Question 1

What is the single biggest suggestion you would give to someone wanting to get into this career?

Joanna Cazden · Accepted Answer

“The advice I give to folks who are already in graduate school and looking for a fellowship is not to specialize too quickly. As I’ve said, it’s a very broad field and what we learn working with other kinds of disorders will end up helping even if you really, really want to do voice as a specialty. 
“But someone might come in with a voice problem who also had a stroke or another medical condition; it’s really helpful if you have some experience with that. So, again, one has to have a broad tolerance for the field in general while maintaining your own particular interest. 
“There are very few people in our field who are known for doing voice, so if someone says they’re a singer and understand voice from that perspective as well you’re going to get those clients because no one else wants them. It’s a fascinating overlap.”

Question 2

What’s the #1 mistake people make when trying to get into this career?

Joanna Cazden · Accepted Answer

“People think they have to specialize right away and if they don’t get that perfect fellowship in a voice clinic, their career is over. It’s not. The graduate school admissions are competitive enough, so just work hard and learn everything you can.”

Question 3

What is the question people should ask about this career but rarely do?

Joanna Cazden · Accepted Answer

“What’s the difference between being a Voice Therapist and being a Voice Teacher?
“People think it’s that a Voice Therapist knows more anatomy and hangs out in the medical world, but I think a bigger difference is that we are accountable for every single thing we do. I have to keep notes on my sessions and there are a dozen different people in my chain of command and in the insurance company asking ‘did that exercise move the person forward and if not, what are you going to do differently next time?’ 
“Singing Teachers are not held to that standard. It’s a huge ethical difference. We’re also more trained in the science of how people learn things, [including both good and bad behaviors]. There’s a lot more direct training in the learning process that happens deep inside the body.”

Question 4

If you could describe in one word what makes you successful, what would it be?

Joanna Cazden · Accepted Answer

“Insight.”

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