Finding your voice: How I deal with Dysarthria

Finding My Voice: A Chatty Cathy’s Fight to Stay Heard

My voice wasn’t just sound—it was my signature. That gritty, raspy tone carried me through every role, from the stage to Sisters to Beverly Hills, 90210. It was the spark in every conversation, the heart of every story I told. I was the ultimate Chatty Cathy, and I loved it. So when I learned that my voice—my essence—was being altered by a new symptom, my world tilted. Devastated doesn’t even cover it. It felt like losing a piece of my soul.

I’ve always thrived on connection, on weaving tales that make people laugh, cry, or lean in closer. But this change brought fear—a quiet, creeping fear that I wouldn’t be me anymore. That fear tried to silence me, to dim the fire of my voice. And let me tell you, it’s a battle to push through that.

But here’s what I’m learning: my voice is more than sound. It’s my spirit, my stories, my refusal to fade. I’m finding new ways to be heard—through words on this blog, through the lessons I share on Preply, through every small, brave moment where I choose to show up. Fear might be loud, but I’m louder. I’m still Chatty Cathy, raspy or not, and I’m rewriting this chapter one word at a time.