Making the Most of Short Therapy Sessions
Hi! My name is Faith Gaster, and I am a graduate student studying Speech-Language Pathology. I am completing my externship in an elementary school, where I have one student who stutters on my caseload. I typically only see this student for about five minutes at a time, so it can be challenging to determine what to prioritize. From your personal experiences, what advice would you give an SLP working with students who stutter in such a limited amount of time? Is there anything you wish your SLP had focused on more when you were younger?
Hi Faith
5 minutes! That’s incredibly stressful, but for you and for the student! Stuttering and time limits don’t match. Is there a way to get more time?
I don’t know the age of the student, but if s/he’s old enough, ask him/her what s/he wants out of therapy. And if it’s the students wish to even get therapy. As sometimes it’s the people around us who think we should work on our speech. If it’s other people’s wish, there is a risk that therapy can give the opposite results, such as fear and shame when “fluency” isn’t obtained.
Discuss what could make school easier. F ex is there an alternative to raising hands, present in front of the class, reading out loud, etc. (Maybe even ask the teacher to sit in.) You can also have a friend to sit in to do exercises together between the sessions. Talk about what s/he’s good at. How to deal with bullies. How to explain stuttering to others. Talk to the teachers, and invite an adult rolemodel who (audibly) stutters to come to the class and talk about stuttering, friendship, all having things that are hard sometimes.
As it’s not always about fluency, not even close. It’s all about wanting to say the things how, when and where you want to say them. As I would wish there would be someone in my youth who would tell me that stuttering is tough, but it isn’t the end of the world. And to focus on me behind the stutter, and the people around me, instead of on my breathing and less stuttered syllables.
Keep them talking
Anita
Hi Faith! Thank you for your question!
Five minutes is definitely challenging, especially when working with a child who stutters! But I think it’s important to remember that the impact of your work doesn’t have to be limited to the time you spend together.
If I were to prioritize something, it would be building trust and making those five minutes a space where the child feels heard, not evaluated.
I would also encourage you to focus on one small, meaningful goal at a time. Maybe it’s raising their hand in class, saying something they’ve been holding back, or simply talking about how their week went.
And here’s something I wish more people understood when I was younger: sometimes what happens between therapy sessions is more important than what happens during them.
You might only see that student for five minutes, but they spend hours with teachers, classmates, friends, and family. Helping the people around them understand stuttering can make a huge difference. A conversation with a teacher or parent might have an impact that extends far beyond those five minutes.
I would also encourage you to make it fun! At that age, therapy shouldn’t feel like another test they need to pass. Let them play, laugh, and experience moments where stuttering isn’t something they have to constantly monitor.
And please, don’t feel pressured to measure progress in every session. Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can offer a child in five minutes is the experience of being listened to without being corrected, rushed, or judged.
That feeling can stay with them much longer than five minutes 🤍
Good luck!!
Michèle