Enhancing Communication Confidence in PWS
Hello, my name is Jessica, and I am a speech-language pathology student. I am interested in learning more about effective strategies to boost communication confidence among people who stutter, especially in high pressure situations like job interviews or public speaking. Could you share some evidence-based practices or recent research insights that have shown promise in this area?
Hi! Thanks so much for your question! Building confidence in communication is definitely a part of what we do. But it’s a journey, and there are steps along the way, starting with the basics. First, they need to understand what stuttering is and what it means for them. They also need to know what the therapy aims to achieve and how feeling confident in their communication can look. I like to explain to my clients that having a picture of what their future could look like can help them along the way. It’s easier to move forward when they know where they’re headed. So, what does confidence mean to them? Does it mean being able to speak up for themselves? Knowing that there’s nothing wrong with them and that they deserve to be heard and respected? Understanding that their message is valuable, no matter how their stuttering sounds—whether it’s a lot, a little, with tension, or without? These are important questions (and there are many more), and they need to understand this to start building confidence. Even if they don’t believe it 100% at first, just understanding it is a strong starting point. They’ll start to feel better over time, with support, one step at a time.
For example, in therapy, we might discuss specific situations that are hard for them, like introducing themselves or speaking up in class. We talk about what they feel (physically, mentally), how was the situation, we help them to see the full picture of what happened, etc. It’s also helpful to remind them regularly that confidence doesn’t come from speaking “fluently” but from knowing that their words have value. With stuttering events or not, their message is worth hearing. As we go through this process, I encourage them to focus more on how they feel when they communicate. This approach builds a more lasting sense of confidence that doesn’t rely on using speech techniques.
I know there’s much more I could share, but I hope this gives you a good first look at how we approach this. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with! 😊