Lori L. Sonnenberg, Voice Pathologist

Lori L. Sonnenberg, Voice Pathologist Specialized voice and breathing therapy services. Comprehensive voice care services. Expert care for the singing voice and other professional voice users.

Performing arts medicine. Voice and Breathing Therapy, Speech Therapy, Singing Voice, Professional Voice Care, Transgender Voice, and Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement.

🎤 Calling all voice teachers!If you’ve ever wished for a space to discuss real student cases, sharpen your teaching inst...
11/05/2025

🎤 Calling all voice teachers!

If you’ve ever wished for a space to discuss real student cases, sharpen your teaching instincts, and connect with others who have a passion for listening "clinically" — this is for you.

Join us for the Voice Teacher Collective – Preview Workshop, where you’ll:

✅ Gain expert feedback on real student challenges
✅ Learn in community, not in a lecture
✅ Strengthen your clinical listening
✅ Connect with thoughtful, evidence-based colleagues
✅ Get early access to the full Voice Teacher Collective

Here's the Details:
🎤 Inside the Voice Teacher Collective: A Special Preview Workshop led by Lori Sonnenberg & Natalie Sheppard
📅 Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
🕘 9:30–10:30am CDT
📍 Virtual

To register, click link in first comment 🔗


It’s that time of year again when colds, coughs, and sore throats start making their rounds. 😷For singers and voice prof...
10/31/2025

It’s that time of year again when colds, coughs, and sore throats start making their rounds. 😷

For singers and voice professionals, knowing what to do vocally when you’re sick can feel like an impossible decision. Do you rest? Do you sing? How much is too much?

When the voice is in an acute stage of swelling, whether from overuse or illness, your body will often tell you what’s possible (and what’s not). Pain, soreness, loss of range, or difficulty with high, soft singing are clear warning signs to pause and let your voice rest.

In the meantime, a few mindful adjustments can help manage symptoms and protect your recovery. Winter is coming, but we’ve got you covered here at Sonnenberg Voice.

If your voice doesn’t bounce back after your illness, schedule a check-in with a voice specialist to build a longer term recovery plan.

Send us a DM or drop us your questions below 👇

10/30/2025

If you’ve ever wished for a space where teaching meets collaboration, curiosity, and clinical insight… this is it. 👇

1️⃣ Expert insight on real student cases (bring your trickiest one!)
2️⃣ A space where teachers learn together, not just listen
3️⃣ Strengthen your “clinical ears” to spot patterns and guide healthy progress
4️⃣ Connect with a like-minded community of evidence-based teachers
5️⃣ Get an exclusive first look at the full Voice Teacher Collective series

This is your chance to grow your confidence, deepen your teaching, and find your people, all in one place.

Here's the Details:
🎤 Inside the Voice Teacher Collective: A Special Preview Workshop led by Lori Sonnenberg & Natalie Sheppard
📅 Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
🕘 9:30–10:30am CDT
📍 Virtual

To register, click link in first comment ⬇️

Natalie and I had such a wonderful time last Friday speaking with the Voice and Opera students at DePaul University abou...
10/23/2025

Natalie and I had such a wonderful time last Friday speaking with the Voice and Opera students at DePaul University about all things Vocal Health and Wellness at the beautiful Holtschneider Performance Center.

Our session, “Daily Practices for Vocal Health and Stamina,” focused on helping singers build awareness of their own voices, getting to know their own voice in ways that allow for self-monitoring, good decision making, and managing the high vocal demands of being a singer. We also discussed how to seek professional support and build a voice care team BEFORE problems arise!

The space, the people, and even the weather made for the perfect afternoon downtown. The students and faculty were so engaged, and our conversations were full of practical, real-world insights about vocal health and performance.

A huge thank-you to everyone at DePaul for the warm welcome and for making vocal health education a priority. We can’t wait to come back!


With singer's laryngeal dystonia (spasmodic dysphonia during singing) the diagnostic process can be long and challenging...
10/22/2025

With singer's laryngeal dystonia (spasmodic dysphonia during singing) the diagnostic process can be long and challenging, requiring months and years sometimes to get a firm diagnosis. Singers are skilled, know their voices well, and their actual job is to make good sounds. When the spasms appear, the system goes into overdrive working to "stabilize" the sound.

Super proud of my work with on this project and our efforts to raise awareness, to educate voice professionals and patients, and to improve the diagnostic process in this rare, difficult disorder for singers.

If you're at ASHA National Convention on November 20th, we'll be presenting live with a technical session at 5:00pm.



Reference:

Halstead, L. A., McBroom, D. M., & Bonilha, H. S. (2015). Task-specific singing dystonia: vocal instability that technique cannot fix. Journal of Voice, 29(1), 71-78.

Voice teachers, what if you had clinical insight right at your fingertips?Imagine having access to expert SLP guidance o...
10/22/2025

Voice teachers, what if you had clinical insight right at your fingertips?

Imagine having access to expert SLP guidance on your toughest student cases with real answers, real confidence, and a supportive community that understands your work.

That’s exactly what the Voice Teacher Collective was created for. A monthly workshop designed to bridge pedagogy and science, giving teachers the tools, collaboration, and clarity to help every singer thrive. Led by Voice Rehabilitation Specialists Lori Sonnenberg and Natalie Sheppard, who unite clinical expertise and vocal pedagogy to help teachers feel empowered and supported.

