Spasmodic Dysphonia & Muscle Tension Dysphonia Exercises

Today we are tackling one of the biggest tests for Spasmodic Dysphonia: Vowels. Even saying the word “vowels” can be a problem, so this session jumps right into the challenge. We start with “me me” and “nim nim” warmups, then move into counting drills, head voice, mask placement, Forebrain buzz awareness, and vowel work with A, E, I, O, and U. The focus is breath support, diaphragm power, holding...

Everything has a quick fix. And for a lot of people with Spasmodic Dysphonia, one of the strangest “quick fixes” is alcohol. This is not medical advice. This is a lifestyle conversation about something many people with Spasmodic Dysphonia have noticed, wondered about, joked about, or secretly tested. For some people, alcohol can temporarily make the voice feel smoother. It may reduce tension, calm...

Tension is not our friend with Spasmodic Dysphonia. This is a focused Attack Drill built around loosening tension, finding head voice, getting into the mask, and moving the voice without forcing it. We work through warmup counts, tongue-out variations, “goo goo” drills, tongue-curled-back “oh” drills, tongue tension release, “we we we” resonance drills, Forebrain buzz awareness, and quick reset wo...

No exercises today — this is a lifestyle episode. And today’s topic is one of the biggest enemies of Spasmodic Dysphonia: The phone. If you have a voice disorder, the phrase “give me a call” can feel like a threat. In this episode, I tell a real-life story about dealing with eBay customer service, a missing Bar Bingo championship belt case, a mystery shipping company, forced callbacks, spam-call s...

I had a realization lately. I looked in the mirror and realized I am getting old. So today we are going old school. This is a longer marathon-style Spasmodic Dysphonia voice exercise session based on the original full routine I started doing back in 2023. Instead of a quick attack drill, this one goes deeper into the fundamentals: warmups, repetition, mask placement, diaphragm breathing, vocal pow...

It’s Monday. It’s a brand new month. That makes it a pretty good time to stop saying “I should start doing voice exercises” and actually start. This is a beginner-friendly Spasmodic Dysphonia exercise session built around the basics: posture, breathing, smooth airflow, humming, mask placement, straw-in-water glides, mini sirens, and descending hums. We work through light and easy exercises designe...

We’re going into the weekend. You might be going out tonight. You might be going out tomorrow. You might have a date. You want to wear your best clothes. You want to wear your best shoes. And you want to wear your best voice. This episode is a longer archive voice exercise session built around vowels, breathing, mask placement, facial resonance, diaphragm support, and repetition. Some days you wan...

Do celebrities have a magic pill for Spasmodic Dysphonia, dysphonia, dystonia, or major voice disorders? That’s the question I keep coming back to. When you’re dealing with a voice disorder, it is easy to think celebrity money, celebrity doctors, celebrity access, and celebrity specialists must mean there is some secret fix the rest of us don’t know about. But when you look at public figures conne...

It’s Monday. I’m not in the mood. I’ve got a case of the Mondays. So what do I do? I attack. This episode is a Monday voice warmup for Spasmodic Dysphonia, focused on loosening up the voice, finding head voice, releasing tongue tension, and building confidence even when your voice does not feel perfect. We work through lip rolls, alternate lip rolls, “gug” exercises, tongue tension release, head v...

This is the first condensed archive episode — an older Spasmodic Dysphonia exercise session cut down into a shorter vowel-focused drill. In this episode, I work through warmups, “me / nim” drills, counting exercises, sustained vowel sounds, breath control, and the A, E, Ah, O, and U sounds. This was also a rough voice day. You can hear the spasms, rasp, frustration, and moments where my voice figh...

Sometimes the regular routine needs a remix. This episode is Attack 2 — an alternate Spasmodic Dysphonia voice exercise session using lip rolls, alternate lip rolls, chest voice connection, “no” exercises, “oh” placement, octave jumps, Roger Love-style “gug” work, and tongue-out lip rolls. The goal is to keep attacking the voice from different angles: chest voice, head voice, closure, resonance, a...

If you’re new to Spasmodic Dysphonia, new to voice exercises, or just found this page, this episode is for you. I walk through a simple beginner routine built around the basics: posture, smooth airflow, light energy support, finding your comfortable pitch, straw phonation glides, sirens, and easy humming to bring the voice forward. I still have Spasmodic Dysphonia myself. I’m not a doctor, speech...

Vowels. They’re the bane of our existence. In today’s Spasmodic Dysphonia Exercises session, we attack the vowels with a full Daily Drill built to warm up the voice, connect breath to tone, and work through the sounds that tend to fight back the hardest. You open by calling vowels “the bane of our existence,” then move into warm-ups, trigger words, hums, and sustained vowel work. :contentReference...

