Manual Vocal Therapy is a gentle, hands-on approach to releasing excess muscle tension in and around the voice, helping to restore freedom, balance, and ease of sound. Originally developed by physiotherapist Annie Strauch at Performance Medicine in Melbourne (https://performancemedicine.com.au/practitioners/annie-strauch-2/), this work was previously known in Perth as Vocal Unloading and is now offered under the name Manual Vocal Therapy. Marcus has completed Annie’s Manual Therapy for Professional Voice Users training and provides this service in Perth for singers, actors, presenters, influencers, teachers, and anyone who relies on their voice for work. By gently releasing tight tissues and easing patterns of strain, Manual Vocal Therapy supports healthier vocal function and creates the space for sound technique to be reintroduced and maintained over time. Manual therapy works especially well alongside Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract (SOVT) exercises and Forward Resonance Training, supporting better airflow through the body and helping to prevent tension from building up again. Contact us today to explore how Manual Vocal Therapy can help reduce muscular tension in the larynx and surrounding areas and support a more comfortable, efficient, and reliable voice.
How Manual Vocal Therapy may support muscle tension dysphonia
Muscle tension dysphonia is a voice condition in which extra muscle tension affects the way the voice works. Excess tension around the larynx and in the surrounding muscles can contribute to increased vocal effort, discomfort, fatigue, or changes in the quality and consistency of the voice.
Gentle Manual Vocal Therapy may help release and reduce areas of muscular tension, making it easier to explore more comfortable and efficient ways of using the voice. It is offered as part of a broader voice therapy approach, alongside assessment, education, and personalised exercises—not as a standalone cure or promise of a particular outcome.
If speaking or singing feels effortful, tiring, or uncomfortable, we can discuss whether Manual Vocal Therapy may be a helpful part of your support plan in Perth.