Transgender Voice

Voice Feminisation

Introductory Video - Featuring 3 Client Voice Samples

Additional Voice Samples

Client 'C' - Voice at Initial Assessment

Client 'C' - Voice during Session 8

Client 'E' - Voice at Initial Assessment

Client 'E' - Voice During Appointment 2

Client 'M' - Voice at Initial Assessment

Client 'M' - Voice During Appointment 11

Client 'S' - Voice at Initial Assessment

Client 'S' - Voice During Appointment 8

Client 'T' - Voice at Initial Assessment

Client 'T' - Voice During Appointment 5

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I begin voice feminisation if I am not fully transitioned or only presenting part-time as a female/male?

A: Yes. Voice feminisation can begin prior to full time gender transition. Some individuals live dual role and wish to develop a female voice for when they present female. Some individuals have a specific transition date in mind but are currently living in male role and want to start their voice modification as soon as they can. Other clients may have made their gender social transition but have not had any previous speech therapy and seek this out after the social transition. there is no specific right way of beginning voice feminization. It is recommended that the the patient is fairly close to transition so that motivation for voice change remains high, particularly for clients seen in the NHS as sessions are usually limited in number and the timing of treatment becomes mire important so that the client can get the most out of the sessions.

Experienced Speech & Language Therapists (SLT’s) can guide each individual client according to their individual circumstances and for this reason, attendance at an Initial SLT Consultation is recommended. The timing of the follow up treatment sessions can be planned /suggested at the Initial Consultation.

Q: Can voice therapy begin before hormones?

Q: What effect does oestrogen hormone therapy have on the voice?

None. Unfortunately, oestrogen has no significant impact on the voice as once a person born male has gone through puberty, the larynx will have lowered in the body, increased in size. In addition, the testosterone that influences other bodily changes during puberty also thickens the vocal cords which makes the voice sound deeper. This cannot be reversed with oestrogen after a person has gone through puberty.

Q: How long does voice feminisation therapy take?

A: This varies from individual to individual. People learn at their own pace. In addition, many factors can influence progress such as their ability to commit to therapy, their motivation to improve and their personal circumstances. It can also depend heavily on the the skill and experience of the Speech & Language Therapist. As a general guide, approximately 12 sessions are required to feminize a voice. Like all therapy, voice feminization is a process with stages of development and an experienced clinician can guide you through the process from beginners level to feminized voice.

Q: How frequently is it recommended that I have a speech and language therapy session?

Q: Will my female voice sound natural?

A: The goal is to achieve a natural /authentic sounding female voice. that fits the person. The modifications made will be by adjustments to each individuals vocal tract so the ‘essence’ of the person should not be totally lost by developing their female voice. It is normal for clients to have doubts about their voice or how well they are doing in the early stages of therapy. – this is the case whenever we embark on acquiring a new skill or are going through change. However, most individuals are inspired by the small initial changes which eventually increase to achieve the goals of treatment.

In the early stages, the learning is a very conscious activity but as the treatment progresses, with the tasks used by the Slt and the guidance given, conscious learning becomes unconscious.

Q: Will I need voice surgery as well as speech therapy to achieve a female voice?

A: The majority of clients achieve at least a well feminised or at least a reasonably feminised voice without the need for voice feminization surgery. Voice feminization surgery is carried out to achieve pitch elevation. Pitch is an important marker for distinguishing between male and female voices. However, it is just one aspect and pitch elevation alone is not usually enough to achieve a female voice. Many other aspects of voice such as intonation are important for voice feminization and these aspects need to be learnt and practiced to achieve natural and authentic sounding voice.

From clinical observation, it appears that in the U.K, approximately 20 % of male to female individuals in the U.K may seek voice feminization surgery.

