In order to improve our services, we regularly ask our customers for their feedback.
Here are some of the comments we received from our customers.
Children
Parent of a First-Grade Girl
My first-grade daughter was having difficulties pronouncing the Japanese syllables "sa-shi-su-se-so."
After receiving feedback from her school, we sought help from the city's developmental counseling center. We were told there was a six-month wait for the training, so we were referred to this counseling room. The therapist was kind and listened carefully to my daughter's perspective, which gave me great peace of mind. She practiced for about 10 minutes every day at home, and her pronunciation improved dramatically! My daughter said she gained confidence reading her textbooks aloud, and loved the therapist. When she finished all of the lessons and graduated, she even seemed sad and didn't want her lessons to end. I'm so glad we were able to make such early improvements, and I'd like to recommend Yanagi sensei to any moms out there who have the same concerns.
Parent of 6year-old boy
My child was about to take elementary school entrance exams, and during an interview, the preschool teacher pointed out that he was having trouble pronouncing the Japanese syllables "ki," "gi," "shi," and "ji" properly, and that he needed to address these issues.
My child was about to take elementary school entrance exams, and during the interview, the preschool pointed out that he had difficulty pronouncing sounds like "ki," "gi," "shi," and "ji" and that he needed to work on this. The preschool recommended this service, and we quickly began training. First, the therapist carefully consulted with us about his speech, thoroughly checked his mouth and tongue movements, and I could see that she was tailoring the program to suit each child. She designed the training so that even children could concentrate, and she explained to me each time why the training was necessary, which was very reassuring. Thanks to them, he was accepted into his desired school, and we are truly grateful.
Parent of a second-grade girl
I had visited several hospitals to improve my child's speech, but it was difficult to find a therapist who could provide speech training for children.
I had tried various things on my own, but it wasn't helping, so I happened to find this service online. The therapist was very good, and the training was more specialized than I expected. I realized that I should have left it to a professional from the beginning. Since then, my child and I have been enjoying each online lesson. My child's progress has been so rapid that it seems he's gained confidence, and she's now able to give lively school presentations!
Adult
Female Vocal Instructor, in her 60s
After undergoing vocal nodule removal surgery, my doctor diagnosed me with functional dysphonia and referred me to Yanagi sensei.
I struggled to speak (I could only produce a few low notes) and was completely unable to sing. After three months of receiving various methods of instructions however, I was able to sing almost three octaves. During that time, I was mentally unstable, but her encouragement and support helped me stay positive. I am also grateful for the hospital referral, as she viewed images of my vocal cords during my consultations, and for provided me with home practice notes each time, which made reviewing my lessons easy. I am truly grateful to be able to return to my work as a vocal instructor and to resume performing.
Male, announcer, in his 50s
I started coming to this clinic to improve my habit of clenching my throat when reading texts, which had become a habit.
Her evidence-based instruction is always convincing, and her patience, in repeated trial and error sessions to help me find the right combination, has consistently led to improvement. Due to the nature of vocal training, it's rare for improvement to occur in just one or two sessions, but her constant and compassionate instruction and her ability to work alongside clients is what makes this clinic so appealing. She also teaches me how to control my voice on my own and guides me toward independence.
Female, Office Worker, in her 40s (Hobbies: Band, Streaming)
I've taken voice lessons at a few places before, but much of the instruction was based on intuition, so I didn't really understand what the goal was or what it meant to be successful.
However, Yanagi sensei's approach as a speech-language-hearing pathologist explains the "function" of vocal production from an anatomical perspective, making it easy to visualize which parts of the body to move and how. I realized that by repeatedly practicing using my throat correctly, I could achieve correct vocalization. In fact, within six months of starting classes, I was able to expand my range by seven semi-tones.
Male, sales position, in his 50s
I live in Ibaraki prefecture and have been suffering from a hoarse voice for many years, so I went to a specialized hospital in Tokyo. I received vocal cord surgery and although the postoperative
progress was favorable, I was told I needed rehabilitation. When I explained to the doctor that visiting the hospital was difficult due to the long distance and the need for time off work, my doctor introduced me to Yanagi sensei's online rehabilitation program. It was extremely helpful to be able to learn about vocal cord care and practice vocal production from the comfort of my own home, and to have my doctor provide professional medical support. Unlike hospitals, there are no wait times, and as long as I have my smartphone, I can receive rehabilitation while traveling or in my car. Considering the money and time saved from transportation cost, I think the cost is quite reasonable.
