Individual Adult Coaching

I find it fascinating when people tell me they don’t have an accent.

But the reality is that we all have one.

An accent is the way a particular group of people pronounces their language. It’s how you sound when you speak. It involves characteristics such as stress, rhythm, tones, and inflection. Your accent develops because of where you live or geographical location, your social circles, culture, and ethnicity.

There are two different types of accents. One is a regional accent that is related to a person’s location. For example, in the United States accents are different across America. We have a primary one called the general American dialect that is spoken by most people in the U.S. However, we also have regional accents such as the Southern accent and a Northeastern accent (like New York or Boston).

My accent coaching clients often express some or all the following concerns about their accent:

“I’m not sure if I’m pronouncing my words correctly…”
“I’m fluent in English, but people still don’t understand me…”
“It’s frustrating when I have to keep repeating myself…”
“I don’t like speaking on the phone…”
“I need to speak better for a promotion at work…”
“I want to be able to turn my accent on and off depending on who I speak to…”
“I want to ace that job interview (or presentation or public speaking event) …”
“I want to meet new people and expand my social circle, but I’m not sure they’ll understand me…”
“My job as a [doctor, professor, broadcast journalist, actor, public speaker, etc.) requires me to speak clearly for my audience. Can you help me?”

Your confidence and self-esteem can take a hit…

When clients first come to me, they are experiencing a lack of self-confidence or self-esteem because of the way they talk.

They are fully aware that others may not understand them easily. They avoid conversations or keep quiet at important meetings even when they actually have something meaningful to say.

Many are nervous or anxious at the thought of speaking up, because they anticipate others will not understand them.

Some clients even feel that it hinders their social life when meeting new people.

…but help is here.

Excellent speech intelligibility is a valuable skill in all types of settings. Being able to express yourself clearly at work, school, or a social gathering gives you the confidence to move through these environments with grace and confidence.

Working on your speaking skills now will last a lifetime.

I am certified in the Compton P-ESL program for accent reduction and modification. First, we will assess your pronunciation of American speech sounds and record you to determine a baseline starting point. From there, we will design a program to target each of those sounds on a weekly basis. The length of the program lasts approximately 8-13 weeks depending on your personal goals.

Accent coaching looks at how you articulate different sounds…

…the stress and rhythm of your words, and the way you sound overall when you speak naturally in a conversation. When you come in to see me, it is important to know what kind of communication problems you are experiencing and what your end goals are.

This information is used to help change your accent accordingly. We will not erase your cultural background or what makes you, you. Instead, we will work on goals that will help you learn ways to make your speaking skills “listener-friendly.”

As you start to learn the correct articulation of American English consonants and vowels, your speaking skills will gradually change with hard work, consistent practice, and determination. The fact that you are here looking for a change already tells me that you are ready to put in the work.

Together, we’ll improve your pronunciation and speech intelligibility to your satisfaction.

I offer a free 20-minute consultation to chat and answer any of your questions. I also like to ensure that my style and curriculum are a good fit for you.

You can call me at (720) 808-0450 to set up a consultation or feel free to complete my contact form below. I will reach out to you in a timely manner.