CLINICAL SPECIALTY - MEDICAL SPEECH THERAPY
End the chronic cough that no one else has been able to fix.
Specialized for adults who’ve tried everything else.
If you’ve seen your ENT, your gastroenterologist, your pulmonologist, and your primary care doctor, and you’re still coughing, the actual problem may not be where everyone has been looking. The Chronic Cough Program identifies the real cycle and breaks it, usually in just a few sessions.
- Most cases resolve in a few months
- Telehealth available across Washington State
- Evidence-based methods
WHO THIS IS FOR
Does any of this sound familiar?
The Chronic Cough Program is built for adults who’ve been dealing with a cough that won’t quit, despite trying everything else.
You're in the right place if:
- You (or your loved one) have been coughing for months or years, and nobody has been able to tell you why.
- You've seen your ENT, gastroenterology, pulmonology, primary care, and possibly allergy.
- You've tried prescription medications, cough suppressants, or proton pump inhibitors without lasting relief.
- The coughing is affecting your sleep, your work, your relationships, or your ability to be in public spaces.
- Your spouse or family is concerned (or, honestly, annoyed) by the constant coughing and throat clearing.
- You (or someone you love) feel like you've been told there's nothing left to try.
If you nodded along to any of these, the Chronic Cough Program was built for you.
The chronic cough cycle
- Something irritates your throat. Acid reflux. A virus. Post-nasal drip. Dry air.
- You cough or clear your throat repeatedly to try to make it stop.
- The repetition irritates your vocal folds, which produce more phlegm.
- More phlegm means more coughing. The cycle reinforces itself.
WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING
Most chronic coughs are habitual cycles, not active medical problems.
By the time you’ve seen four specialists, the original cause of your cough may be long gone. What’s left is the cycle: throat clearing, vocal fold irritation, phlegm production, more coughing. Round and round.
“The medications were treating something that wasn’t there anymore. The cough was a habit, and habits don’t respond to prescriptions.”
The Chronic Cough Program breaks the cycle directly using specific techniques (the silent cough, the hard swallow) combined with practical changes (acid reflux management, alginate supplementation when appropriate) so your body can finally heal.
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS
The Chronic Cough Program is structured to identify what’s actually happening, teach you the techniques to break the cycle, and confirm the results hold. Patients are seen weekly for the first 3 sessions, then spaced every 2 to 3 weeks as the new habits take hold — a full course of about 2 months, with maximum benefit typically reached by 8 to 10 weeks.
01
SESSION 1
Comprehensive Evaluation
A 60-minute deep dive into what's actually triggering and reinforcing your cough. We look at vocal fold irritation, acid reflux patterns, breathing mechanics, throat-clearing habits, and environmental factors. You leave with a clear understanding of what's happening and the plan we'll work on next.
02
SESSIONS 2-3
Targeted Intervention
Weekly 30-45 minute sessions teaching you the specific techniques that break the cycle. We address acid reflux with practical GERD/LPR management and alginate supplementation recommendations when appropriate.
03
EVERY 2-3 WEEKS
Tapered Follow-Up
Follow-up visits space out to every 2 to 3 weeks as you confirm the techniques are holding in daily life. Most clients complete the full course in about 2 months, with maximum benefit typically reached by 8 to 10 weeks.
WHAT CHANGES
By the end of the program, most clients report meaningful relief from the coughing and the secondary issues that came with it. Here’s what tends to shift first.
Less coughing, less throat clearing.
The cycle that's been running on autopilot for months or years begins to break by Session 2 or 3. You'll notice the silence between coughs starts getting longer.
Sleep without interruption.
For many of our clients, nighttime coughing has been disrupting sleep for years. Once the cycle breaks, deeper, longer sleep returns, often within a few weeks.
Confidence in conversations and meetings.
No more dreading the next coughing fit during a presentation, a dinner, or a phone call. You'll get your voice back at work and at home.
Relief at home, too.
Most of our clients tell us their spouse or family member is just as happy as they are when the coughing settles down. It's a real quality-of-life shift for the whole household.
The Breakthrough Chronic Cough Program
Specialized speech therapy that resolves what other treatments haven’t.
- Comprehensive 60-minute evaluation
- Targeted intervention and follow-up sessions over ~2 months
- Personalized home practice
- Written GERD diet protocol and alginate guidance
- Telehealth available across WA state, no travel required
If we’re in network with your insurance, we’ll gladly bill it directly. If you’d rather not involve insurance — or your plan isn’t one we accept — this program is also available at a discounted rate for full payment received at time of service, with a superbill provided for possible reimbursement. Many patients use HSA/FSA funds. (Note: private-pay option not available to Medicare beneficiaries.)
ABOUT YOUR THERAPIST
I’ve helped patients break the cough cycle when other specialists couldn’t.
I’m Libby Lewis, MEd, MA, CCC-SLP, founder of Breakthrough Speech and an adult medical SLP with 5+ years in private practice. Chronic cough is on of the situations I love working with most: the resolution tends to come quickly, the relief is significant, and the cycle that’s been disrupting daily life for years finally breaks.
I’ve worked with clients who’d given up seeing four or five specialists. Within a few sessions, most are back to sleeping through the night, presenting at work without dread, and having dinner without their family wincing at the next coughing fit. The science is real, the methods are evidence-based, and the results are predicatable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can this entire program be done by telehealth?
Yes — the full program, from evaluation through maintenance check-ins, can be completed by telehealth anywhere in Washington State. Many clients prefer this for convenience, and it works well for the behavioral techniques this program teaches.
What if I'm currently on cough medication?
That’s fine — most clients start the program while still on medication. As the behavioral cycle breaks, many find they need less over time, but any changes to your prescriptions should be made in consultation with your prescribing physician.
Do I need a doctor's referral?
It depends on how you’re being seen. If your visit is billed to insurance, a physician referral is required as part of standard coverage rules. If you’re paying privately, a referral isn’t needed — though if you haven’t already had an ENT, GI, or primary care workup, we typically recommend that first to rule out other causes.
How quickly will I see results?
Most clients notice less coughing and throat-clearing by session 2 or 3. Full results — including better sleep and more confidence in daily situations — typically build over 8 to 10 weeks.
What if the cough comes back?
The monthly maintenance check-ins included in your first three months are designed to catch this early. If your cough returns after that window, you’re welcome to schedule a follow-up session anytime.
Do you take insurance?
Yes — if we’re in network with your plan, we bill it directly, the same as any other medical speech therapy service. If your plan isn’t one we accept, or you’d rather skip the wait for preauthorization, this program is also available at a discounted rate for payment in full at time of service, with a superbill available for possible reimbursement. (Note: Medicare must be billed for Medicare beneficiaries.)
What if I'm not sure this is the right program for me?
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation. We’ll talk through what’s going on, what you’ve already tried, and figure out the right path — whether that’s this program, ongoing care, or something else entirely
Ready to stop coughing?
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation. We’ll talk through what’s going on, what you’ve already tried, and whether the program is the right next step for you (or your loved one).