My clinical observations over 15 years working with pre and post voice feminization surgeries have strongly indicated to me that the individuals who have better pitch and voice outcomes with voice feminization surgery are theses individuals who have first had a course of Speech & Language Therapy.. This is because the muscles involved in voice change have already adapted prior to surgery which supports the surgery and prevents the pitch dropping or changing after surgery. In addition, pitch surgery cannot address other aspects of female voice and communication such as intonation and speech style features. Prior to deciding to proceed to voice feminization surgery, the client should have undergone a pre-surgical assessment with an e SLT and an ENT Consultant.

Q: What is the recommended process for accessing voice feminization therapy?

A: The strongly recommended approach is:

Voice therapy with a suitably qualified SLT
pre- surgical assessment with an SLT which will involve accurate pitch measurements being made by the therapist and discussed with the client. The possible benefits and possible limitations of surgery will also be discussed (not all SLT’s have experienced with pitch elevation surgery so they may refer you to an experienced SLT). An explanation of the surgery will also be given to the client.
Referral to an experienced Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) doctor for an assessment.
If surgery is carried out, post surgical review with the SLT is very important. This is to give post surgical exercises and guidance and to review the voice quality. If the person had a course of speech therapy prior to the surgery, fewer sessions are required post surgically – sometimes only 2 – 3 are required.

Q: Is Speech & Language Therapy available on the NHS?

A: Yes. Your GP can refer you to your local service for this. If you are under a Gender Identity Clinic (GIC, there may be an in-house SLT that the psychiatrists or psychologists can refer you to. The West London Gender Identity Clinic (known as Charing Cross GIC) can offer Speech & Language Therapy for clients under their care IF the client is a London area patient. For individuals living outside of London, they will need to seek referral to their local adult Voice SLT service. Unfortunately, not all areas of the UK have a service for transgender individuals. Voice feminisation therapy has traditionally been very niche and specialist not least due to the small numbers of clients within the population as a whole. However, as the rates of referral have increased so have the number of treating clinicians. Since 2002, I have run training courses for SLT’s role to ensure carry over of skills and broaden the availability of this specialist kind of Voice therapy.and am happy to see that more SLT’s now wish to acquire skills in this area and continue to attend the 3 day courses I run. From 2008, I developed the junior developing specialist role at the West London GIC, offering full training within that role to the developing specialist with a view to succession planning.

Q: Can I refer myself for private speech and language therapy?

Q: Can I start voice feminisation with a private speech & language therapist while I am waiting to be seen by an NHS therapist?

Q: Can I have treatment with a private speech & language therapist as well an NHS therapist?

Q: Is it possible to achieve a fully feminised voice?

A: YES! I have over 20 years experience of achieving this for a very wide range of clients using my established treatment model. The key elements required for success is motivation for change, an ability to commit to the therapy sessions, some practice time and development of social confidence. The skill and experience of the therapist can play a vital role both in the treatment model offered and in guiding the client through the process of voice change.

Q: What can I do whilst waiting for NHS speech therapy?

A low cost option would be using an app to practice with.for clients wishing to feminine their voice, I developed the VoiceUp app which corresponds to my method of voice feminisation and can be used to begin therapy and to support you during your voice practice and for revision if necessary. It contains an assessment where you can record your voice and track your development. It is also possible to begin speech therapy privately practising SLT at any time in your transition process. You can do this if you have been referred to an NHS service and are waiting to be sent an appointment. You can continue with private SLT whilst having NHS sessions or in addition to, providing that that your NHS SLT and your private SLT are not the same person.

Q: Is there anything I can do to help my voice whilst waiting for speech therapy?

