Advice for New SLPs
Hi!! My name is Erin Perkins and I am a 2nd year graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology preparing to enter the field, and I would love to hear your advice as an experienced professional who works with individuals who stutter.
What are some common mistakes or challenges you see new SLPs encounter when working with clients who stutter, and what advice would you give a beginning clinician to help build trust and create a supportive therapeutic environment from the very first session?
Thank you for taking your time to share your experience!
Hi, Erin—Great question! You are already on the right track by acknowledging that there is always more to learn. Turning to colleagues for support and guidance will provide a strong foundation for your growth.
From the first session, make room for your client’s story. Ask, “What would you like me to understand about your stuttering?” and “What would make therapy helpful for you?” Give them time to respond and listen to what they are saying. Build goals together, welcome feedback, and communicate that they can stutter openly with out fear of criticism. Trust grows when clients feel heard, respected, and involved in their care.
All the best, Nora
I think ‘falling’ into fluency strategies is not a smart way to do. With that you are indirectly saying that the way your clients speaks is not as it should be. Building trust will happen when you genuinely are interested in the client and that is does not matter how they say something. There are many more things to do, but this’ll be my top 1!