Adjunct Associate Professor Jan Baker is a speech pathologist and family therapist with post-graduate qualifications in psychotherapy. Throughout her practice of over 30 years, Jan’s teaching, clinical work and research interests have been focused upon the differential diagnosis and management of organic and functional disorders in adolescents and adults, with recognised specialist knowledge and skills in the area of Psychogenic Voice Disorders. She has also worked extensively with professional voice users such as teachers, actors and singers, and in her capacity as a mezzo-soprano, she has particularly enjoyed performing in the recital and oratorio repertoire.

Jan has lead the field in advocating for the integration of counselling across the full range of communication disorders, and in seeking to understand the psychosocial processes involved in the therapeutic relationship. In her current private practice, now newly based in Sydney, Jan offers services as Consultant in Voice and Counselling for individuals and their families with Acute or Progressive Neurological Disorders including Dementia. She welcomes requests for Second Opinion from Speech Pathologists, Otolaryngologists and other medical specialists, and over the last 5 years Jan has become passionate about offering Relational Supervision of Professional Practice for Speech Pathologists and allied health practitioners. Her book, Psychosocial Perspectives on the Management of Voice Disorders has recently been published in the UK by Compton Publishing (2017) and is also available through Pro-Ed Australia.