It is possible to begin working with digital tools such as an app. I have devised an app which corresponds with my method of voice feminisation which includes an assessment and recording feature to help you track progress. The app can also be used in conjunction with having speech and language therapy to assist your practice. You can download the app for iOS devices from here as well as being available on Google Play

Testimonials

My voice is the most important tool in my job. I remember being terrified by the prospect of giving hour-long lectures to hundreds of university students with my old voice - it just didn’t fit. I’d never had any speech therapy before, but with a little bit of research I realised that to achieve my goal of an assertive, warm feminine voice I had to seek professional help (youtube wasn’t going to cut it!). So, I approached Christella for one-on-one sessions and I can now honestly say that it was the right decision. Not only is she super experienced, skilled and kind, she embraces a holistic perspective to voice feminisation by considering all the other important factors that affect voice, speech and confidence. It was only about half-way through her program that I completely stopped being misgendered and, having come to the end of therapy, I am now 100% confidence in my voice. It sounds and feels natural, stable and is easy to produce. Christella’s expertise has made such a positive impact on my life that I can’t thank her enough! I would highly recommend her services particularly for anyone looking for a strong, versatile, natural sounding voice. Thank you!Danni - 2018

“Having never had any form of voice training, I'd only ever used videos off YouTube, and so visiting Christella was the best thing I could have done. She made me feel very relaxed and measured the of my voice to get an idea of where I was on the register, which then allowed us to track my progress as time progressed. I found the exercises and home work she gave me worked perfectly to help me understand how a female voice should sound. I worked hard and I'm happy with what I learnt, nobody every misgenders my voice and I have complete confidence when I speak - I couldn't have done it without Christella's help."C.M.

“Just sitting here on a balcony in a restaurant… Feeling very contented. ..I am just reflecting on my recent journey of which my voice is a central part. I feel I owe you a lot for your skill and experience and just want to thank you for helping me find my true voice. To be treated and to be read as a woman is indescribable. Your work is amazing. “E.K. 19.09.16

“Thank you for all the help, support and time you have given me, plus your patience of course! I find it hard to convey how much confidence our sessions have given me and countinue to do so. Apart from the learning, I did so enjoy talking to you.”Ms D.W

"Christella VoiceUp" App

I developed the VoiceUp app with SpeechTools Ltd to help all individuals wishing to access specialist, mobile voice Ferminisation exercises. The app corresponds to my method of voice feminisation and the stages of voice transition . It contains clearly explained and demonstrated exercises and assessment and recording features to help you track your voice progress.

Download on theApp Store

Available on theAndroid Store

Useful Links

Gender Transition

GenderCare
UK specialists in gender therapy.

Positive Beams
Understanding the importance of being heard and respecting diversity, enabling people to develop their inner strengths, find their own solutions, and feel secure in their lives. Counselling with Tina Livingstone.

Gender Transitions with Sara Thomas - London based services

Nurture with Kaye Antoni – Cornwall based services for Electrolysis, Hair, Beauty and Wig Cutting services.

Semi-permanent make up
Sara Thomas – Gender Transitions – London based services

Aprils Touch
Non-surgical Feminisation

Surgery

Gender Reassignment UK
The website of Mr Phil Thomas, Consultant Urological Surgeon, based at The Sussex Nuffield Hospital.

Harley ENT Practice Ltd.
Mr Guri Sandhu, Consultant ENT Surgeon,
107 Harley St, London, W1G 6AL.
Tel: 020 7486 0022

The London Clinic
Mr Alasdair Mace, Consultant ENT
5 Devonshire Place, London, W1G 6HL
Tel: 020 7935 7847

FacialTeam
Facial Feminisation Surgery (Marbella, Spain)

Christella VoiceUp App

Speech Tools Ltd
App developer - combining speech and language therapy with technology.

Counselling & Psychotherapy

Dr Penny Lenihan
For appointments and enquiries email: enquiries@drpennylenihan.com

Michelle Bridgman
For enquiries email: shelley@michellebridgman.com

Well-being Treatments

Massage and beauty treatments with Kaye Antoni, Cornwall and London
Freelance Creative Hairdressing & Beauty Service. Headed up by Kaye Antoni,a highly skilled hairdresser, beauty therapist and make-up Artist with over 20 years experience and knowledge.

Transgender Related Publications

The Transgender Handbook (2017)

Practical Laryngology (2015)

Transexual and Other Disorders of Gender Identity (2007)

Available onAmazon