Gender Voice Training in Boston, MA

Gender Voice Training: A Workshop Led by Gender-Diverse Speech-Language Pathologists

Saturday, April 5th - Sunday, April 6th, 2025

Hosted at Mass Eye and Ear's Starr Center

CE Course Provider: CREDIT Institute

Course Description:

This two(2)-day, in-person, interactive seminar is designed for speech-language pathologists and voice professionals seeking to expand their expertise in gender-affirming voice training. With a holistic, client-centered approach, participants will explore intermediate-level techniques to support transgender and gender-diverse individuals in developing a self-identified authentic and sustainable voice that aligns with their wants and needs.

Building on foundational principles of vocal function and gender expression, this course integrates biomechanical, acoustic, and psychosocial aspects of voice training. Participants will deepen their understanding of resonance, pitch modulation, intonation, articulation, and prosody, as well as navigating breath support, postural considerations, and muscle tension on voice production. Emphasis will be placed on individualized intervention planning, incorporating a multidisciplinary approach that addresses both physiological and emotional components of voice modification.

The course will highlight evidence-based practices for guiding clients through vocal modification while prioritizing vocal wellness and habilitation, as well as harm reduction practices. Participants will engage in guided exercises, case studies/scenarios, and group discussions to refine their ability to assess and support clients with varied voice and communication goals. Special attention will be given to working with clients who have complex vocal needs, including those with co-occurring vocal disorders, neurodivergence, or trauma histories.

Additionally, this course will address cultural competency and affirming communication strategies with trans-led perspectives, helping clinicians foster a safe and empowering environment. Strategies for navigating client expectations, overcoming common challenges, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals will be explored.

By the end of this session, participants will have a stronger command of gender-affirming voice techniques and feel confident in their ability to continue to support clients on their vocal journey while promoting overall well-being and self-expression.

*Please note: Transgender and gender nonconforming/ Trans and gender diverse (TGNC/TGD) SLPs, clinical fellows, students, and other voice practitioners may attend for free with a promo code. Please email [email protected] or [email protected] with your info for this code.

Recommended prerequisite knowledge/coursework: Cultural responsiveness training for working with trans and gender diverse (TGD) individuals and communities, voice and resonance coursework and/or clinical practicum, voice and upper airway clinical experience, and/or currently working with TGD clients on voice training (singing or speech)

Learning Objectives:

Participants will:

• Identify and analyze potential biases, microaggressions, and other harmful practices within their own voice care approach.
• Refine their clinical skills in resonance, pitch, intonation, and nonverbal communication to enhance the cultural responsiveness and effectiveness of gender-affirming voice services.

• Explain and describe different parameters of voice and communication, including but not limited to: pitch, intonation, resonance, and prosody as they relate to gender-affirming voice and communication care.
• Describe how prevention and treatment of voice disorders impacts gender-affirming voice and communication training
• Demonstrate practical application of varied gender-affirming voice and communication strategies, including techniques for pitch, resonance, intonation, and vocal health, while identifying how these approaches align with individual vocal habilitation needs.
• Describe how prevention and treatment of voice disorders impacts gender-affirming voice and communication training.
• Describe gender-affirming methods for intake/assessment and discharge
• Identify pros and cons of telehealth model specific to gender-affirming voice and communication training
• Explain the role of SLP in people undergoing gender-affirming voice surgery and what is involved in pre- and post-operative therapy
• Name the strengths and limitations of gender-affirming voice surgery
• Describe what formants are and implement 3 different approaches for shifting vocal formants for gender euphoria
• Identify the overlap of voice disorder prevention and treatment with gender-affirming voice care
• Identify multiple gender-affirming voice and communication target areas and the state of the research behind those target areas

This course offers 1.15 ASHA CEUs (intermediate level; professional area)
Attendees seeking education credit must attend sessions in full and must complete the course self-assessment and learning assessment and return them to CREDIT Institute in order to receive ASHA CEUs.

ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures by ASHA.

Course accommodations: If you require accommodations to access the course material or need additional accommodations on-site, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

Please email [email protected] or [email protected] with any additional questions.

