Practical Thoughts Blog
Apr 21, 2025
Counting Stutters Is a Waste of Time!
When assessing stuttering, counting stutters does not reflect the overall experience of the person who stutters. Speech pathologists can stop counting stutters because listeners cannot observe stutters that a person experiences, the nature of stuttering is that it is always variable, some people who stutter can appear fluent by altering their communication in unhelpful ways, and stuttering is a complex communication difference, and cannot be...
Feb 26, 2025
The Neurodiversity Affirming Movement and its Implications for Stuttering
Whether it’s stuttering or autism, the neurodiversity affirming approach teaches us that it’s acceptable for people to communicate in a variety of ways. The neurodiversity affirming movement has many implications for stuttering that should be considered.
Feb 19, 2025
Remembering Our Dear Friend, Dr. Bob Quesal
Many of our readers recognize Bob as the co-author of the OASES and the Minimizing Bullying program. Bob’s contributions to the field are truly groundbreaking [see several links below]. Throughout his career, he championed the voices of people who stutter, from his earliest writings that reminded speech-language pathologists not to forget people who stutter, to his longstanding studies on the life experiences of people who...
Feb 11, 2025
An Ode to Cleve: A Novel that Supports Stuttering as Verbal Diversity
After having rewritten the story, I realized that it is not about verbal diversity alone; it also reflects the importance of acknowledging other types of neurodiversity and all of the ways in which both children and adults who are different may be marginalized or discriminated against. Perhaps Nick’s courage can serve as a model for others who find themselves in a similar situation.
Jan 21, 2025
Stuttering - From Shame and Anxiety to Confident Authenticity
Stoic philosophy has taught me first and foremost to identify what is in my control and what is not, and to live and work focused on what is in my control. I do not have control over whether I stutter or not, but I have control over how I react or respond to my stuttering.
Jan 10, 2025
Stuttering: It's a Fascinating History!
These examples are just a tiny sampling of the rich and fascinating history of stuttering. Learning about them can create opportunities for you to help your students explore their own beliefs and feelings about stuttering. In addition, and perhaps even more importantly, your students can learn that they are not alone--and they are certainly not "less than."
Nov 19, 2024
Caregivers want me to work on fluency. What do I say?
Many parents and caregivers contact speech therapists because they want their children to stop stuttering. This is understandable, and no one could blame them for having this desire. Unfortunately, this is not generally something that they can have, for we know that there is no cure for stuttering in school-age children, adolescents, and adults. This basic fact is one of the reasons that we so...
Aug 05, 2024
"Mister Rogers' Speech"
Years ago, J. Scott Yaruss decided to study the speech patterns of the famous Mr. Rogers in order to discern if he did, indeed, speak "slower than other people." This blog looks into that study and the surprising results that can help SLPs and society. understand why "slow rate" is an entirely relative concept.
Dec 31, 2023
The "Deep Breath" Dilemma
This blog helps speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in their work with students who stutter. SLPs often feel confused about how to "un-train" deep breathing for students who have been instructed to take a deep breath before talking.
Nov 13, 2023
What is Verbal Diversity?
The Emergence of Verbal Diversity Before we delve into the concept of "verbal diversity," it's essential to understand the background of stuttering in society. In brief, stuttering has historically been viewed as a flaw, a burden, or something that needed to be "fixed." People who stutter have been subjected to therapies aimed at eliminating their disfluencies. This type of therapy has frequently led to frustration, low...
Oct 06, 2023
Fluency Focus: A Perspective from a Person Who Stutters
Reuben Schuff shared his experiences with stuttering therapy and highlights key points for speech-language pathologists to consider: focus not on the expectation of fluency but on the development of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and behaviors of a person who is an effective, efficient, and joyful communicator!
Aug 30, 2023
My Experience as an SLP Graduate Student who Stutters
Allison Ladavat shares more about her experiences as a student in our field, highlighting the necessity for SLPs to become better allies for people who stutter.
