New Year. New Me?

Hello my name is Beth….

I’m a VoiceOver artist AND a Speech and Language Therapist!

Do you do the whole “new year new me” thing? Usually I’ll make and break a few lowkey resolutions each year but for the first time this January I haven’t really done it.  Last year was particularly exhausting what with planning a wedding, various illnesses, finishing my masters and then actually having a wedding; I was pleased just to make it to through to be honest!

But, a week into January, now I think about - this year IS a new me. I’ve retrained, graduated and got my new job in a brand new second career. I am now a Speech and Language Therapist, proudly working for the NHS. I’m working part-time at a local hospital and then continuing voiceover work part-time as well.

I find it scary talking about it because I’ve always found it hard to identify myself as a professional - ever since becoming self employed nearly 15 years ago! I’ve always been a voiceover artist AND… First a broadcast assistant at the BBC, then a local TV presenter, a podcaster, and finally a radio presenter. It was only during the pandemic that I was “just” one thing, and frankly, it felt like something was missing. I’m just happier wearing many hats…and after all, those hats are all of similar materials!

But what of this new hat? There’s definitely overlap in the world of speech therapy and VoiceOver. Vocal health for one, articulation techniques, understanding the nuances of speech sounds through the phonemic alphabet (nerd alert!) along with great communication  skills and public speaking. My distinction in a Masters of Science (flex!) and firsthand knowledge of the our healthcare system has helped me land new clients in the world of medical voiceover. There’s also a heap of brand new skills, and brand new clients. I’ve voiced for a kids speech app teaching the intricacies of speech-sound development; I also present social media explainers for a local speech and language company. During my days at the hospital I work with really poorly people, all with some sort of acquired swallowing or communication disorder. I’m out of the booth, and onto the wards - and so far I’ve found it incredibly fulfilling.

I’m only a few months into my double life and there’s a lot of unknowns. But for now I step into 2025 with a little of the old, and a lot of the new. Wish me luck.