Stuttering and Counseling
Hi! My name is Marisa and I am a graduate student studying speech pathology. Do you have any tips or suggestions for the aspect of counseling in relation to stuttering, especially if a client is confused about why they stutter or is having a difficult time with their diagnosis? With this, do you have any tips to share regarding self-advocacy strategies for PWS?
Hi Marisa thank you for your question. I would possibly start with discussing the reasons why a person might stutter or develop a stutter in childhood- for example, genetics- asking them if anyone in their family stutters? It’s a tough conversation for anyone to have, but it has to be made clear that stuttering is life-long and there are ways to cope, you just have to find ways that work for your specific client. Perhaps after talking about the what and why, you can propose some “what if” scenarios and talk about what it would look like to disclose stuttering to other people- if your client thinks that it might make conversations easier if the conversational partner knows that they stutter. These conversations should be done over a span of time- you cannot possibly get this all done in one or even two sessions. Be sure to also ask your client how they are feeling/doing when talking about things like this- especially since they are having a difficult time with accepting that they stutter!
Hi Marisa,
Thanks for the question. It can be quite common for people to enter into therapy and not have very much accurate knowledge or information about what is known about stuttering, although they always come as an expert in their own stuttering. People require explanations, for example, about what we know about the cause of stuttering, what stuttering is, it’s variability and what can be expected from speech therapy. I work with many people who initially find it difficult to be accepting of their stuttering and I believe it’s really important to let people know that it is ok to stutter (even if they don’t think/feel it right now). I also think it’s helpful to know about stigma, self-stigma and the impact of societal prejudices on how a person perceives themselves and their stuttering – for some this can be liberating. These conversations happen gently, over time and are always responsive to the individual that you’re working with, requiring you to use your counselling skills. Self advocacy is always a part of therapy – increased knowledge about stuttering can be empowering because when a person begins to better understand themselves, they feel more confident in being able to advocate for themselves. Often times, the children and young people that I work with tell me that they feel safe to stutter with close family and friends because they all know that they stutter – and I often use this as a starting point for self advocacy which can be built on over time. Hope this gives you a bit of a starter! Enjoy the rest of your stuttering lectures.
Hi Marissa! Nicole answered perfectly! I’m just sharing some extra thoughts in case they help. I think having a hard time with the diagnosis is a very common and often expected reaction—not just regarding the diagnosis itself, but also everything that comes with it. Stuttering doesn’t have a cure, and for many, that is very hard to accept. Society generally doesn’t accept our stuttering, and no one enjoys feeling rejected, among other challenges. It is very important to spend some time there when the client needs it. For example, you might ask, “How do you feel about this new information that I just shared?” and whatever they express, validate those feelings. All feelings and thoughts are valid. Also, show them the options they have; they can lead a happy life. A diagnosis shouldn’t limit them, even if it feels that way right now. Additionally, “What if” scenarios, as Nicole clearly explained, can help too. Good luck, and we will be happy to keep helping you!