CASE STUDY: Lisp Correction for a Young Professional

Many of our clients have expressed that they’re often hyper-aware of their “lisp” and, therefore, feel embarrassed or scared of others noticing it. Some of them have had prior speech therapy as kids but did not have much success. That’s why you may have questions about what to expect in a Speechaus lisp therapy session as an adult!

Joshua first encountered Speechaus when googling lisp therapy options for adults. He came across our Clear Speech Test, which involves completing several video recordings and then meeting with one of the speech pathologists for feedback about the findings. He decides to give it a go since he wants to chat with someone about it and get specific recommendations.

During Joshua’s strategy feedback session with one of the Speechaus speech pathologists, he learned that his specific lisp occurs because his tongue pushes too far forward against the front teeth, resulting in a “dampened” sound signal. To his surprise, this also meant that his ‘z’ sounds were also affected (as many English words are spelt with the letter ‘s’, even though they are ‘z’ sounds!). He appreciates the detailed explanations about the physiology and phonetic placement of sounds.

Joshua wants to know what he can expect from lisp therapy and how online speech therapy sessions work. He wants to ensure that lisp correction can be effective as an adult. Joshua discovers that online sessions work equally well as in-person sessions. All you need is an internet connection and somewhere quiet to complete them.

Joshua proceeds with five sessions (Silver Lisp program) and attends weekly to build momentum. In each session, he has a chance to drill his new sound clarity goals, guided by his speech therapist’s precise instructions and practical visual diagrams. Joshua rapidly secures a concrete understanding of where to put his tongue.

He achieves a clear-sounding ‘s’ sound, and once ready, his speech therapist helps him increase the challenge—moving sounds on their own to words, sentences, and everyday speaking. Joshua continues implementing his goals between appointments, practising with the Speechaus Practice Platform resources between his appointments.

At the end of the lisp program, Joshua has made progress with pronouncing the ‘s’ sound AND the ‘z’ sound and applies his new corrected sounds to more conversational tasks. Joshua also shares that he no longer swaps out or avoids words out of fear of looking “unprofessional.” He opts to return for review sessions in the future, but now he’s more confident and independent in taking charge of his speaking clarity!

If you’re also looking for a team of speech pathologists who have specific expertise in lisp reduction for adults, look no further! We’re passionate about empowering you to succeed with confidence when communicating.