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Gender Affirming Voice and Communication

You may feel that your voice does not represent who you are. PASTS provides expertise in working to modify your voice and overall communication.

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What is Gender Affirming Voice? 

Gender affirming voice is a form of transgender voice therapy or transgender voice modification. It can help you improve vocal pitch, modify your sound and vocal cord structure. PASTS remains committed to working in a caring, thoughtful and allied partnership with speakers in transitioning to speech, voice and communication styles that match their gender identity and individuality.

We provide evidence-based voice and communication services and follow the current World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care, and American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) guidelines.

How a Speech-Language Pathologist Can Help with Gender Affirming Voice?

Evaluation

Clients are usually seen for an initial 3-hour session that includes assessment, consultation, and diagnostic therapy. At this session, a client explores and practices: the singing pitch range, falsetto break, and current habitual speaking pitch level.

The range of habitual speaking pitches that align with gender identity would be addressed, as well as vocal resonance changes that align with gender identity and other communication factors such as inflection/ melody patterns, voice quality, language styles and nonverbal skills.

Implementation

The client and clinician work together to formulate individual goals. A written report summary will be provided no later than two weeks from the session. Worksheets for approximately the first 4 weeks of practice are included.

Therapy may focus on voice pitch, projection, quality/resonance, breath support, inflection and non-verbal aspects of communication styles. 
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Meet Our Team

Laura Elliott Adams

Robin Ottesen

Jose Barajas

Angelica Lee

Allison Loy

Danielle Samson

Laurie Gambetta

Julia Caserta

Riley Chycota

Brandon Seay

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Apraxia of Speech

Speech Articulation

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Orofacial Myofunctional Services

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Speech Fluency

Voice Services

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Pediatric Feeding

Receptive/Expressive Language

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

How To Get Started

Consultation

If you have questions about speech-language symptoms, please contact us today to speak directly with a speech-language pathologist for guidance.

Get Connected

Call us today for an online link to our intake forms.

Get Started

As soon as you complete your intake form, we will contact you to set up your first appointment. 

Client Testimonials

"I can't thank Laura / PA Speech Therapy enough. In around two months, my child's lisp was resolved! Our experience far exceeded my expectations. My child loved working with Laura whose kind and gentle demeanor was instantly disarming. I loved Laura's professionalism and expertise. The results speak for themselves! Thank you, Laura."
-A.O.
-A.O.
"I wholeheartedly recommend Peninsula Associates Speech Therapy Services, Inc. to anyone in need of top-tier speech therapy in San Jose, CA. Their commitment to excellence, personalized approach, and exceptional results truly make them the best in the business. Choosing Peninsula Associates is an investment in your or your loved one's speech and communication skills, and I am grateful for the positive impact they have made."
- T.M.
- T.M.
"I am very happy with Peninsula Associates Speech Therapy in San Jose. Karter is an AMAZING speech therapist! She is great with my son. She is always happy to see us, thrilled with my son's progress & understanding when there is a lull. The office is clean & organized. Other staff are welcoming & pleasant to talk to. I'm so grateful for the consistent therapy and support my son & I get from Karter at Peninsula Associates Speech Therapy Services."
-S.K.
-S.K.
"Highly recommend Peninsula Associates! My kid’s communication skills have grown so much thanks to knowledgeable, kind, and hard working SLPs at Peninsula Associates. As a parent, staff is super easy to communicate and reliable to work together"
- Y.C.
- Y.C.
"We have 3-year-old twins with speech delays and have seen a tremendous improvement since we began seeing Heather at Peninsula Associates. The boys love going every week and think of it as “play time with Miss Heather.” I appreciate that each of my twins are getting 1:1 time and attention for their unique needs and learning styles. After every session we get detailed feedback on each boy’s progress and actionable goals to work with them on at home. This practice is highly professional and accommodating. I highly recommend them."
- K.V.
- K.V.
"We have been with Peninsula Associates for a few months now and absolutely love the service we are getting. Our daughter is making so much progress and Melanie has been incredible with her! We would definitely recommend their services."
- R.M.
- R.M.
"We have worked with Laura Adams from Peninsula Associates for several years and have come to rely on her speech and language services. Her collaboration with Santa Cruz Montessori has been sensitive to our families' and school's needs, reliable, professional, and relevant, and we can whole-heartedly recommend her."
- J.T.
- J.T.
"We have worked with Laura Adams from Peninsula Associates for several years and have come to rely on her speech and language services. Her collaboration with Santa Cruz Montessori has been sensitive to our families' and school's needs, reliable, professional, and relevant, and we can whole-heartedly recommend her."
- J.T.
- J.T.
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FAQs

faq

Newborns with congenital problems may have communication-related needs from birth, and a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is part of a neonatal multidisciplinary team. We often work with infants and toddlers at an early age (12-24 months) in areas such as swallowing and feeding, hearing and listening, oral-motor and speech, and attention and socialization.

You don’t necessarily know for sure. A speech-language pathologist can help you answer this question. Some indicators that might lead you to seek a consultation or screening are:
  • The child’s skills are immature compared to others in his playgroup or preschool.
  • Family members or friends alert you to differences that they observe.
  • The child’s developmental pattern is unusual compared to others his age.
  • There is a family history of speech, language, or learning problems.
  • There have been health issues, such as ear infections, which can impact communication.
A fully qualified speech-language pathologist must have a master’s degree from an accredited program, maintain a California speech pathology license, and hold a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Many of our staff also have experience and advanced training in specialty areas.

Peninsula Associates has several talented clinicians with different specializations. Our director of operations will identify which speech-language pathologist is available and appropriate for a new client. Most clients are seen 2-4 weeks after the paperwork has been completed. There is sometimes a waiting period if a new children’s group is being formed, but we may see the new child individually in the interim.

PASTS, Inc. offers both private-pay and fee-for-service practice and we are an in-network provider for a growing number of insurance carriers. We also have close relationships with Sutter Health, Lucille Packard, and Palo Alto Medical Foundation pediatricians, specialists, and clinicians. We can often obtain single-case agreements with other Insurance to access speech therapy benefits for your particular health insurance plan. Please contact our office to see how we can help you access your insurance benefits.