First, I take a deep, lower abdominal breath--one that expands my belly and rib cage comfortably without traveling upwards, trespassing into the "shallow" regions of my chest and shoulders. I then engage my core in an effort to support my diaphragm and relax my throat. My lips curl and my jaw releases, lowering my larynx and opening my throat. My breath escapes my lungs as the airflow swiftly bursts through my closed vocal folds. A vigorous, mucosal wave of vibration ensues as I belt out a thunderous, "ROOOAR!!"
I am a voice specialist and singer and "communication expert." I am a provider and advocate and teacher. I am a helper and a listener. I am a continuous learner. I am an SLP.
With years of experience as a speech-language pathologist working alongside physicians within the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) and Allergy/Immunology specialties, I have assisted many people in the healing and transformation of their voices. My area of expertise is really an expansion of "all things laryngeal" (meaning having to do with the larynx or "voice box"), which includes voice, chronic cough/throat clearing, vocal cord dysfunction (VCD/PVFM), and swallowing. However, my passion for preventive voice training for professional voice users and rehabilitative voice therapy has a special place in my heart and in my practice, Resonate Voice and Speech Services LLC.
Welcome to my blog, where I hope to EMPOWER and ENLIGHTEN you as much as I possibly can as I discuss an assortment of topics related to voice, mindfulness, health and wellness, healthcare, speech therapy, and more. I hope to engage you to think, feel and grow both personally and professionally. Feel free to engage back! Questions, topics to discuss, and friendly interactions are always appreciated. For an SLP, it's always great to hear your voice!
Jessica Schwartz Smith, MS, CCC-SLP is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. She is the owner of Resonate Voice and Speech Services, a speech therapy practice based in Philadelphia that specializes in voice disorders, chronic cough, VCD/PVFM, gender affirming voice therapy, and adult dysphagia.