A Search to Find My Voice

Hi, I’m Chris, and I am on the search to find my voice.  My voice seemed to disappear at the time of my initial injury, some 2 ½ years ago, and I have been on a continuous search to find it ever since.  My voice is very important to me, and having people, many of whom I am close to, not be able to understand me when I’m speaking is very frustrating.  This issue came about right after my accident, when I woke up in the hospital, and realized that I was speaking at a much faster rate.  I was hard to understand, and had no idea why.  This was very confusing, and also frustrating. When I moved down to Atlanta, in the winter of 2012, and began to attend the Side By Side Clubhouse after therapy at Shepherd Pathways, I noticed my voice beginning to improve.  Noticing this achievement then gave me the confidence in order to begin socializing once again.  Actually speaking began to strengthen the muscles in my mouth, which was what I needed in order to be understood once again.  Over time, the confidence in my voice returned.  Now, there are times in which I begin to speak way too quickly once again.  It is at these times that I have to work toward a slower rate of speaking, focusing on the enunciation of certain words and phrases.

—