Agenda:

Saturday, April 5th​

• 8:30-9:00am ​​ Registration & Light Breakfast​
• 9:00-9:15am Introductions and Ground Rules ​
• 9:15-9:35am. Intersectional Cultural Responsiveness ​
• 9:35-10:15am Intersectional Cultural Responsiveness Q&A
• 10:15-11:00am. Purpose/The Basics (AC Goldberg)​
• 11:00-11:15am​ BREAK​
• 11:15-12:00pm Transfemme Perspectives on GAVC
• 12:00- 1:00 pm. LUNCH
• 1:00-1:45 PM Neurodivergent Considerations in Gender Affirming Voice Training​
• 1:45-2:05 pm​ GA Voice Targets and Research Highlights
• 2:05-2:45pm. Case Scenarios on GAVT and Voice Disorders and Surgical Rehab
• 2:45 - 3:00 pm BREAK
• 3:00-4:00pm. ​ GAV Surgical Talk
• ​​4:00-4:45pm ​ Integrating Asynchronous Content with Voice Training 1:1
• ​4:45-5:00pm​ Q&A​

Sunday, April 6th

• ​8:30-9:00am​ Registration & Light Breakfast
• ​​9:00-10:30am. Voice Parameters (Pitch, Resonance, Intonation, Prosody, Reflexive Sounds)​
• 10:30-10:40am​ BREAK
• 10:40-11:25am. Performance Voice (Singing and Vocal Play) ​
• 11:25-12:00pm. Exercise Share & Q&A ​
• 12:00-1:00pm. LUNCH​
• 1:00-1:30pm. Telehealth and Supporting Generalization
• 1:30-1:45pm. ​ BREAK
• 1:45-2:45pm. ​TGNC Early Professional Panel
• 2:45-3:45pm. ​Gender-Affirming Voice in the TikTok Era
• 3:45-4:00pm. Q&A and Closing Remarks
  

Lodging/Reservations:
Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill

A limited number of rooms are available for a discounted rate of $289 per night for the dates April 4-6, 2025. To make a reservation, please click HERE or call (877) 999-3223 and refer to ID #: 0425MEEIGR*** Please note, to take advantage of the group rate, you must book your reservation before March 14, 2025.
Bios and Disclosures:

AC Goldberg (he/him) PhD CCC/SLP is a neurodivergent, physically disabled, intersex/transgender professor at Northeastern University and contractor at Prismatic Speech Services. His mission is to cultivate affirming spaces for all people and to be the role model he needed as an early career professional. AC’s work centers around empathy, humanity and intersectional cultural responsiveness. His continuing education nonprofit, The CREDIT Institute, is dedicated to advancing equity in educational and healthcare settings. AC is considered a top international educator in gender-affirming voice, trauma-informed care and neurodiversity inclusive practices. As a founding member of the Trans Voice Initiative, he has dedicated countless hours to mentoring and educating younger TGNC SLPs. AC is the 2022 recipient of the American Speech Language Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Outstanding Service Award. If you’d like to get to know him, he's @transplaining Instagram.

Financial Disclosures: AC is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Northeastern University and the founder and executive director of The CREDIT Institute Inc. He’s a community partner with CHAT Life Changing Speech Therapy, Boothby Therapy Services and a contractor with Prismatic Speech Services.

Non-Financial Disclosures: AC serves on the community advisory board overseeing research out of Boston University about the effects of exogenous testosterone therapy on communication in AFAB speakers. AC is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Communication Disorders.

Ruchi Kapila, MS, CCC-SLP, NCVS trained vocologist (any/all pronouns) is CEO of Kapila Voice and Speech Services, A Professional Corporation in Hayward, CA, providing voice and communication services with a gender-inclusive lens as a speech-language pathologist and singing voice specialist. Mx. Kapila also teaches singing voice in their private studio. They frequently present, publish, and educate nationally on gender-affirming voice care and intersectional cultural responsiveness within the SLP field. They also serve as a founding member of Trans Voice Initiative, board member for the newly-formed Disability Caucus, and officer and parliamentarian for L’GASP (LGBTQ+ Caucus of ASHA). They have previously served as adjunct faculty lecturer for Minnesota State University (MNSU) - Mankato, San Francisco State University (SFSU), and California State University, East Bay (CSUEB).

