Teenage Treatment
Hi, my name is Haven! I am currently working on my masters degree and work as an SLP-Assistant for a pediatric clinic and contract with private schools. This is a unique situation but I’m sure a general form of this situation has or may happen to someone else. I have a teenage PWS that is kind of “over” speech therapy on my caseload. They have been in speech for several years, recently mastered most of their artic goals, and with the recent start of the school year parents decided to put services on hold. One of the parents actually has a fluency disorder themselves and despite the teachers, school staff, and myself advocating for continuation of therapy, the parents want to discontinue services all together now because of the teenager’s busy sports schedule and minimal motivation. How would you approach this situation where the parents and the teenager are apprehensive to continue speech therapy or have little buy in just for fluency treatment? How do you invoke motivation in a sports-enthused teenage boy and parents? Thank you!
Haven,
HI! It is great to meet you? Where are you in school? Congrats on your education!!!
This has happened before to me. You mentioned that the PWS is “over speech therapy?” Is that correct? Well, then we let them go. You might be asking, “What?! But don’t they need our help?” That is us assuming they do. They might not.
I have had several clients who come and go with therapy. When they feel comfortable enough speaking and engaging in their world, or if other things in their life take priority, then they are focusing on something else. That is being a person. You can always say, “I’m will always be here for you. Please let me know if I can help again, or if you just want to chat and keep me updated.”
I had one client who we saw when she was 4-6 years old. Then she stopped because she met her goals and felt confidence. She came back at age 10-11. Stopped because she felt comfortable and confidence. Came back at 15 -16 for to learn more, and then left again when she was ready.
Bottom line, this is their speech. This is their time. This is their life. We don’t want to waste time. If someone is not buying into therapy, that might not be anyone’s fault. It often means they are not ready for therapy, or not willing to do therapy FOR MANY REASONS. The thing is, if we try to force our own goals on people who don’t want them, they will not learn or grow as much as when THEY feel it is time to work.
Let me know what you think. Sometimes the hardest thing about being a caring therapist is letting a client go.
Thanks for asking questions!
With compassion and kindness,
Scott