peak performance.
Your therapy program may include some or all of the following:
- Re-aligning laryngeal and pharyngeal musculature and body postures used in voice production
- Learning strategies for restoring and preserving vocal function while meeting vocal demands
- Re-aligning the subsystems of voicing: Breath (power) Sound production (vibration) and resonance (quality)
- Align your gender identity and voice to sound more like your authentic self
- Recognizing triggers for upper airway dysfunction, desensitizing laryngeal and pharyngeal structures and restoring them to healthy function.
Read More About:
Voice Therapy
The goal of Voice Therapy is to habilitate or rehabilitate your voice to a level of function that enables you to fulfill your daily voice and/or speech communication needs.
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Breathing Dysfunction/Cough Therapy
If you have been diagnosed with shortness of breath (dyspnea) or chronic cough, your medical provider may have referred you for Respiratory Retraining Therapy or Cough Suppression Therapy.
Dysphagia/Swallowing Therapy
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Singing, Performing, & Presentation Training
Vocal Concepts offers singing lessons, vocal coaching, and performance technique training for all levels of ability, for those who wish to study and improve their skills, artistry, and performance confidence.
ATTENDANCE AND CANCELLATION INFORMATION
Regular attendance is essential to achieve your goals. At least a 24-hour notice is required for non-emergency cancellations. Contact us if you are going to be late to your appointment. If a late start is due to clinician delays, the session start time will be adjusted if mutually convenient, or the rate charge will be adjusted for the time that was missed. If you are late, the session will be abbreviated accordingly, the rate charge will not be adjusted, and you will be billed per the session rate. Any late arrival of more than 10 minutes without notice will be considered a no-show appointment, and will be billed accordingly. Two or more cancellations during a one-month period, regardless of reason, are subject to charges at the regular rate and may result in termination of services. If you fail to show or provide less than 24-hours notice of a cancellation you will be charged in full for that appointment. Vocal Concepts, PLLC reserves the right to withhold services if a balance is not paid in full.
We look forward to working with you to reach your goals!
REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENT AND INSURANCE INFORMATION
Vocal Concepts is a Fee for Service practice. Clients are responsible for payment for evaluation and therapy services at the time of the service. The fee for evaluation reflects the total time spent in the evaluation process, testing, scoring, analyzing results, formulating recommendations and plan of care, and writing evaluation reports. The fee for therapy services includes the time spent in direct treatment and in consultation with the client and family.
We accept cash, verified check, and some app-based payment platforms. Upon request, a Superbill and accompanying documentation are provided for potential insurance reimbursement to the client.
Please contact your insurance company to understand your benefits for services by a speech-language pathologist. Getting answers regarding your covered benefits in advance will help you estimate your costs in relation to your policy. Information to acquire includes number of visits allowed per year, your deductible, your copay or coinsurance, exclusions on the benefit plan, pre-authorization/medical referral requirement, and where to submit claims.
You may need to provide the insurance company with CPT and ICD-10 codes. Codes specific to your evaluation and treatment will be provided so that you may submit them to your insurance as needed.