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Have you ever tried to speak… and your voice just doesn’t do what you want it to do?

Not because you’re nervous.

Not because you don’t know what to say.

But because something physically won’t let the sound come out the way it should.

For a lot of people, voice disorders are invisible. People hear the voice—but they don’t understand what’s behind it.

They might think you’re anxious. Or tired. Or unsure.

But the reality is… it’s something much deeper.

And that’s exactly why I’m making this episode today.

First of all, I just want to say I’m really sorry for the big gap since my last episode. I know it’s been a while, and I actually had to postpone two episodes last week as my most recent treatment hasn’t quite kicked in yet—and you can probably hear in my voice today that I’m still struggling.

But in a way, that makes today’s episode even more important.

If you’re new here, this podcast is all about living with a voice disorder—raising awareness, sharing real experiences, and helping people understand what these conditions are actually like, beyond the medical terms.

So I wanted to start Season 2 by going right back to basics.

Today, I’m going to walk you through some of the most common voice disorders in a way that’s easy to understand—whether you’re someone living with one, supporting someone who is, or you’ve just come across this podcast and want to learn more.

Before we begin, just a quick disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional. This episode is based on my personal experience, along with information from trusted organisations and hospitals.

And I’d like to give credit to organisations like Dysphonia International, Dystonia UK; University College London Hospitals, British Voice Association; Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT);  SLT UK and Oxford University Hospitals for the work they do in supporting people with voice disorders and providing reliable information.

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Today I’m joined by Aileen Markey. Aileen is originally from Ireland, has lived in different countries around the world, and now lives back home in Ireland. She was diagnosed in 2020 with spasmodic dysphonia and benign essential tremor - but her voice changes actually began in the early 2000s. She noticed subtle hoarseness and a slight shake. And When she sought help, she was told everything was fine and it was likely acid reflux. So she carried on. After referrals and assessments during COVID, she finally received her diagnosis.

Aileen works as a HR professional in a global company — so her voice is central to her career. In this episode, we talk about navigating diagnosis during COVID, managing a condition that sits in that “borderline” space, dealing with other health challenges, and learning how to respond to those everyday comments like, “Are you sick?”

This is a conversation about advocacy, resilience, and the emotional work of coming to terms with a voice that doesn’t always behave the way you want it to.

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Today I’m joined by Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey, who lives with Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia and was diagnosed in mid-2023. Clarissa is an organisational psychologist by education, a transformational life coach, an abstract artist, and the host of her own podcast, Painting Your Path, now heading into its fifth season.

Creativity and self-care have played a huge role in how she’s navigated life with a voice disorder, and despite the challenges, she continues to use her voice professionally and purposefully. Clarissa is passionate about creating life on her own terms, and I’m really looking forward to sharing her story with you today.

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Jaylan Salah is a poet, a self-described wild woman, and an incredible film critic for InSession Film and Geek Vibes Nation. She also hosts her own podcast, which you can find on YouTube called The JayDays — and if you caught the interview she did with me recently, you’ll know she has the biggest heart.

We’re both big Austin Butler fans, which is honestly where all of this started… but today, we’re going a little deeper. We’re talking about film, performance, creativity — and how our voices shape the way we communicate, connect, and express ourselves.

Jaylan kindly helped me raise awareness for voice disorders in the UK on her platform, and I’m grateful to have her here continuing that conversation on mine. So settle in — this one is warm, insightful, and full of love for stories, cinema, and the power of voice.

Jaylan's YouTube channel is called The JayDays

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In this episode, I’m joined by Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Tor Spence, Clinical Director at VoiceFit, to explore two often-overlooked areas: children’s voice disorders and occupational voice users. We discuss why young voices matter, how vocal challenges can affect learning, confidence, and social life, and what parents and teachers can do to help. Tor also sheds light on the hidden risks faced by professionals who rely on their voices daily, the importance of prevention and therapy, and why greater awareness and support are vital across both groups.

Links:

British Voice Association:  ⁠https://britishvoiceassociation.org.uk⁠Vocal Health Education: ⁠https://vocalhealth.co.uk⁠

VoiceFit:

Web:   ⁠www.voicefit.co.uk⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Appointment bookings: ⁠https://voicefit.selectandbook.com⁠

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Today’s episode is especially close to home. I’m joined by someone who plays a pivotal role in my own voice journey—my ENT surgeon, Professor Sadie Khwaja.

Ms Khwaja is a Consultant ENT Surgeon and Laryngologist based in Manchester. She specialises in voice disorders, with particular expertise in diagnosing and treating conditions such as Spasmodic Dysphonia and Muscle Tension Dysphonia. Her work combines surgical care, Botox treatment, and close collaboration with voice therapists. She is passionate about helping patients reclaim not just their voice, but also their quality of life.

For over eight years, Ms Khwaja has been part of the Manchester Voice Team, treating the full spectrum of benign and pre-malignant laryngeal conditions—from diagnosis through to therapy, Botox clinics, office-based procedures, and advanced laryngeal surgery. She also runs dedicated dysphagia clinics and is an active member of the complex adult airway multidisciplinary team.

In this episode, we sit down as patient and surgeon for an honest conversation about the complexity, treatment, and emotional impact of voice disorders—particularly the ones I live with, Muscle Tension Dysphonia and Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia and If you or someone you know is navigating a voice disorder, this episode is for you.

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Part of why I share my story is to raise awareness that having a voice disorder doesn’t mean you can’t perform, create, or have a career in the arts. Today, I’m especially excited to speak with someone who knows the world of acting, voice work, and storytelling inside and out. He’s not only an actor and voice actor himself, but also a director with years of experience in the industry—and he’s here to talk about how having a different or “imperfect” voice doesn’t mean you’re shut out of these creative spaces. I’m joined by Paul Sultana, to talk honestly about how the industry really sees performers with unique voices — and to explore whether there might be more opportunities out there than I’ve dared to believe.”

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Hello and welcome to another episode of  My Voice, My Way—the podcast where we explore the lived experiences, science, and support behind voice disorders. As someone with lived experience of a voice condition, I am passionate about opening up honest conversations about the impact they have on our lives—not just physically, but emotionally, too.

“Today’s episode is one I’ve wanted to do for a long time. We’re talking about the psychological side of voice disorders—and how our emotional wellbeing and identity can be deeply affected when our voice changes. My guest is Dr. Luke Aldridge-Waddon, a highly specialised clinical psychologist with extensive experience supporting people with voice conditions.

“Dr. Aldridge-Waddon is helping reshape how we understand voice disorders — not as purely physical or emotional, but as complex conditions where voice, mind, and identity interact. His work shows that psychological support isn’t just an add-on; it’s essential care.”

Here are the links which Luke mentioned during the episode:

The Overcoming Series https://overcoming.co.uk/7/Home

nformation on NHS Talking Therapies: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/

https://dysphonia.org/ 

For those interested in principles from Acceptance and Commitment therapy, explore books/workbooks of Dr Russ Harris, Dr Steve Hayes, and colleagues.

For those interested in principles from Compassion Focused therapy, explore books/workbooks by Dr Kristin Neff, Dr Chris Irons, and colleagues.

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I am so excited to share this week's podcast with you. I am talking to a highly experienced ENT Consultant, Mr Declan Costello. Declan talks about the various vocal disorders and treatments available and gives advice on when to seek help.

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In today's episode I am talking to Helen who suffers with Vocal Cord Paralysis. Helen has suffered for 3 years and her voice disorder has meant that she can no longer perform as a professional singer. Helen has had various treatments including Speech and Language and Vocal Manual Therapy. Helen talks about her plans for the future with a vocal disorder.