In my first interview on Spasmodic Dysphonia Exercises, I sit down with Cathy Merkle-Roddy for a conversation that goes far beyond drills. We talk about voice loss, shame, identity, trauma, the nervous system side of voice disorders, Botox, hope, and what it means to believe healing is possible. Cathy shares her story of going from life-altering voice problems and wider neurological symptoms to ge...

I’m back. After time away, this is my first session back on Spasmodic Dysphonia Exercises. In this audio companion episode, we ease back in with a mix of warm-ups, “goo” work, tongue tension release, “we” exercises, and a closing lip roll. The transcript opens with you saying you need to get back in the swing of things, then moves through a warm-up, “goo” drills, tongue-release “ooh” work, “we” ex...

CONTENTS 0:00 // Teaser 0:19 // Intro And Basics 1:28 // Warmup 2:14 // Gliding Up 3:18 // Gliding Down 4:37 // Polyp Update 5:18 // Complete Mino 6:25 // Humming and Close Just found this page and unsure where to begin? You’re in the right place. This Beginner Edition of the Daily Drill is created for those at the very start of their voice recovery journey with Spasmodic Dysphonia or Muscle Tensi...

Spasmodic Dysphonia doesn’t take days off — and neither do we. This all-new Daily Drill: ATTACK edition is a high-impact vocal routine built to help calm spasms, stabilize speech, and strengthen your voice in minutes. Whether you're facing a big phone call, interview, or just need to push through vocal strain — this short, strategic session is here for you. Drew Hanson leads targeted drills focuse...

🚨 ATTACK MODE ENGAGED. https://youtu.be/rLfqgI3V2cY This is not your average Daily Drill — it’s The Attack. A full-throttle, end-of-week vocal power session built specifically for those fighting Spasmodic Dysphonia and Muscle Tension Dysphonia. If your voice breaks when the pressure hits... If you're stuck on words with hard edges... This is your counterattack. CONTENTS 0:00 // TEASER 0:09 // INT...

Are vowels your worst enemy with Spasmodic Dysphonia? You're not alone. In this new micro-version of my classic daily drill, we tackle the real villain of vocal strain — the vowels. ✅ Warm up your voice ✅ Practice the essentials ✅ Improve tone, flow, and strength This drill is short, powerful, and designed for anyone struggling with AdSD, AbSD, or voice tremors. 🎤 Say it with me: “Right. Ready...

🎤 Less than 10 minutes. That’s all it takes to reboot your voice. Welcome to the all-new Daily Drill — rebuilt from the ground up to deliver short, focused, powerful vocal exercises for those living with Spasmodic Dysphonia, Muscle Tension Dysphonia, or anyone on a voice recovery journey. This episode is all about clarity, control, and connection — no fluff, no filler, just real progress. 💡 What...

🗣️ “I clearly need to be whipped into shape — so let’s do these drills together.” This episode of Spasmodic Dysphonia Exercises is about structure, consistency, and getting back to the basics. We’ll count out loud, stay accountable, and do real work — one rep at a time. 🎯 Today’s routine includes: Vocal warm-up count to 10 “Nim-Nim” drill for muscle control and pacing “Me-Me” drill to support voc...

🗣️ “Those trigger words that always hit... then the spasm, then it’s all downhill.” This episode is for anyone who’s felt their voice fail them mid-sentence — due to Spasmodic Dysphonia, Muscle Tension Dysphonia, or chronic tension. In today’s session, we focus on: ✅ Real-world voice triggers & how to push through ✅ “Nim Nim” & “Mimi” repetition drills ✅ Audio podcast listeners: integra...

Struggling to speak clearly with spasmodic dysphonia? I’ve lived with this condition for over 28 years, and these vocal exercises are the only thing that’s helped me sound like myself again — no surgery, no medication, no gimmicks. In this video, I walk through the exact techniques I use every day to maintain a near-normal voice. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or feeling frustrated by inconsistent...

🗣️ What if one of the most powerful vocal exercises was already in your kitchen? Today’s Spasmodic Dysphonia voice session focuses on the straw technique — a deceptively simple but powerful tool used to improve vocal tone, posture, and breath control. 🎯 In this session, we cover: How to eliminate “phone voice” with posture and breath Why a straw can dramatically reduce vocal tension Daily warmup...

🗣️ Welcome back, voice warriors. Today’s episode is focused on two essential pillars of voice therapy: breath support and daily repetition. This session includes: ✅ Diaphragm-centered breathing guidance ✅ Use of The Breather device to expand lung capacity ✅ Core daily drills for Spasmodic Dysphonia and vocal fatigue ✅ Encouragement to stay consistent — even on difficult days Whether you’re her...