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Testimonials
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Dr. Cooper reports cures, recoveries and improvements for all types of Spasmodic Dysphonia for over 25 years. Dr. Cooper has solved the medical spasmodic mystery by a simple unique voice solution called Direct Voice Rehabilitation. He has altered the lives of so many people. Read the testimonials from his biggest fans - his patients.
 "Mort Cooper is a voice genius. Finding a new method to help people to discover the innate power of their own voices and speech has made him the foremost speech therapist in the world."
-Harold Robbins,
Best Selling Author
 ". . . The McEnroe of voice coaches. . ."
-Rob Lowe
 "Finally! I've found someone who knows what they're doing -- he made my voice come alive -- it now has so much color-- the answer to my prayers! . . . I walked into his office with a thin nasal voice and am walking out with a sultry, sexy, resonant voice. He's wonderful!"
-Sela Ward
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Rabbi Richard Allen, Ph.D.
For the last twenty-one years I have been the Cantor of one of the largest (Reform) congregations in the U.S. In that capacity I have had to sing on Friday evening, Saturday morning and very often Saturday afternoon services. In addition I have had to sing sometimes two weddings on the weekend.
It goes without saying that I have to be in good voice all the time. This is not always the case, I am only human. But I try.
About six years ago I called Dr. Morton Cooper, the finest speech pathologist (an anathema to most laryngologists) in the country. I had worked with him in 1985 after a vocal fold paralysis. He literally gave me back my voice in 1985. I have not had a problem singing or speaking since.
About eight years ago I called Mort, with whom I have a very close and good relationship. I complained about "the allergies that were driving me crazy and preventing my singing well in the morning." Morton told me to go to a physician-directed exercise program at a local hospital to learn how to work out properly. He predicted that my allergies, which are quite real, would bother me no longer and that I would reap great benefits from the aerobic exercise.
Those of you who get the Journal of Singing (formerly the NATS Bulletin), may have read his articles on "Vocal Suicide in the Speaking Voice of Singers," "Vocal Suicide in the Speaking Voice of Actors," etc., and many other articles as well as books know whereof I speak.
His first mass-market book was Change Your Voice, Change Your Life. It is excellent and still in paperback. His latest is Stop Committing Voice Suicide. I'm not advertising for Dr. Cooper. He doesn't need it. He is called "The Voice Coach to the Stars." It is quite excellent. The list of hollywood personalities and stars he has helped would blow your minds.
If you don't believe me, read Jerry Hines book, Great Singers on Great Singing. Jerry devotes a chapter to Mort Cooper because Mort gave him back his voice as well.
RICHARD ALLEN, Ph.D. |
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Ann Allred
September 15, 2004
My name is Ann Allred. In September 2002, I started having tightness in my throat when I would try to speak. It didn’t happen every time I spoke but it did get progressively worse.
I went to many doctors and I was given many different diagnoses such as postnasal drip, throat infection and laryngitis. I was tested for allergic reactions to my animals. I was given Nexium and Prednisone for several weeks to rule out GERD.
I was completely frustrated by this point I started to believe I must have a mystery medical condition that even the best doctors couldn’t figure out.
By January 2003, my voice was completely gone. It felt as though I was being strangled each time I tried to speak. I had a husband, two children, a full time job and literally no voice. This meant I couldn’t answer the ringing phone at work I was embarrassed to help the customers that came to the counter as they were sure to have a remark or two, such as “Are you still sick?”. I missed parent teacher conferences and my kids’ field trips because I couldn’t communicate with other people. I wasn’t able to ask for directions or even order for myself in a restaurant.
Months and months had passed by and I was still no better than when it first happened to me. I was very depressed and in despair.
I went to another local ENT doctor and what I assumed would be another misdiagnosis. Right away, Dr. Tsou said he thought I had Spasmodic Dysphonia. He told me there was no cure but I might get some relief from Botox injected in my vocal cords. Dr. Tsou referred me to Loma Linda Hospital in California. By now I have been without my voice for nearly six months and I was willing to try most anything.
During my visit at Loma Linda I had an extensive examination with Dr. Kim, ENT. He had me do various exercises such as hum and sing Happy Birthday. I couldn’t do either and I would open my mouth and nothing would come out. He did a scope down my throat as I had had done many times before by other doctors. Nothing was found and he was leaning toward the diagnosis of SD. To be sure he set up another extensive examination with Loma Linda’s Speech Pathologist, Dr. Linda D’Antonio. At the end of the exam she diagnosed me with Muscle Tension Dysphonia. She recommended I see a speech therapist.
