EDUCATION
Hofstra University
MA, 2010
Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences
McGill University
MM, 2001
Opera Performance
The Crane School of Music
BM, 1999
Vocal Performance
BRIEF BIO / PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Christine Murphy Estes is a speech-language pathologist who specializes in voice and upper airway disorders, including phonotraumatic injury, neurologic voice disorders, vocal fold paralysis/paresis, chronic cough, Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion, and age-related voice change. Christine joined Westchester Medical Center / The Westchester Institute for Human Development as Lead Voice Specialist in 2022 after an 11-year tenure with Weill Cornell Medical College, where she was a founding member of The Sean Parker Institute for the Voice and helped establish the Institute as a center for quality care and clinical research. A trained classical singer, she has particular interest and expertise in care of the professional voice and she enjoys bridging the medical and performing arts communities to demystify voice injury and seek clarification of common vocal myths. She frequently conducts outreach for vocal training programs, and speaks regularly about clinical research findings at international voice conferences and educational programs.
DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH INTERESTS/ACTIVITIES
Christine is interested in clinical research related to several facets of voice injury, diagnosis, and treatment. Her research ideas are often generated by observations made during evaluation and treatment, by patient-reported functional information, and by questioning vocal myths commonly held in the performing arts community. She is currently investigating treatment pathways and outcomes for performers with history of voice injury, and long-term recurrence rates of phonotraumatic injury. Christine is interested in pursuing study of behavioral voice treatment outcomes for various organic and functional voice disorders, supportive care and advocacy for occupational voice users (e.g. school teachers, group fitness instructors), and methods to improve generalization and transfer of behavioral voice treatment. In her research design, she focuses on multidimensional assessment, including videostroboscopic findings, instrumental findings of acoustic and aerodynamics, audio-perceptual assessment, and patient-reported function.
RESEARCH INTERESTS/ACTIVITIES CATEGORIES
CLINICAL RESEARCH
- Patient-Centered Outcomes
- Clinical research to support or refute commonly held vocal myths
- Behavioral voice treatment outcomes
- Professional voice care outcomes
SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL AND EDUCATION
- Occupational voice injury prevention and treatment / Voice ergonomic risk factors
- Professional voice care treatment pathways
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
Murphy Estes C, Sussman S, Sulica L. (2022). Comprehensive management of the injured singer: From strobe to success. Oral seminar presented at American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention, New Orleans, LA.
Gillespie A, Murphy Estes C, Van Leer E. (2022). Beyond the straw: Getting voice therapy techniques out of the office and into real life. Masterclass presented at American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention, New Orleans, LA.
Sadoughi B, Murphy Estes C. (2022). Vocal health 101 for the singer. Seminar given to The Juilliard School, New York, NY.
Murphy Estes C. (2022). Swelling and singing and steroids: Oh my! Webinar given to Pan American Vocology Association, Virtual webinar.
Murphy Estes C. (2022). Vocal health for the singer from the SLP perspective. Webinar given to CAP21/Molloy College Voice Department, Virtual webinar.
Murphy Estes C. (2021). Steroid treatment of vocal performers: Making evidence-based decisions. Podium presentation presented at The Performing Arts Medical Association Annual Symposium, Virtual Symposium.
Murphy Estes C. (2021). Performers’ perception of vocal function during steroid treatment. Podium presentation presented at The Voice Foundation Symposium, Virtual Symposium.
Murphy Estes C., Roth D. (2021). The bread and butter of voice therapy: Flow, resonance, and transfer. Educational presentation and workshop presented at The Voice Therapy Conference, Virtual Conference.
Murphy Estes C. (2020). Safety of singing on steroids: Testing the truth of received wisdom. Paper presented at American Laryngological Association, Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings, Virtual Meeting.
Estes C. (2019). The name, shame, and blame game: Counseling patients on phonotraumatic injury. Panel presented at The Fall Voice Conference, Dallas, TX.
