(…and which should I use?)
The ability to enable people to communicate is at the heart of what a Speech and Language Therapist and a Voice and Speech Coach do. Both work tirelessly to remove barriers to communication. However, there are many differences, and you may be interested to understand these.
I’ve been occasionally introduced as a Speech Therapist and I’m quick to correct people. I didn’t study to become one; that requires a BSc Hons degree in Speech and Language Therapy and takes a minimum of three years. As implied, there’s a lot of science involved and, according to the UK’s gov.uk website “Speech and language therapists help people with speaking and communication problems and those with eating and swallowing difficulties”. A keyword is problems and those who qualify generally work as part of their country’s health service. It’s a relatively linear path in terms of study and career.
I call myself a Voice and Speech Coach, having studied to become a Speech and Drama Teacher via Trinity College London for an equal number of hours, culminating in written and practical exams and a thesis. When I pivoted to focus on adults in the business world, I studied again across three years to become a Certified Coach with the Time to Think Foundation. A business degree from Dublin, Ireland and several years in the business world preceded all this, providing experiential context for my clients. As you can see, the route to developing people’s communication skills can be varied but it’s worth ensuring that person has studied voice and speech physiology via reputable channels first. While the work we do is developmental, it requires a depth of knowledge as we are dealing with the human body and mind.
To summarise, the baseline is different: a therapist helps with problems, a coach helps with development.
It’s therefore unsurprising that if you work with a speech and language therapist, you are their patient; if you work with a voice and speech coach you are a client. That might raise questions of cost and investment. Both will require you to do exercises and practice sound methodology to improve, so it costs your time. Financially, Speech and Language Therapists in the UK are covered by the NHS or private medical care. A Voice and Speech Coach will charge competitive business rates. Do the research to ensure you’re getting value for money and consider what the return on your investment might look like.
It’s worth mentioning the value of our work in helping with confidence. If a child or adult is suffering as a result of a disability or injury – stammer, lisp, stroke injury or Parkinsons for instance – confidence can take a beating. Restoring the ability to communicate effectively is vital to that person’s wellbeing. The work they do is invaluable. They do not discriminate; the threshold is set according to disability need.
In my work as a voice and speech coach, the client self-identifies the issues that are acting as a barrier to effective communication, to job promotion, to achieving their full potential. I do not discriminate but the majority of my clients are subject matter experts in STEM or legal professions who wish to engage effective with their audiences. They set the threshold; they define the desired outcomes. I provide the diagnostics, tools and techniques. For those I support, I know this work is invaluable too.
These are my thoughts. I’m not an expert in understanding the nuances of Speech and Language Therapy, so here are the key differences I compiled with a little help:
I’m clear about my role and limitations. When the NHS no longer supports a patient or deems a child not old enough or the problem severe enough to reach their threshold, people may choose to work with me. I have been fortunate to know two speech and language therapists at the NHS (National Health Service in the UK) and they were gracious in providing insight when I’ve needed to check the choices I’ve made with those clients.
So, what do you need and where will you go to find that? If it’s development in engagement skills, there are plenty of resources here, and a link to my YouTube channel. If you want more than that, please check out The Online Acadamy, or my Coaching and Training options.
I hope you have found this article useful. I would value any insights you would like to share in the comments below. I’m always happy to have a conversation about your desire for more confident communication skills.
