Voice Massage

Voice Massage Therapy was developed by Ms Leena Koskinen, a massage therapist from Finland in collaboration with medical and voice specialists and has been in use since 1980’s. I trained with Leena Koskinen in 1998 and am the only therapist qualified in this form of Voice Massage in the UK.

We all use our voice daily without thinking of how that sound is produced. Many muscles are used to form the sound, and just like any other muscle in your body it can get sore and overused from time to time. The muscles that relate to your voice production are in the middle and upper part of the body, the chest, the neck, the face and the head.

Using Voice Massage Technique, I am able to release the tension in the muscles related directly or indirectly to voice production.The respiratory muscles, larynx and masticators as well as the tongue are treated.

Voice Massage is a treatment that facilitates all muscle groups related to breathing and voice production by means of classical massage strokes. It is aimed at relieving tension in these muscles so that proper posture, flexibility, especially in the area of the rib cage and diaphragm, and over all relaxation will return. Breathing exercises and stretching may be used in addition to laryngeal massage. This tension release in body and mind is the prerequisite for balanced voice production.

Voice Massage Therapy is an appropriate therapy for the following:

• To prevent malfunction in muscles to do with voice production in people who use their voices professionally e.g. singers, actors and teachers

• To support reflux treatment by releasing tension in external throat muscles and the diaphragm.

• To support voice production and speech and voice therapy.

• To release tension and pain in the muscles of mastication

• To increase the efficiency of breathing both generally and specifically e.g. asthmatic

• To help solve wind instrument players breathing and lip positioning problems

• To allow easier breathing, swallowing and speaking for ALS or Parkinson disease

• To relax muscle tension e.g. computer users

• To provide improvement in breathing function in athletes.

• To aid methods of general relaxation

One session lasts 45 - 75 minutes and usually 1 - 5 sessions are needed. However, in some cases of very established voice and breathing problems or exhaustion, more sessions are needed.

Voice Massage is performed only by trained Voice Massage Therapists. It is not speech therapy or an alternative therapy nor is it invasive. No equipment or heat treatment is used.