Supporting Teens who Stutter
Hello! My name is Chloe, I am a post-baccalaureate student studying to be an SLP. I was curious what tips you would give to a SLP clinician to best support adolescents who stutter. I understand that by the teenage years many PWS have spent years in therapy, and it could become boring/repetitive/etc. What advice would you give an SLP to keep therapy interactive and interesting for teenagers? If you are an adult, what kind of support do you wish you recieved as a teenager who stuttered?
Thanks for your time, I look forward to your responses!
Hello Chloe
Avoid therapeutic approaches that are aimed at suppressing stuttering (such as fluency shaping).
Educate the teen about stuttering (hopefully they have taught you that properly). Most important, explain to them the difference between primary behavioral characteristics (repetitions, prolongations, blocks) that result from the neurobiology of stuttering, and the secondary behavioral characteristics (such as tension, and all manner of avoidance behaviors) that arise from trying to avoid stuttering.
Teach the teen how to advocate for them selves, and develop, with the teen, targets for self-advocacy such as giving a classroom presentation about stuttering.
Explain and teach avoidance reduction therapy.
Explain and teach mindfulness.
Help the teen identify their true values and goals in life, using the framework of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Wishing you success.
Hanan