Voice Therapy & Myofascial Release Therapy on Cleveland’s West Side

LOCATED IN CLEVELAND, OH

At Voice Care Consultants, located on Cleveland’s west side, we offer voice therapy and John Barnes Myofascial Release Therapy in-office and via telehealth.

Therapy is individualized, dynamic, and takes a whole-body approach.

We help you get to the root of the problem.

VOICE THERAPY AND MYOFASCIAL RELEASE THERAPY IN NORTHEAST OHIO

A whole-body approach to voice treatment.

Voice Therapy

When you experience a voice problem such as hoarseness, throat pain, or vocal fatigue, voice therapy may be warranted. Voice therapy is sometimes referred to as ‘physical therapy for the voice,’ as the voice box is comprised of muscles, ligaments, and cartilages.

A voice therapy program will typically involve:
- Strategies to modify your voice use to promote recovery
- Education on maximizing your vocal health
- Exercises for strengthening and rebalancing the voice musculature.
Most exercises require you to practice daily, and you will meet with your voice pathologist regularly for additional training or modifications.

Professional Voice Care

As a professional voice user, you have more vocal demands than the average person, which may make you more susceptible to a vocal injury.

Voice therapy for the professional voice user often includes:
- Extensive education on establishing excellent vocal health
- Counseling on modifications to minimize your vocal load at work
- Specialized voice exercises to promote strength and healing
- Vocal reconditioning to bridge the gap between rehabilitation and high-level vocal demands
From the boardroom to the the classroom to the stage, we at Voice Care Consultants commit to helping you return to work safely and with confidence.

Vocal Cord Dysfunction

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) may exist in isolation or in combination with asthma or other breathing disorders. For young athletes, VCD may be misdiagnosed as asthma, with inhalers proving ineffective.

We know that therapy is the only treatment for this type of upper airway disorder. Therapy for VCD or dysfunctional breathing mechanics may involve identifying patterns and triggers for breathing difficulties, such as exercise or strong scents, training breathing exercises, and implementing mindfulness techniques.
With the help of your voice pathologist, you will learn to implement this efficient breathing in more and more challenging situations. Therapy for VCD is typically very effective, with patients noticing improvement in just a few sessions.

Chronic Cough

A chronic, forceful cough can be frustrating and debilitating. You may have seen multiple specialists, undergone invasive testing, and tried various medications with little relief.

Over time, more coughing results in more laryngeal irritation, and the cough worsens. This is where we come in. In tandem with any recommended medical management, therapy will include:
- Identifying patterns and triggers
- Establishing lifestyle modifications
- Training strategies to reduce laryngeal irritation and suppress cough

Neurogenic Voice Disorders

Neurogenic voice disorders are voice problems that originate in the central or peripheral nervous systems. These include, but are not limited to, Parkinson’s Disease, laryngeal tremor and Spasmodic Dysphonia.

Voice Pathologists working with clients with neurogenic voice disorders have specialized training and certification in evidence-based voice treatment protocols, including LSVT LOUD, a voice treatment program for Parkinson's Disease. For Spasmodic Dysphonia, patients often achieve the most benefit with a combination of Botox treatment with the ENT and a voice therapy program. Voice therapy for neurogenic voice disorders can be offered in-person or remotely via telehealth.
Frequency and length of treatment are variable and depend on the type of treatment and the needs of the client.

Pediatric Voice Therapy

Pediatric voice disorders have broadly similar causes as adult voice disorders; however, we know that children are not miniature adults.

Pediatric voice therapy requires specialized knowledge of the structure and function of the developing child, ability to modify treatment tools for various ages, and knowledge of pediatric language and executive function to help the client achieve lasting change.
Your first voice therapy appointment will include a thorough case history, acoustic and aerodynamic assessment that is tailored to the age of your child and establishing a treatment plan. Goals are ultimately determined by you as the family with the support of the voice pathologist. A pediatric voice therapy program typically includes:
- Parent and family education
- Voice exercises to strengthen and rebalance the muscles, ligaments and cartilages of the system. These are always tailored to the specific age and specific needs of the child
- Incorporation of executive function therapy to promote new voice habits
- A whole lot of fun!
Pediatric voice therapy sessions are typically weekly to every two weeks, but frequency and length of treatment will depend on the needs of the child and family.

Gender-affirming Communication Training

Gender-affirming communication training is a subspecialty of voice therapy with the goal of helping you align your voice with your gender identity.

While there is overlap with traditional voice treatment approaches, voice pathologists treating gender-diverse clients have specialized training and education in the specific communication patterns that impact gender identity, as well as an appreciation for the sensitive and patient-centered nature of this care.
The first voice therapy session always begins with a case history and acoustic and aerodynamic assessment of voice and then continues with exploring the many aspects of voice production (such as pitch, prosody, and resonance) and non-verbal communication. Goals of communication training are always determined by you as the client with the support of the voice pathologist and may evolve over the course of therapy. As gender-affirming communication training is individualized, the number of treatment sessions and length of time between treatment sessions is variable. Gender-affirming communication training is offered in-person or via telehealth.

Myofascial Release Therapy

Many voice and upper airway problems have a component of muscle tension or fascial restriction and require a hands-on approach.

Appropriate use of these modalities requires ongoing education and specialized certification.
- CranioSacral therapy (CST) is a gentle touch modality aimed at releasing restrictions in the craniosacral system, thereby impacting all body systems and reducing pain and dysfunction.
- Myofascial Release therapy (MFR) is another light touch modality specifically addressing the fascia (connective tissue) to eliminate pain and restore motion.
Frequency and length of treatment are variable and depend on the modality and needs of the client.

MEET YOUR SLP AND MYOFASCIAL RELEASE THERAPIST

Jennifer Kegyes, M.A., CCC-SLP

Voice Pathologist & MFR Therapist

Welcome to Voice Care Consultants. I am Jennifer Kegyes, a speech therapist and John Barnes Myofascial Release therapist. I have specialized training and 15+ years of experience in voice, swallowing, and upper airway assessment and treatment. Knowing that fascial restrictions contribute to significant dysfunction in the body, I combine the worlds of manual therapy and speech therapy for total body healing, to help my patients get the best possible outcomes.

I completed my undergraduate degree in Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences at Ohio University, where I simultaneously studied voice and horn in the school of music. I then completed my graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Kent State University. I completed outpatient internships at MetroHealth Medical Center and Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation (BBIVAR) in Dayton, OH.

I completed my Clinical Fellowship at Southwest General Health Center, where I worked in acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and pediatric outpatient rehabilitation. I then returned to Dayton as a full-time voice and swallowing specialist at BBIVAR as well as the Professional Voice Center of Greater Cincinnati (ProVoice). In 2020, after returning home to Cleveland’s west side, I was able to expand my skill set to include telehealth treatment by exclusively seeing voice and upper airway patients online.

Contact Jennifer

Bringing Expert Voice Therapy and John Barnes Myofascial Release Therapy to Cleveland’s West Side.

Recognizing the need for more holistic, personalized care, I opened Voice Care Consultants. As a private practice speech therapist, I am able to offer expert-level voice therapy of a larger center while also offering the holistic, individualized care of a small practice.

Voice and upper airway problems are complex and involve multiple body systems. I take a whole-person, patient centered approach, whether we are meeting online or in the clinic. Specifically, I have over 120 hours of training in Myofascial Release therapy. I believe that patients know their bodies best and should feel empowered to take ownership of their voice therapy journey through education and self-care.