Advise On Group Therapy
Hello!! I am a second year graduate student in the Speech Language & Pathology program. I am currently in an off campus placement where I am in a school setting where there is one student who stutters. They are current grouped with a student with “normal” fluency but other articulation deficits. My question to you all is: Do you think that this is an effective way to provide treatment, or should there be a more individualized style taken?
Thank you so much for allowing students to participate in this amazing online conference,
Madalyn
Hello Madalyn, I would first recommend that you speak to your clinical supervisor about the current grouping and share your observations on why this may or may not be the best fit for your student who stutters. I shared this with another student who asked a similar question… if you are addressing the impacts the child is experiencing due to his stutter, it is likely that you won’t be able to work on those in a group setting if the other children don’t stutter. The affective (feelings/emotions) and cognitive (thoughts) aspects of stuttering which are beneath the surface (i.e., stuttering iceberg) generally require more than what could be accomplished in a group setting with children who are “drilling” or practicing “discrete skills” related to articulation. Again, it may be important for you to chat with your clinical supervisor and brainstorm alternative options for this student if a one-on-one setting would be more appropriate.