Question for a Professional
Hi, my name is Bonnie, and I am a speech language pathology graduate student who is currently working as an SLP-Assistant in an elementary school. The fluency course I am taking this semester has changed my outlook on stuttering therapy. It seems most therapy goals involve fluency shaping techniques and ignore the underlying attitudes and emotions involved. I currently have two kids on my caseload who are in speech therapy for stuttering but do not appear to have negative feelings associated with their speech. How do we address fluency goals and teach fluency shaping strategies without bringing awareness to the stutter and possibly creating negative feelings?
Dear Bonnie,
HI! Thank you for asking questions and congratulations on going to graduate school! That is great!
You mentioned that most fluency goals are for fluency shaping skills? That doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, goals should fit the individual person. If they have little interest, at the moment, in working on fluency enhancing skills (I say skills because everything we do it a skill, a “Technique” or “tool” implies fixing language, and we don’t fix people, we help people) but seem to have poor self worth, low confidence, and avoid speaking, then we work on those aspects of communication. We evolve goals as the client evolves. They drive the bus. We have information and the potential directions, but they are letting us know where to do. Fluency enhancing skills are one piece of communication, one small piece. There is voice, volume, gestures, organizing thoughts, pragmatics, posture. We do therapy to support effective communicators, not just treat one behavior.
You really might want to assess the whole person, and not just their speech behaviors. Remember, the ABCs of stuttering (Affective, Behaviors, and Cognitive). All can have goals that are vital to growth. Counseling is what we do and it transcends every client and every interaction. If we can help someone smile while they communicate, we are doing work and we have goals for confidence, using affirmations, the use of mindfulness, and disclosure of negative and positive thoughts.
Does that help? Let me know.
Thanks for the great question!
With compassion and kindness,
Scott