Parkinson's & Movement Disorders

Parkinson's affects more than movement. It quietly takes vocal loudness, articulation, and the confidence to be heard at the dinner table. Targeted speech therapy can change that. With consistent practice, people with Parkinson's regain volume, clarity, and the social ease that softens when the voice does.

What it is

Parkinson's disease often produces hypokinetic dysarthria: reduced vocal loudness, monotone, breathy quality, and imprecise articulation. The change is usually gradual, so most people don't realize how soft their voice has become until someone points it out. Speech therapy targets these changes with high-effort, voice-focused exercises proven to recalibrate how loudly someone speaks in everyday life.

Who this is for

• People with a recent or established Parkinson's diagnosis
• Family members who notice a partner's voice getting quieter or harder to understand
• Anyone whose medications help with movement but haven't restored vocal clarity
• People with atypical parkinsonism, PSP, MSA, or related movement disorders

How I approach this work

Ideally I see Parkinson's clients 2–3 times a week for about 30 minutes. That intensity matters for voice work. Schedules and availability often shape the actual cadence, and many clients move on and off therapy as their needs change. My approach is grounded in the Parkinson's education I gained from years of volunteer work at the Parkinson's Wellness Recovery Gym (PWR Gym) in Tucson, Arizona. I still pull from that training in every session. I'm also pursuing LSVT LOUD certification in summer 2026.

What sessions look like

Sessions focus on voice loudness, breath support, articulation precision, and the kind of consistent, high-effort practice that retrains the brain to recalibrate vocal output. We tie the work to your actual conversations: phone calls, dinner with family, the situations where being heard matters most to you.