Generalization: using your voice outside of therapy
Generalization is arguably one of the most difficult parts of trans voice therapy for many of the clients that we work with. The term “generalization” in this context refers to the stage of therapy where you take all the strategies that you have mastered in sessions and begin to use them outside of sessions. This is where all your hard work and dedication pays off, and you can begin to use your target voice as a part of your daily life!
The demand on your voice within therapy sessions is calculated and controlled, while using your voice in your daily life is often spontaneous and unpredictable. We do our best to practice real-world situations and conversations within therapy to prepare for generalization, but the vulnerability involved in presenting your new voice to the world can still feel intimidating. If you feel this way, you are definitely not alone! Below are some tips that can help you navigate how to begin generalizing your new voice to your everyday life:
Don’t immediately try to use your new voice all day, every day.
The process towards generalization can feel like a slow one. Each week you are slowly building up the level of difficulty until you are confidently and sustainably producing your target voice. Taking your voice strategies outside of sessions does not necessarily mean immediately starting to use them all day at work or at every social event. Instead, we encourage clients to use a gradual approach! It is important to slowly build up the tolerance and endurance needed to sustain your new voice throughout the day. Pushing your limits could ultimately put you at risk for vocal cord injury. Set yourself up for success by initially dedicating short periods of time to your generalized voice work (e.g., have a 5-10 minute conversation with your partner or friend while sustaining your target voice). Slowly increase the length of time and variety of situations you use to practice your voice, until you are using your new voice 100% of the time!
Ask a supportive friend, partner, or family member to participate in your homework with you.
Although we understand that this might not be an option for everyone, letting people from your support system into your voice journey early on can be a great ice-breaker for using your strategies in other contexts later. This will also be helpful when you are reflecting on your voice journey. Sometimes, it’s hard to maintain all your strategies and simultaneously reflect on how it sounded. Having an extra set of ears can help you think through things like “was I in my target pitch range?” or “was my resonance brighter?”
Plan ahead.
If you’re feeling nervous about using your target voice in a new situation - try to set some boundaries and plan ahead. If you are using your voice with a trusted conversation partner, tell them what your goals are and let them know what type of feedback you are comfortable receiving. If you feel more comfortable experimenting with your voice with a stranger, set a goal to use your voice strategies every time you make a phone call to a store, every time you order food through a drive through, or every time you order your morning coffee.
Be patient with yourself, and give yourself credit for all your hard work.
For your entire adult life, the sound of your voice has been constant and familiar. Although many people experience dysphoria due to the sound of their voice, the adjustment to a new voice can still be a difficult one. While the journey to using your target voice full-time can seem challenging at times, do not give up! It is important to keep in mind how far you have come to get to where you are today. Sometimes it can be helpful to record periodic videos/recordings of yourself so that you can listen back to these clips as a way to remember just how much progress has been made since you began your voice journey.
Keep going!
While generalization may be challenging at first - it’s the final step towards a healthy and sustainable voice that feels authentic to you. Eventually, your voice will know what to do and you won’t even need to think about it.
