A Multidisciplinary Approach to Voice Therapy

This two-day course delivered with Christina Shewell MA, FRCSLT, ADVS aims to equip participants with a range of approaches and techniques to provide holistic and individualised treatment for clients across a spectrum of voice disorders.

Specific course content includes:

• Overview of common voice disorders and evaluation
• Perspectives from Psychology and Physiotherapy to optimise voice therapy
• Introduction to 6 areas of management and therapy tools
• Practical voice care techniques
• Techniques for release of excess muscle tension
• Breath techniques
• Voicing techniques
• Techniques for care of the client’s emotional state
• Mindfulness and Imagery techniques
• Experiential individual and pair-based practical work
• Comprehensive support material

Christina Shewell MA, FRCSLT, ADVS
Christina has worked for many years as speech and language therapist, qualified voice teacher and communication skills coach in the business world. She holds an honorary senior lectureship at University College London, where she taught voice and counselling skills, and she remains particularly interested in the link between voice, emotion, brain and body. She was a member of staff for six years at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, as voice teacher to acting students and spoken voice consultant to the singing courses. Christina’s clinical voice work has been in both the NHS and private practice. She has spoken extensively at conferences, and trained voice practitioners both nationally and internationally, including a five-city tour of Australia, and courses in India, Canada and the United States. Christina’s book, ‘Voice Work: Art and Science in Changing Voices’ (second edition 2025), addresses voice work along the continuum of normal-abnormal voice, in singing, spoken voice coaching and voice pathology, and is widely used.

Mr Guri Sandhu MBBS, MD, FRCS, FRCS (ORL-HNS)
Guri is a Consultant Otolaryngologist and Head & Neck Surgeon at Imperial College, The Royal Brompton and University College Hospitals in London. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College and University College London. Guri Sandhu graduated from the University of London in 1990. He obtained the Intercollegiate Fellowship in Otolaryngology (FRCS ORL-HNS) in 2001 and a Doctorate of Medicine (MD) in 2011. Guri Sandhu has over 100 peer reviewed research publications and has written several book chapters and  books.  He lectures nationally and internationally and has an active research programme in laryngology with a special interest in laryngotracheal stenosis but also manages voice and swallowing disorders. He has experience in performing the full spectrum of endoscopic and open laryngeal procedures, many of which he has pioneered himself. He is ENT surgeon to the Royal Society of Musicians and he co-founded the British Laryngological Association (BLA).

Ms Abi Simpson
Abi Simpson is the Clinical Lead Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in ENT Laryngology, Airway Reconstruction and Voice in the Complex Laryngology service at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust; where she also leads the voice service. Alongside Professor Guri Sandhu, she runs a tertiary voice clinic, a professional voice therapeutic clinic with Pamela Hey (Royal Opera) and is part of the multidisciplinary National Airway Reconstruction team. She has a particular interest in professional voice, laryngeal biomechanics, spasmodic dysphonia and vocal outcomes following laryngotracheal reconstruction.

Course directors
Abi Simpson, Clinical Lead Specialist in Laryngology ENT and Airway Reconstruction (Voice) Complex Laryngology and Airways, National Centre for Airway Reconstruction Speech and Language Therapy Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Margaret Coffey, NIHR Advanced Fellow, Senior Clinical Academic SLT, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London

Dr Margaret Coffey is a Clinical Academic SLT based at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Margaret has extensive clinical experience in the evaluation and treatment of swallowing and voice difficulty after treatment for Head and Neck cancer. Margaret’s innovative research has focused on the rehabilitation of communication and swallowing after Laryngectomy and the use of different evidenced based instrumentation to improve swallow outcomes.