Specialized Care For Conditions That Need More Than A General Approach
Heather L. Robinson, MA, CCC-SLP, founded Idaho Face & Voice to serve patients whose conditions require a focused specialist, not a generalist. Most patients arrive via referral from an ENT, pulmonologist, or allergist. Many have been working through the medical system for months or years before reaching speech therapy.
Heather's approach is evidence-based and trauma-informed, and she regularly works with neurodivergent patients, including those with ASD or ADHD, adapting her communication and pacing accordingly. Her services are organized into four treatment tracks. Scroll down to find yours, or contact us to discuss your situation before booking.
Voice Therapy
Heather specializes in the full range of voice disorders, from common concerns like hoarseness and vocal fatigue to complex conditions including vocal fold paralysis, laryngeal dystonias, and gender-affirming voice care. Treatment is built around each patient's specific presentation and goals, starting with vocal health and wellness and moving into physiologic voice exercises and symptomatic techniques. Many patients arrive after years of managing around a voice that isn't working the way it should. Learn more about Heather's clinical background →
Conditions treated - Hoarseness, voice loss, vocal fatigue, throat discomfort or pain, difficulty projecting due to Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD), the "aging voice" (Presbyphonia), Laryngeal Dysptonia (formerly Spasmodic Dysphonia), Vocal Cord Nodules and Polyps, Vocal Fold Paralysis, Laryngeal Granulomas and Cysts, Reflux (GERD / LPRD), Subglottic Stenosis, Gender-Affirming Voice and Communication
Breathing Retraining Therapy
Breathing dysfunction is often misdiagnosed or attributed entirely to asthma, particularly when symptoms don't fully respond to medication. Heather works with patients experiencing breathing pattern disorders, exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO), inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO), and Long COVID-related respiratory changes. Treatment uses behavioral and neuromuscular techniques to retrain laryngeal and breathing patterns that have become dysregulated, often after illness, stress, or prolonged compensation. She also sees a notable number of adolescents and teenagers presenting with breathing and vocal cord issues related to anxiety.
Conditions treated - Asthma, Breathing Pattern Disorders, Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction - EILO, Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction - ILO (formerly Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement or Vocal Cord Dysfunction), Dysfunctional Breathing, Long COVID
Cough Suppression Therapy | Upper Airway Management
Chronic cough is one of the most undertreated conditions in upper airway care. Patients often cycle through GI specialists, allergists, and pulmonologists for years before reaching a speech-language pathologist, even though behavioral cough suppression therapy is among the most effective evidence-based treatments available. Heather has deep expertise in Irritable Larynx Syndrome, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and the full upper airway management picture, and coordinates closely with referring providers throughout treatment. Learn more about Irritable Larynx Syndrome →
Conditions treated - Chronic Cough, Chronic throat clearing, Globus Pharyngeus (lump in throat sensation), Irritable Larynx Syndrome - ILS, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - GERD, Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease - LPRD
Facial Retraining Therapy
Facial nerve injury affects far more than appearance. Patients dealing with Bell's palsy, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, skull base tumors, or other causes of facial palsy often face challenges with eating, drinking, speaking, and protecting their eye, alongside the emotional weight of changes to their expression. Heather's facial retraining approach addresses both the functional and quality-of-life dimensions of recovery, using neuromuscular techniques to support rebalancing and long-term improvement.
Conditions treated - Facial paralysis / paresis (weakness) and synkinesis ("cross wiring") due to Bell's Palsy, tumors of the skull base, facial nerve, or parotid gland, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, Lyme disease, Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome, Other infectious, inflammatory and/or metabolic disorders
Ready To Take The Next Step?
Idaho Face & Voice is located in Boise on West Overland Road, and offers both in-office and video visits for patients throughout Idaho.
If you've found your condition in the list above, Heather has worked with it before.