This took several months to set up and get approved by insurance and it was rapidly approaching one year that I had spoken a single word.
The speech therapy was finally underway in October 2003 and after several months of intensive therapy my therapist recommended I see Dr. Cooper, because we weren’t getting very far.
After a brief telephone conversation with Dr. Cooper he said he couldn’t diagnose me over the phone but he told me it certainly sounded like I had SD. I was unable to afford Dr. Cooper’s fees but had come across the National Spasmodic Foundation Group. I was in real need of support, just one person who could understand what I was going through. This group became friendly towards me right away and soon I started attending their monthly support group in Loma Linda. This group is where they teach that SD is a Dystonia, and there I no cure. Botox is the only answer according to them.
A neurologist spoke at the support group one afternoon and he said there would never be a cure of SD as the problem is in the Basal Ganglia. When I mentioned Dr. Cooper’s name, people that I hadn’t even met were emailing me begging me not to waste my time or money with Dr. Cooper. The support group said that they had no reported recoveries from Dr. Cooper because there is no cure for SD. They also mentioned if anyone says they have a cure, run for the hills, because they are trying to rip you off.
So considering all the factors and not being able to pay Dr. Cooper’s fees I decided to take another look at the Botox option and exclude Dr. Cooper completely.
One afternoon out of the blue Dr. Cooper called me and said “I know I can help you if you will give me at least two weeks of your time.” He also said he understood my financial situation and he would work with me. I gladly agreed. I believe in fate because I was scheduled to have Botox the week of his call.
I am glad to say I never needed a single dose of Botox and within three full days of Dr. Cooper’s techniques and exercises I was talking in my normal voice again. I stayed the full two weeks and I kept practicing what he gave me. I believe I no longer have SD. I went an entire year and one-half without my voice and when I called home the first time with my “new voice” my family was in tears. My customers stop me all the time and want to know how I got my voice back. They agree with me that Dr. Cooper is nothing short of Amazing.
I have my life back and I can’t thank Dr. Cooper enough.
Sincerely,
Ann Allred |
Lisa Andreson
The following is an open letter written by patient Lisa Andreson after she completed Direct Voice Rehabilitation in 1980.
To Whom it May Concern:
A few years ago, because of voice misuse, my vocal cords became very weak and when I would speak, I would lose ends of words and sentences. My voice was very much lower all of a sudden (to this day I blame it on the birth control pill). Anyway, I went to an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor in Beverly Hills. I was diagnosed with Spastic Dysphonia and told that if I didn't get better, I might have to have a throat operation.
The Doctor told me to "do things you like to do, play tennis, jog, whatever you like.I am going to prescribe Valium." Soon afterwards I started to pursue an acting career. When I was being critiqued after some scene work, I mentioned that I was having trouble with my voice. One of the students recommended that I go and see Dr. Morton Cooper.
When I went to Dr. Cooper, he told me that my voice was coming from the throat and that I was using shallow breathing. He simply taught me how to breathe from the diaphragm and to raise my voice up into the face mask area.
I later went to Europe to Drama School, where I again was taught this very same method diaphragm breathing and resonance from the lips and face mask area.
Whenever I slip back to a low voice (usually out of laziness), doing the simple voice placement exercises - humming, etc., always works. These voice methods are no secret. They are taught world wide. I attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Personally, I think that it is inappropriate to offer an operation as an alternative to this condition of Spasmodic Dysphonia. I met several people who had this operation ... and they were absolutely no better.
Finally, I think that Dr. Morton Cooper is practicing in a very simple, straightforward and effective way - which works, and can be backed up by any legitimate voice coach.
