Hello!

My name is Kevin Dorman (they/them/their) and I’m the owner and sole practitioner of Prismatic Speech Services. I am a state licensed speech-language pathologist and a member of both the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). As a practitioner, I specialize in transgender vocal training and rehabilitative voice therapy. On this page, I’ll be posting informational articles on a variety of subjects, including the mechanics of speech production, transgender vocal training, Greensboro events, and LGBTQ+ advocacy, as well as answering questions sent in by guests and clients who want my opinion on a certain subject.

Blog Posts Thus Far:

1. What IS a Speech-Language Pathologist?
2. Relax, Take A Breath: The Basics of Respiration
3. Transgender 101: An introduction
4. Gender and Voice Dysphoria
5. What’s the Buzz? An Introduction to Pitch
6. Telepractice: Long-Distance Speech Services
7. 6 Vocal Hygiene Tips You Need To Know!

For this first post, however, I wanted to give you a small introduction to who I am, so you know whose perspective it is you’re reading. I'm not a fan of "emotionless fact listing" as a blogging format, as emotion and empathy are vast components of the work we do here at Prismatic Speech Services. Too often, I feel speech-language pathologists and other healthcare professionals can come across as impersonal and withdrawn from discussing themselves, which only undermines the pursuit of building a trusting, equal relationship between clinician and client. Receiving speech/language intervention (trans vocal training in particular) can be such a vulnerable position to be in. If I ask that of my clients in our sessions the least I can do is return the favor, and during a session is hardly the time to do so!

Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a passion for voice, and this passion has changed and evolved over time as much as I have. When my brother and I were younger, we both worked endlessly on developing an ear for unique voices and replicating them ourselves. My vocal flexibility and range improved as I got older and began stage acting in school and voice acting for animated shorts made by burgeoning animators. I joined an auditioned choir as well as an a capella group as a beatboxing and auxiliary specialist. I figured out that I was bisexual during my senior year, which helped answer a lot of unasked questions I had.

During my undergraduate years at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, I began seeking a more practical application for my vocal prowess. It was my high school theater teacher who encouraged me to investigate speech-language pathology. Upon taking an introductory course, I was head over heels for the field! I had never experienced a science that gripped me as speech-language pathology had - I knew I had to pursue it.

It was at this time that my gender identity began to manifest. I conferred with a close friend of mine, and eventually emerged as the proud non-binary bisexual person you can meet today. This friend would in time become my boyfriend, and more recently, my husband (April 1st, 2017!) Through my Deaf Studies classes and new friendships, I began learning about oppression and intersectional feminism, which greatly influence my approach to life and my career. I left UNCG in May of 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and a Minor in American Sign Language/Deaf Studies.

In my graduate study of Communication Sciences & Disorders at Western Carolina University, I began learning about transgender vocal training, and pursued a specialization in the niche area by seeking experience in voice disorders. I attended conferences, seminars, and workshops centered around the voice. In my clinical practicum (and post-graduate clinical fellowship), I gained experience in a diverse range of speech-language pathology settings, including interning and working in elementary schools, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and hospitals. I worked with many clients with voice disorders and motor speech disorders, such as apraxia of speech, myasthenia gravis, and multiple presentations of dysarthria, to name a few. This implanted in me a multiplicity of skilled intervention techniques and a love of working with a variety of clients. 

In April 2016, I began planning the launch of my private practice to serve the underserved in North Carolina. A full year later, I am proud to say that my efforts have paid off and Prismatic Speech Services is open for business! This does not mean that my learning is finished; speech-language pathology is a field of constant evolution as new research is published and applied to my clinical practice. I am constantly working to improve my clinical skills and bag of tricks, and view every client as a unique opportunity to learn.

If you are interested in receiving services yourself or procuring them for your child or other dependent, do not hesitate to book a free consultation or an assessment! If you are a professional interested in adding me to your referral network, please call Prismatic Speech Services.

I hope to hear from you soon,