You may be asked to consult your GP about health issues that could be affecting your voice. If your voice is hoarse I will ask that you be referred to the ENT consultant (see here)

Specialist Software

You will be asked to purchase the Student Package of Sing and See software to use to practice at home. This software is available both for PC and Mac.
Click here (this is an affiliate link) to be transferred to the Sing and See website for a copy of the software.

Location

Therapy sessions are held online using Zoom. You need to be Zooming and using the Sing and See software on the same computer.

Therapy

Therapy appointments will usually last half an hour and tend to include following up on previous advice and exercises to practice at home.
Therapy sessions can involve quite a lot of problem solving to work out how to make the necessary changes needed to feminise your voice and become a more complete woman.
Sometimes therapy can be quite challenging for people as they think and learn about themselves in ways they have not done before. We will explore what type of woman you are now and wish to be in the future. I will support you through this process.

These are not necessarily to do with your voice, but are to do with “passing”.

If the people that you meet are unsure of your gender they are likely to either ignore or abuse you. Your enemy here is gender ambiguity. Generally if you give enough cues to people to nudge them in the “female” direction, they will accept it and address you as such.

Top tip 1

Choosing your name. Not many people get to choose their own name. It is a bit like being your own parent! If you identify as binary female the best names to choose are unambiguously female names. You don’t need to be called Crystal or Fifi Trixibelle (though of course you can if you like!), Sarah or Jane are just fine, but Jo and Sam are ambiguous and don’t give enough cues to people to nudge them in the direction you want.

Top tip 2

Answering the phone and making calls. With your new gender obvious name always start a phone conversation with “Hello, it’s Sarah (Jane or Crystal!). This works both if you are making a call, or answering the phone and again, gives a useful cue. On the telephone people can’t see you, and your voice and name is all they have to go on.

Top Tip 3

Clothes. You don’t need to wear a skirt or dress all the time, and it’s not all about frills and flowers. Look around you, few women do. But be careful of presenting as androgynous.
Some “new” women can also get a bit giddy and go through almost an adolescent phase as the hormones and relief at finally getting going on their journey kick in.

Again, look around you. What sort of style do you like? Look in magazines.

Top Tip 4

Those little touches. Though some people have to wear heavy makeup, some are lucky not to. If you are in this position I suggest that you still use a little lippy and/or eye makeup and some jewellery. Again it is a visual cue to nudge.

“The sessions I had with you increased my confidence in my voice no end. One measure of the success of your input is that I cannot think of a single instance when I have been mis-gendered during a telephone conversation. I completed all the physical aspects of my journey by the end of 2014, and since then it’s just been a matter of getting on with my life: I’m happier now than I’ve ever been.”

J, 2017

“Working with Susannah was instructive, confidence-building and fun. As an older transgender male-to-female, I found her mix of guidance, information and encouragement just what I needed as I transitioned publicly. We were able to talk together about the issues that matter and that affect more than just the voice; and she was sensitive and direct, so I felt I made quick but solid progress, and I now feel happy that I found my new and honest voice. And she was able to provide support through her links with other transgender clients. I was sorry when we completed the training – I’ll miss the sessions.”

M, 2017

“Susannah has helped to change my life beyond my voice; a lovely human and an excellent professional. I cannot recommend her highly enough.”

E, 2017

“A review from a trans women perspective: Since coming out I have struggled with a passing, a large portion of this is due to my voice. Susannah has been more than professional, she has been friendly, helpful and inspiring, going as far showing me blogs of successful other trans women. Susannah tailored her lessons for me, explaining the anatomy of the voice in detail helping me learn how to control my voice, speaking in a manner much more like me.

I am ecstatic to say since learning to use my voice properly I have been able to pass much more efficiently, I can not thank her enough :)”

C, 2018