title: Boot camp: a novel intensive approach to voice therapy.
abstract: It is well known in the disciplines of neurobiology, exercise physiology, motor learning, and psychotherapy that desirable learning and behavior changes occur primarily from practice that involves high-intensity overload, variability, and specificity of training. We propose a novel treatment approach called intensive short-term voice therapy that uses these practice parameters for recalcitrant dysphonia. Intensive short-term voice therapy involves multiple sessions with a variety of clinicians, incorporating multiple simultaneous therapeutic approaches. The intensive short-term voice therapy approach is characterized by voice therapy for 1-4 successive days each with an average of 5 hours of therapy and five clinicians. This form of intensive voice therapy provides rigorous practice, involving not only overload but also opportunities for specificity and individuality thereby facilitating better transfer of learned skills. This article discusses the conceptual, theoretical, and practical foundations of this novel therapy approach.
authors.affiliation: Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0200, USA. rita.patel@uky.edu
authors.forename: Rita R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bless
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Thibeault
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D016730:Program Development; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014834:Voice Training