Case Study: <Recommendations for Online Lessons>
Here are some cases where patients have experienced improvements in their voice, pronunciation, and speaking style through online lessons, enriching their lives. (Photos are for illustrative purposes only.)
Case 1: My improved voice led to better performance at work! --Case of a Man in His 40s--
This office worker had been troubled by hoarseness and difficulty producing voice for years, so he visited a hospital in Tokyo and was diagnosed with a condition called thinning of his vocal cords. His doctor recommended rehabilitation to improve his vocal production, and he began vocal rehabilitation. Since he had always loved talking and singing, he was determined to get his voice back. He undertook rehabilitation once or twice a month and worked hard at home practicing the exercises I taught him. The results gradually became apparent over the course of several months. After that, his condition fluctuated, but after about a year, he was able to produce a voice that he was satisfied with. Since then, he has received compliments at karaoke and has become more proactive and confident at work, answering the phone, and other tasks. Perhaps because his voice had improved, he was able to think of new ways to please customers at work. As a result, his business performance improved, and he reportedly won his first award in an in-house contest. He seemed overjoyed and said he would continue to take care of his voice and work hard.
Case 2: Pronunciation improved and he's more talkative! - 5-year-old boy -
"He's five, but he still can't say 'ka, ku, ke, ko,'" the mother said, worriedly, and came to us for advice. When we checked his speech, we found that all of the sounds "ka, ku, ke, ko" had been pronounced "tachi, tsu, te, to." The boy himself was aware of his pronunciation issues, and since his name included the "ka" sound, which he struggled with, he would look in the mirror every day and wonder, "When will I be able to say my name properly?" After consulting with his mother, we decided to start pronunciation practice and have him attend lessons once a week. At first, he was shy and reluctant to speak, fidgeting. However, as he began to improve through the lessons, he became more confident and began to speak more proactively with a smile. His awareness of language also seemed to have increased, as he learned the names of the fish at the aquarium, became interested in letters, and began asking the names of everything, asking, "What's that?" Thanks to daily practice at home, he was able to speak completely normally within about eight months. After his speech improved, he actively invited everyone to play at nursery school and became so relaxed and cheerful that it seemed as if his personality had changed.
Case 3: A Man in His 20s Whose Stuttering Has Become Less Relieved
Since childhood, he had experienced difficulty starting sentences. It had always bothered him, but he didn't seek medical advice or seek medical advice. After entering the workforce, he struggled to pronounce the first "o" in "Thank you for your continued support" on the phone, and he struggled to pronounce company names properly. What was particularly striking was when, during our first lesson, he tearfully recounted the pain he'd endured due to his stutter. He shared with us how his stuttering had repeatedly led him to deny himself, hold back what he wanted to say, and been misunderstood. From there, we discussed how to address his stuttering together. We decided on a strategy of practicing to help him speak more comfortably, even if it didn't completely cure him. He began practicing twice a month. He diligently completed his daily home practice routine, and within the first two months, he reported that his speech and mood improved slightly. After another two to three months, he began incorporating the voice and speech techniques into everyday conversations, and he began to speak more comfortably. While his stuttering itself did not improve completely, he said it was good that he was able to speak more comfortably despite his stuttering and that he had the reassurance of knowing he had a place to talk about it. He also gained insight into how to deal with his stuttering in the future, and the training concluded, with him no longer worrying so much. He now feels able to speak without nervousness, even when reporting something to his superiors at work.
Improvements in voice and speech not only have a positive impact on many people's lives and mental health. In the case of children, it will not only stimulate their intellectual curiosity, but also give them the experience of a sense of accomplishment through hard work.
This goes beyond simple "speech practice" and may contain the key to enriching your daily life.
If you are struggling, please feel free to contact us about any concerns, no matter how small.
*The effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation varies from person to person. This article is a case study provided for reference only, and does not guarantee the effectiveness of treatment or rehabilitation.