Question:

I am a 25 year old female. I hate my voice because I cannot project it. When I try to speak louder, my voice sounds either shaky like I’m about to cry, cracks, or it sounds like I’m out of breath. This problem is affecting my job performance because it hinders me from getting a supervisor position. I’m afraid to speak in public as a result. Being in front of people does not make me nervous. Its my voice.

Answer:

The first thing you need to do is see an ENT or laryngologist to have your cords looked at. You need to make sure they are healthy and structurally sound. There are physiological conditions that can create your problem but only a doctor can identify them. The doctor will know how to correct any health or physiology issues. If you find the voice is healthy, then you need to work with an experienced voice professional to learn how to breathe and support, access resonance and take all the pressure off the voice itself. However, you should only do this work after you have seen the doctor so that you don’t strain your voice. It might also be an emotional process for you to create this vocal shift and you might like to make sure you have someone trained and knowledgeable to support you in dealing with that piece.