Clinical psychology and voice disorders
Tuesday 8th October 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Voice disorders are conditions affecting the production and quality of voice. There is longstanding interest in the interplay between psychological characteristics and voice use, with existing psychological conceptualisations (see recommended reading list below) proposing interactions between cognitive-behavioural, interpersonal, and personality factors and voice symptoms.
What is this short course about?
This presentation aims to provide an overview of research investigating psychological features in voice disorders. It will discuss psychological factors which may be relevant in the development and maintenance of voice disorders. It will introduce psychological principles and considerations which may be useful to understanding and working with voice difficulties.
Who is the short course for?
The presentation might be of interest to anyone working with people who experience voice difficulties or vocal health challenges. It might be of interest to those interested in increasing their familiarity with psychological concepts related to voice use. While based mostly on clinically oriented research and practice, the presentation may be of interest to those working both within and outside clinical contexts.
What is the format?
The presentation will include lecture-style content and case examples. It aims to provide a balance between theory and practical application, including suggestions for the use of psychological skills when working with people experiencing voice difficulties. There will be opportunity for questions and discussion in the final 10 minutes of the presentation.
Recommended reading list (full references to be given in presentation):
Aldridge-Waddon, L., Hiles, C., Spence, V., & Hotton, M. (2023). Clinical Psychology and Voice Disorders: A Meta-Analytic Review of Studies Assessing Psychological Characteristics Across Individuals With and Without Voice Disorders. Journal of Voice.
Baker, J. (2008). The role of psychogenic and psychosocial factors in the development of functional voice disorders. International journal of speech-language pathology, 10(4), 210-230.
Butcher, P., Elias, A., & Cavalli, L. (2007). Understanding and treating psychogenic voice disorder: A CBT framework. John Wiley & Sons.
Gray, H., Coman, L., Walton, C., Thorning, S., Cardell, E., & Weir, K. A. (2021). A comparison of voice and psychotherapeutic treatments for adults with functional voice disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Voice.
Kollbrunner, J., & Seifert, E. (2017). Encouragement to increase the use of psychosocial skills in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with functional dysphonia. Journal of Voice, 31(1), 132-e1.
Miller, T., Deary, V., & Patterson, J. (2014). Improving access to psychological therapies in voice disorders: a cognitive behavioural therapy model. Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery, 22(3), 201-205.
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available
Dr Luke Aldridge-Waddon
Dr Luke Aldridge-Waddon (he/him) is a Clinical Psychologist working within the NHS and in independent practice. His clinical and research interests focus on psychological features in clinical health groups. He has a special interest in psychological perspectives in vocal health and voice care, and he is a recipient of prizes from the British Voice Association (Van Lawrence Prize, 2023) and Dysphonia International (Travel Award) in recognition of his research on clinical psychology and voice disorders.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Wednesday 4th March 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday 11th March 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday 18th March 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday 25th March 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday 1st April 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday 8th April 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
(London Time)
Learn to Coach RP and SSBE – a Certificate in Accent Coaching
Louisa Morgan
This six-week course is an opportunity to learn about both Received Pronunciation and Standard Southern British English. Rather than a course in learning how to speak RP/SSBE (there are many brilliant available courses for this already), this course is about learning how to coach it.
Tuesday 17th March 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Use of Vibrato in Belt and Legit Styles of Singing in Professional Female Musical Theatre Performers
Dr. Alyssa Becker
Shaped by the popular music of its time, musical theatre blends storytelling with an ever-evolving range of vocal styles—from classical legit singing to jazz, hip-hop, and powerhouse belting. Despite its importance, much of what we understand about vibrato comes from laboratory-based studies that strip singing of its musical, stylistic, and performance context. Join Dr Alyssa Becker as she connects current research with real-world pedagogy, revealing how elite musical theatre performers strategically use vibrato to shape style and storytelling, and showing how these insights can be applied in the voice studio to train stylistic flexibility and control!
Wednesday 18th March 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Facilitating Jaw Release Through Improved Habits of Stance and Alignment
Ruth Williams Hennessy
Are you a singer or speaker struggling with stubborn jaw tension that just won't quit? Even with elite training, the "stuck" jaw is often a symptom of a surprising culprit: your feet! Join Ruth Hennessy in this interactive workshop where she bridges the gap between podiatry and phonation, moving beyond "temporary fixes" to address the physical misalignments that bottleneck your performance.