Financial Disclosures: Ruchi is CEO of Kapila Voice and Speech Services, Professional Corporation. They are also a content contributor to CREDIT Institute.

Non-Financial Disclosures: Ruchi is a founding member of Trans Voice Initiative and a board member for both the Disability Caucus and L'GASP.

Guest speakers and disclosures (in no particular order):

genesis ripley:

Financial Disclosures: genesis will receive an honorarium as a guest speaker for this seminar.

Nonfinancial disclosures: N/A

Londyn Edwards, MS, CCC-SLP

Financial Disclosures: Londyn receives a salary and is employed by Kaiser Permanente.

Non-Financial Disclosures: Londyn is a member of Trans Voice Initiative.

Brian Nuyen, MD:

Financial disclosures: Dr. Nuyen is clinical assistant professor and employed as an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon at Stanford Health Care. Dr. Nuyen will receive an honorarium as a guest speaker for this seminar.

Non-Financial Disclosures: N/A

Renée Yoxon:

Financial disclosures: Renée is owner of Renée Yoxon Education, where they provide education and voice coaching in the area of gender affirming voice training. They will also receive an honorarium as a guest speaker for this seminar.

Nonfinancial disclosures: N/A

Mel Grasso:

Financial disclosures: Mel will receive an honorarium as a guest speaker for this seminar.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Mel is a second-year graduate student at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Becks Von Duering, MS, CCC-SLP:

Financial disclosures: Becks is employed by Kaiser Permanente. They are also the owner of Affirming Voice and Communication, PLLC.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Becks is a member of Trans Voice Initiative.

Cristel Ho, MS:

Financial: Cristel is receiving an honorarium as guest speaker for this seminar.

Non-financial: N/A

Crysta Song, MS, CCC-SLP:

Financial disclosures: Crysta receives a salary from Fox Rehabilitation. They will be receiving an honorarium for this presentation.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Crysta is a member of Trans Voice Initiative. They are also a current board member for QORDS Camp (Queer Oriented Radical Days of Summer), a youth summer music camp for LGBTQ+ youth and children of LGBTQ+ adults.

Nicholas Felice:

Financial Disclosures: Nick is a graduate student researcher employed by Northeastern University investigating the impact of financially accessible gender-affirming voice services on TGNC well-being under Dr. AC Goldberg. Nick is receiving an honorarium as guest speaker for this seminar from CREDIT Institute.

Non-financial Disclosures: Nick is the founder of Transformation, Fitness, & Movement (TFM), an affinity group at Northeastern University promoting TGNC participation and inclusion in sports and fitness spaces.

Ry Pilchman, MS, CCC-SLP:

Financial Disclosures: Ry has been a clinical supervisor and adjunct professor at Rutgers University for 3 years. Ry is also a speech-language pathologist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for 3 years.

Non-financial Disclosures: Ry was a founding member of Trans Voice Initiative and has been a member of the organization for 5 years. They are also a member of ASHA. Pilchman is receiving an honorarium as guest speaker for this seminar.

Leah Helou, PhD, CCC-SLP

Financial disclosure: Dr. Helou receives a salary from U. Pittsburgh in the role of Assistant Professor, and royalties from MedBridge, Inc. Dr. Helou will receive an honorarium as guest speaker for this seminar.

Non-financial disclosures: Dr. Helou does not have any non-financial disclosures.

Tallulah Breslin, MS, CCC-SLP:

Financial disclosures: Tallulah is owner and founder of Harmonic Speech Therapy and is employed at Mantra Voice. They will also receive an honorarium as guest speaker for this seminar.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Tallulah is the founder and moderator of Gender Voice Mastermind. She also serves as a mentor for World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Voice and Communication.

Nora Mahon, MS, CF-SLP:

Financial disclosures: Nora is employed by the UPMC Voice, Airway, and Swallow Center. She will receive an honorarium as guest speaker for this seminar.

Nonfinancial disclosures: N/A

Harper French:

Financial disclosures: Harper will receive an honorarium as guest speaker for this seminar.

Nonfinancial disclosures: N/A

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Starr Center, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, United States