Sulica L, Estes C. (2019). Vocal health 101. Seminar given to The Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY.
Estes C. (2018). Phonotraumatic injury in fitness instructors. Technical clinical session presented at American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention, Boston, MA.
Sulica L, Estes C. (2019). Vocal health 101. Seminar given to Pace School of Performing Arts, New York, NY.
Estes C. (2017). Phonotraumatic injury in fitness instructors. Paper presented at The Fall Voice Conference, Washington, DC.
Estes C. (2017). A prospective crossover trial of botulinum toxin chemodenervation versus injection augmentation for essential voice tremor. Paper presented at American Laryngological Association, Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings, San Diego, CA.
Estes C. (2016). Strobolaryngoscopic signs in the diagnosis of vocal fold paresis. Paper presented at The Fall Voice Conference, Scottsdale, AZ.
Estes C. (2016). Diagnosis of vocal fold paresis on videostroboscopic examination. Poster presented at American Laryngological Association, Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings, Chicago, IL.
Estes C. (2015). Vocal fold hemorrhage: Incidence, recurrence, and long-term outcomes. Paper presented at The Fall Voice Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
Estes C. (2014). Vocal fold pseudocyst: Behavioral and surgical treatment outcomes. Paper presented at The Fall Voice Conference, San Antonio, TX.
Estes C. (2012). A treatment series of patients with vocal fold pseudocyst. Paper presented at The Fall Voice Conference, New York, NY.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Murphy Estes C, Chadwick K, Sadoughi B, Andreadis K, Sussman S, Sulica L. Performers’ perceptions of vocal function during steroid treatment. Laryngoscope 2022 Dec; 132(12): 2434-2441.
Murphy Estes C, Chadwick K, Sadoughi B, Andreadis K, Sussman S, Sulica L. Prospective evaluation of singing on steroids: Testing the truth of received wisdom. Laryngoscope 2021 Oct; 131(10): 2298-2304.
Murphy Estes C. Performers who teach fitness: Is the survival job a threat to the career? PAVA InFormant 2021; 2(2).
Chadwick K, Simpson CB, McGarey P, Estes C, Nix J, Sulica L. Voice change following testosterone supplementation in women: A multi-institutional case series. Journal of Voice 2021 Nov; 35(6): 936e.1-936.e7.
Estes C, Sadoughi B, Coleman R, D’Angelo D, Sulica L. Phonotraumatic injury in fitness instructors: Risk factors, diagnoses, and treatment methods. Journal of Voice 2020 March; 34(2): 272-279.
Estes C, Sadoughi B, Coleman R, Sarva H, Mauer E, Sulica L. A prospective crossover trial of botulinum toxin chemodenervation versus injection augmentation for essential voice tremor. Laryngoscope 2018 Feb; 128(2): 437-446.
Estes C, Sadoughi B, Mauer E, Christos P, Sulica L. Laryngoscopic and stroboscopic signs in the diagnosis of vocal fold paresis. Laryngoscope 2017 Sep; 127(9): 2100-2105.
Kerwin L, Estes C, Sulica L. Long-term consequences of vocal fold hemorrhage. Laryngoscope 2016 April; 127(4): 900- 906.
Estes C, Sulica L. Vocal fold pseudocyst: A prospective study of surgical outcomes. Laryngoscope 2015 April; 125(4): 913-8.
Estes C, Sulica L. Vocal fold pseudocyst: Results of 46 cases undergoing a uniform treatment algorithm. Laryngoscope 2014 May; 124(5): 1180-6.
Murry T, Estes C. Flexible Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) for the Management of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia. In: Ortega, Monica Saavedra (editor) Treatise of Laryngology, Vocal and Swallowing. Santiago, Chile: Amolca Publishing.
Estes C, Bloom R. Using voice recognition software to treat dysgraphia in a patient with conduction aphasia. Aphasiology 2011 March; 25: 366-385.