TESTIMONIALS
Testimonials for Lucy Swain, Speech & Language Therapist
"When I first made contact with Lucy, I had suffered with a very hoarse and croaky voice for the best part of three months, following three weeks of complete voice loss resulting from an initial chest infection. I speak for a living, so this was major concern for me. Additionally, I found this difficulty very stressful and isolating.
Lucy listened to my concerns and seemed to really empathise with what I was going through, from her very first email response, which put me at ease for our first meeting.
Lucy was able to see me very quickly, giving me the opportunity to have two sessions with her and have daily exercises to do at home while waiting for my NHS speech therapy appointment. The difference this has made has been phenomenal. One of the secondary issues affecting my voice, in addition to reflux and damage caused by coughing, was muscle tension. Within a couple of weeks, this has all but disappeared, thanks to the work I have done with Lucy. While the other issues will take longer to resolve and still cause me to sound hoarse and have a very weak voice, I can now converse comfortably and I have regained some level of volume control for my voice too. Working with Lucy has made a huge difference to my work - I was able to give a half hour radio interview (unthinkable prior to my sessions with Lucy!) and was even told by the presenter who had no idea that I had a voice problem, that I have a 'lovely rich voice'! From a personal perspective, I now feel like I can participate in family life again and converse with friends much more freely. I have a long way to go yet to resolve all the issues affecting my voice, but doing the initial work with Lucy has had a huge positive impact."
FR, Doncaster
"I was diagnosed with a vocal (cord) palsy whilst away on a work assignment with limited access to healthcare. Lucy was recommended to me by a friend and I am so pleased that I reached out to her as she was a great support. Lucy explained what was happening to my vocal cords and provided me with reassurance at a time when I was quite stressed about my voice. I really appreciated how Lucy explained everything to me very clearly and was happy to answer all my questions. Everything she explained was done so very clearly and kindly. I would highly recommend Lucy to anyone experiencing similar issues. Thank you so much Lucy!"
JS, via telepractice (overseas)
"Lucy made me feel at ease straight away. She listened to me and didn't make me feel embarrassed, which improved my confidence straight away. After the initial assessment, I had three further sessions with Lucy, and I felt a great improvement after each. Lucy explained things in a very logical way, about how sound was made and where in the mouth it was produced, what had happened with the stroke and how the brain was trying to find an alternative route to help me speak. She pointed out areas when I had difficulties pronouncing words, for example, when there were two or three consonants in a row. All the exercises Lucy gave me were relevant to improving my speech. I thank Lucy for all she did for me and if I look back to the first time I met her, what a difference her help and expertise gave me in improving my life after the stroke
Lucy's attitude and empathy towards me and my condition greatly helped me to quickly build up my self-confidence and self-respect again, which was very low at the time of meeting Lucy. I couldn't have been supported and helped any better if I'd have been a member of the Royal family. THANK YOU LUCY FOR GETTING MY LIFE BACK AGAIN."
PC, Hull
"Lucy was rapidly able to diagnose the cause of my speech impediment, which was quite different from what I had supposed. She then guided me through a series of exercises, progressing each week. Some of these seemed rather inconsequential at first, but as I worked away at them my voice improved noticeably.
At the end of the programme I was able to address an audience of 50 people for a half an hour without any problems, and my voice is much improved for day-to-day use, in particular on the telephone.
I have suffered from the impediment for many years, and Lucy was able to cure me of it in two and a half months. I am impressed and very grateful."
TB, E Yorkshire
“My experience was really good. Lucy was so helpful and gave me voice exercises to do which have helped to restore my normal voice. I would recommend Lucy to anyone with voice problems”.
IC, E.Yorkshire
"(Lucy was) very helpful at putting you at ease whilst discussing the problem and explaining it in detail, (which made) it easy to understand the remedy. First class."
DB, Lincolnshire
"Lucy was persistent with me today and we have made significant progress (with my voice) - more than I've made in four and a half years. (I was) so happy that I cried to have so much progress in a small space of time."
DS, East Yorkshire
"Lucy was fantastic, friendly, professional and patient. Lucy's sessions gave me a better understanding of how the voice, throat and breathing work. This enabled successful vocal training techniques to bring my voice back to normal. Progress was consistent over several Zoom meetings over the Covid period. These remote sessions worked better than expected and meant I didn't miss work or encounter travel-related problems."
MG, W.Yorkshire
" (The) frequency and severity of what I was experiencing has reduced over the months I've been seeing Lucy, and I am now aware of what I was doing that I shouldn't be doing. It's a continual process of recovery for me and I expect it to get better and better still over the coming months."
HS, East Yorkshire
"I would recommend Lucy Swain as she is very professional and understanding. If it were not for Lucy recognising an underlying condition which resulted in a referral to a Consultant and an operation, I would have been in the same state for many years to come."
PJ, East Yorkshire
"Lucy treated me with incredible kindness and sensitivity. Lucy’s knowledge on the condition of MTD helped me to relax and really feel that she understood the difficulties I am experiencing. I felt ‘heard’ and the treatment offered seemed very effective. Looking forward to my next appointment. Thank you Lucy.”
HH, Derbyshire