What Is Parkinson's Voice Therapy?
Parkinson's disease can quietly change the way you speak. Your voice may get softer without you noticing, your words may start to run together, and people around you may start asking you to repeat yourself. These changes are common, and they are treatable.
Parkinson's voice therapy is a structured program that retrains the muscles you use to speak, so your voice can stay strong and clear as the condition progresses. Erin Boswell is certified in LSVT LOUD® and SPEAK OUT!®, two of the most well researched voice programs for people with Parkinson's. Both work toward the same simple goal: helping you speak with the volume and clarity you need to be heard, at home, on the phone, and out in the world.
Signs Your Voice May Be Changing
Family members ask you to repeat yourself more than they used to. Your voice sounds softer, flatter, or more tired by the end of the day. Phone calls feel harder, and group conversations leave you straining to be heard.
Soft speech is one of the most common, and least talked about, parts of Parkinson's disease. Erin often hears from spouses and caregivers dealing with their own hearing changes at the same time, which can make it even harder for two people in the same house to understand each other. These changes are not something you have to accept as permanent. With the right therapy and consistent practice, many people relearn how loud their voice actually is and how to use that volume without straining.
Why Work With Erin
Erin Boswell, RSL-P, SLP-C, has spent more than 18 years working as a speech-language pathologist, with a specific focus on neurological voice and motor speech disorders alongside her paediatric work. She is trained and certified to run LSVT LOUD® programs, and in her own words, the results are incredible.
For Erin, this work isn't about chasing a clinical outcome. At the heart of it, it's about helping people communicate, connect with the people in their life, and hold onto their relationships and independence on their own terms.
What to Expect
A Conversation First
The Intensive Program
Staying Loud
Virtual and In Person, Across BC
Virtual sessions are self-bookable online and available anywhere in British Columbia, so location is never a barrier to getting started. In-person sessions take place at This World's Ours and Kingcrest Academy in Vancouver. Since these visits aren't self-bookable yet, reach out directly and Erin will find a time that works.
Cost can be a real concern for people managing Parkinson's, and Erin understands that. If you're not sure what to expect or whether this is the right fit, get in touch and you can talk it through together before committing to anything.
