Coaching Strategies for Behavioral Voice Therapy and Training

Area of Science:

• Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Behavioral Psychology
• Professional Coaching

Background:

• Coaching is a widely used term with diverse applications, extending beyond corporate settings into medical specialties.
• Vocal coaching aims to improve communicative and vocal performance through indirect approaches, focusing on behavioral and attitudinal changes.
• Understanding the distinctions between voice therapy and voice training is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce coaching as a profession and explore its application in vocal performance enhancement.
• To highlight the differences between voice therapy and voice training, including underlying principles.
• To adapt professional coaching strategies for voice training and therapy.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of coaching principles and their adaptation to voice-related interventions.
• Description of four key coaching strategies: powerful questions, active listening, changing habits, and implementation intention.
• Application of these strategies to both voice training and therapy contexts.

Main Results:

• The four coaching strategies can significantly improve an individual's vocal performance.
• These strategies offer a valuable adjunct to traditional voice therapy, particularly for behavioral dysphonias.
• Speech-language pathologists can effectively integrate coaching techniques into their practice.

Conclusions:

• Vocal coaching offers a powerful framework for enhancing communicative and vocal performance.
• The integration of coaching strategies provides novel approaches for speech-language pathologists, especially for challenging voice cases.
• Coaching principles can lead to positive changes in vocal behaviors and attitudes, improving overall voice quality.