Gender Affirming Voice and Communication Training is a personalised program aimed at helping individuals align their voice and communication style with their gender identity. It goes beyond traditional speech therapy, focusing on the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. This program addresses the multifaceted aspects of communication, including voice modulation, speech patterns, and non-verbal cues.

Kate Walker

Kate Walker is the Speech Pathologist on our team who specialises in delivering this program.

Kate (she/they) is the founder of affirm & thrive . She is a Certified Praciticing Speech Pathologist, Naturopath, Sound Therapist and LGBTQIA+ Advocate.
Her background in music theatre led her down the path of Speech Pathology and she has now been working in the field for over 14 years. Kate has had a diverse career working in voice, swallowing, and upper airway disorders in acute, rehabilitation and community settings. Their love of voice and passion for LGBTQIA+ advocacy made working in the gender-affirming space a natural progression.

In 2020, alongside Northside Health NT and with the support of the La Trobe Voice and Communication Clinic, they set up the first Gender Voice Clinic in Darwin after seeing a big gap in services. She has also worked with the Gender Voice Centre providing online services to transgender and non-binary folk.

As a qualified Naturopath Kate brings a holistic approach to all that she does. She believes that a healthy body requires a healthy community to live in – and sees her role as tending to both the individual and the collective. Kate takes a neuro-affirming approach and aims to provide a safe and welcoming environment for neurodivergent people.

Kate’s vision for affirm & thrive is to provide the space for LGBTQIA+ folk to thrive in body, mind and spirit.

It is their mission to ensure every LGBTQIA+ individual sees that their uniqueness is their biggest strength and to support each individual to live in alignment with themselves.

To make an appointment, please contact our City West clinic on (08) 8302 0986, or email citywesthealth@unisa.edu.au.

Toni Slotnes-OBrien is a Nurse Practitioner, providing a range of gender-affirming care.
Notably, Toni is able to prescribe Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy pharmaceuticals.

Toni is able to provide many services that are otherwise usually provided by General Practitioners.

Open to over 18 patients

Provider of Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy using informed consent model of care
low/no/NDIS cost options

Toni offers bulk-billed 40 min appointments.