Specializing in Fluency
Hello!
I am currently an SLP graduate student and am about to start applying for CFYs since graduation is near. I would love to specialize in fluency, what settings and/or path would you recommend when starting out as a CFY? I know everyone’s corner of the world and path in fluency is different, but I would still appreciate your guidance. I’m more familiar with the typical settings such as schools, SNF, in-patient rehab, etc., and unsure as to how to build my way to fluency. Is there also such a thing as specializing too soon?
Thank you so much for your time and advice!
Hi!
Great to know you’ve chosen to specialize in fluency. I’m not familiar with the details of courses you mention because I’ve always lived and worked in India. But I am totally in favour of specialization, and there is no such thing as too early OR too late … to each their own!
Do look at it in the larger scheme of things though, for instance are you more inclined towards clinical work or academics and research? If the latter, and if you would eventually want to do a PhD, then getting a masters degree could be a practical decision. That is what I would advice my students from India.. I’m sure other experts could add about what would work best for you in the system that you’re currently functioning in. I hope I was able to help at least a little bit!
Regards
Pallavi
Dear sstrath,What a wonderful question :-)I’m afraid there is no one right answer to this. As a young cf I was given the advice to not specialize too soon, to take my time and explore different areas of our field. Despite having a very clear area of interest and desire to specialize in ASD I took that advice and here I am today 🙂 working mostly with clients who stutter and loving it. Life takes you to different places and sometimes you choose a different path than the one you thought you’d like to take and that’s the beauty of it (like Steve Jobs said- you can only connect the dots looking backwards). There is no one right answer for everyone. I have friends who specialized from the get go and are loving it and are experts in their field. Whereas others took longer to find their niche. As for a recommended path to specializing in fluency- I would personally suggest starting at a school setting. An outpatient for pre-k is also a good option for getting to know the younger age group and seeing the early stages of stuttering. There is something though about the school setting which enables you to see the client within their natural environment, knowing their teachers and peers and being able to make a difference there as well. I also highly recommend trying out a summer at one of the Stuttering summer camps across the country. I’ve spent a summer at Camp Shout Out and it was a MAGNIFICENT experience.
Hope this is helpful.
Good luck whichever path you choose to follow!
I agree with the previous comments that it is never too late or too early to specialize and it is also a good idea early in your career to explore options. Attending summer camps for children who stutter and participating in support groups to understand the lived experience will help you know what is the best path for you. If you are in the USA, the American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders is the ASHA organization that awards Board Certification in fluency disorders (BCS-F) and they are a great resource. They have monthly Round Tables, newsletters, workshops that discuss topics related to stuttering, cluttering and other fluency disorders along with helping candidates with the specialization process. The website is: https://www.stutteringspecialists.org/
thanks for your question,
Rita