Join our exclusive one-time Preview Workshop to experience it firsthand! You’ll receive live feedback on vocal health, case studies, and teaching strategies, PLUS a first look at our upcoming 2026 subscription series featuring monthly live workshops + a full replay library. Get early access to Founding Member rates and discover how this Collective can transform your teaching.

Here's the Details:
🎤 Inside the Voice Teacher Collective: A Special Preview Workshop led by Lori Sonnenberg & Natalie Sheppard
📅 Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
🕘 9:30–10:30am CDT
📍 Virtual

👉 Don’t miss this chance to learn, grow, and be part of something new before it officially launches!

🔗 Registration link in first comment.


Voice teachers, did you ever wish you had a clinical expert in your corner?You work hard to help your students sing free...
10/17/2025

Voice teachers, did you ever wish you had a clinical expert in your corner?

You work hard to help your students sing freely, but sometimes the challenge goes beyond technique. What if you could better understand what’s really happening in the voice and get expert support in the process?

That’s where the Voice Teacher Collective comes in. A collaborative monthly workshop where teachers bring real student cases and receive real-time guidance from Voice Rehabilitation Specialist SLPs, helping you build confidence, clarity, and deeper insight in every lesson. Because when teachers and clinicians work together, every singer benefits.

We're offering a one-time special preview coming up soon!

Here's the Details:
🎤 Inside the Voice Teacher Collective: A Special Preview Workshop led by Lori Sonnenberg & Natalie Sheppard
📅 Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
🕘 9:30–10:30am CDT
📍 Virtual

In this preview, you’ll experience live feedback on vocal health, case studies, and teaching strategies—PLUS a first look at our upcoming 2026 subscription series featuring monthly live workshops + a full replay library.

👉 Don’t miss this chance to learn, grow, and be part of something new before it officially launches!

🔗 Registration link in first comment.



10/16/2025

The PAVA Conference is a wrap and what an incredible weekend it was!

My favorite part? The interactive, interdisciplinary sessions where voice pathologists, vocologists, and other professionals came together to discuss real case studies and collaborate on how to best support vocalists in their recovery and performance.

It was a powerful reminder of how much stronger we are when we work together to care for the voice.

Are you a voice teacher who wants deeper confidence when supporting your students’ vocal health, technique, and lesson d...
10/09/2025

Are you a voice teacher who wants deeper confidence when supporting your students’ vocal health, technique, and lesson decisions? Here’s your chance!

We’re opening the doors for a one-time, interactive preview of the Voice Teacher Collective—a brand-new workshop series designed exclusively for voice teachers seeking expert feedback and professional support.

Here's the Details:
🎤 Inside the Voice Teacher Collective: A Special Preview Workshop led by Lori Sonnenberg & Natalie Sheppard
📅 Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
🕘 9:30–10:30am CDT
📍 Virtual

In this preview, you’ll experience live feedback on vocal health, case studies, and teaching strategies—PLUS a first look at our upcoming 2026 subscription series featuring monthly live workshops + a full replay library.

👉 Don’t miss this chance to learn, grow, and be part of something new before it officially launches!

🔗 Registration link in first comment.

Did you know that Laryngeal Dystonia (LD)—formerly called Spasmodic Dysphonia —can also affect the singing voice? This r...
10/08/2025

Did you know that Laryngeal Dystonia (LD)—formerly called Spasmodic Dysphonia —can also affect the singing voice?

This rare condition, known as Singer’s Laryngeal Dystonia (SLD), is a task-specific form of dystonia that impacts professional and avocational singers. Essentially, it's a movement disorder of the vocal folds that results in spasms during voicing or phonation when singing. It can be present in both the speaking voice and the singing voice, but sometimes it ONLY affects the singing voice. The symptoms can be confused by clinicians as "technical problems," making diagnosis and treatment incredibly challenging.

In the earlier years, singing-related symptoms were often dismissed as signs that a person did not have LD or Spasmodic Dysphonia. Thankfully, recognition of this unique condition has grown, and with nearly 21 years of experience working with singers, I’ve seen that while it may not be curable, there are strategies and techniques that help minimize symptoms, allowing singers to keep practicing and performing.

If you suspect that you, a client of yours, or a singer you know may be dealing with this disorder, there is hope for navigating these challenges. Support and strategies are available.

📩 Send us a DM to find out how we can help.

10/06/2025

One of the most powerful tools I’ve discovered in clinical voice therapy? 👉 Reframing negative thoughts about the voice.

It's important to do this mindset work to support the process of recovery and healing. As Voice SLPs and other voice professionals, its our job to not only educate our clients in the recovery process, but to also open their minds to new thought pathways and habits. This can be done with kind, gentle, but firm support and guidance in the therapy and singing studio settings.

The good news? Many clients are ready to embrace positivity and the relationship they have with their voices.

💬 What are some of your favorite reframes and affirmations to use? Share them in the comments.

We had such an incredible turnout for our Closing the Gap: Creaky Voice Techniques for Improving Adduction workshop this...
10/02/2025

We had such an incredible turnout for our Closing the Gap: Creaky Voice Techniques for Improving Adduction workshop this past Friday!

One attendee, who has been navigating muscle tension dysphonia since 2018, shared how transformative the technique felt for them, and we couldn’t be more thrilled!

Huge thanks to for your kind words and for trusting us on your voice journey!

Address

1431 Opus Place, Suite 110
Downers Grove, IL
60515

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 3pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+16304421883

Website

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