Sincerely,
LISA ANDRESON |
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Dear Dr. Cooper,
"Please add another success story . . .mine. It’s been 15 months since my time with you in California. My life is so different now. I have recovered my voice and now I answer the phone, and have confidence in meeting new people and speaking in a group. I have a voice!! I am so happy. . “
-- Angela |
Earl Avila
As the speech community has no idea of your methods of voice rehabilitation, nor do they seem to endorse it, it will be a shame when you leave the field as there is no one, I know, who will be able to help patients such as myself and the countless others I’ve met at your office, talked to, read testimonies about, and have been told about. I’ve met patients, in your office, who have been everywhere without help. By the time many of these patients end up at your office they have been to numerous medical facilities and/or professionals seeking help with their voices and are at wits end. I’ve seen them come in with little to no voice, not knowing who to trust based on their prior medical treatment, and with negative attitudes that their cases are hopeless. I know I’m one of them. I’ve seen them make wonderful progress in regaining their real voices. Some progress very quickly, others take time. It’s my opinion that the ones who get in early have a better chance of making quick progress, while the ones who, by that time they find you and have suffered voice problems for many years (15 plus years), damaged their cords as a result, and adapted various unnatural methods of trying to talk to compensate for their vocal problem can take longer to rehabilitate their voices, however, your methods still work on the cases considered hopeless. My case was considered hopeless and I have been and am continuing to make good progress in getting my voice back. I’ve gone from using an electro larynx to speak to using my own voice again. I still have a long ways to go, but, am delighted I’m making progress where I was led to believe it was hopeless for myself short of a voice box transplant (which wasn’t an option at the time).
Anyway, it’s a shame the medical community doesn’t endorse your methods and to my thinking a crime their not interested in learning and preserving your lifetime knowledge of voice rehabilitation to help other hopeless patients both now and when you leave this field. They do still hold on to their methods, which are failures for the patients I’ve met in your office who have tried them with unfavorable results.
Thanks for the voice help, |
Rosanne B.
KIDS HAVE VOICE PROBLEMS TOO AND ARE CURED It was nice hearing your distinctive voice again. It's been many years since I brought my two young boys to you for vocal therapy, however the memory remains, since your therapy was so effective. You may recall back some 15 years ago, when I brought my two boys into the doctor for what at the time was severe hoarseness. At first I thought it was their allergies but the doctor told me they had vocal nodules and would need surgery to correct the problem. He went on to say they would need therapy to correct the way they used their voices. I can't recall how I came to your office, however I'm grateful I did. They began therapy with you and of course you know that surgery ultimately was not necessary. When I asked my young sons what this doctor was teaching you, my youngest son Jeremy, now 23 told me "Oh nothing much mom, he tells me to hum and then takes me to McDonalds." At the time I thought it was odd, this humming thing, but as I look back it makes sense. When I look back on some of the experiences I had as a single parent in Los Angeles, I'm grateful to you for fixing my boys vocal problems and spending quality time with them at a time in their lives when it had great meaning. You have my permission to share this story in print or otherwise, since it is so simple and out of the "mouth of babes". Thank you for everything, and good luck with your work!
Rosanne B. |
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"Your techniques work wonders...it's like a miracle!"
--The Reverend James Johnson, Poplar Grove, IL - Cured of SD over 25 years
“After a miserable respiratory flu brought on two bouts of laryngitis, Dr. Cooper helped me regain my confidence to use my voice with power and range. I am grateful for his sensitive and concerned intervention.”
-- Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Internationally syndicated radio talk show host
"I'm a fan of your work, and I've heard great things about you"
-- Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of Fox Network News
"He added 20 years to my singing voice"
--Jerome Hines
"...Dr. Cooper's techniques changed my whole approach to using my voice. Almost by magic, my voice problems disappeared... Dr. Cooper is the real deal"
--Shadoe Stevens, TV/Radio Personality - Cured of SD for over 20 years
"...Before you think of surgery, think of Dr. Cooper's 'magic' cure; it even astounds the doctors..."
--Gershon Lesser, M.D. - Host of "The Health Connection"
"...of all Voice Disorders, Dr. Cooper's methods seemed essentially quite simple, but they worked ..."
-- Henry J. Rubin, M.D. (Retired) - UCLA School of Medicine - Head & Neck Division
"He turned my whole life around."
--Marjorie Whitman, Homemaker - Cured of SD
"Dr. Cooper is terrific. He has done wonders with my voice. Now if he can only do something with the other parts of my body."
--Jan Murray, Comedian
 "Dr. Cooper put me on the right track -- for a better voice."
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Dr. Cooper is a remarkable voice and speech doctor. As the Director of Adults Stutterers Group in 1957 ,he was able to help cure stuttering according to Dr. Anderson, speech pathology division. His books talk of his many accomplishments. Some patients call Dr. Cooper 'A Miracle Voice and Speech Doctor'. He has treated thousands of voice problems with outstanding successes and has been featured in medical, scientific and academic journals. Dr. Cooper has been in practice for half a decade. If you have been told that your voice problem is incurable, contact Dr. Cooper for a voice consultation.
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