Practical Thoughts Blog
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...
Oct 17, 2024
If I don’t count stutters, how can I qualify people for therapy?
You’ve probably heard that our field is moving away from using stuttering frequency counts as a way of measuring stuttering. In our opinion, this is a very good development—it is something that we have been encouraging for quite a while now, and it is increasingly important as we come to view stuttering as an example of Verbal Diversity™. (For more discussion of stuttering as Verbal...
Sep 17, 2024
Stuttering as Verbal Diversity™: How Does this Change our Role as SLPs?
The field of speech-language pathology is changing. As we shift away from the medical model that sees stuttering as a pathology, we are on a journey toward becoming neurodiversity-affirming allies. Creating stutter-affirming environments requires a fundamental shift in how we perceive and interact with stuttering. These changes in perspective not only support individuals who stutter but also foster an inclusive atmosphere that embraces communication diversity....
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.
Jul 25, 2024
Shifting Perspectives About Stuttering
In the era of expanding our understanding of neurodiversity-affirming stuttering therapy, a first step is to make certain we, as speech-language pathologists (SLPs), are approaching assessment and therapy from the perspective of the person who stutters. Their experiences inform our therapy planning. There are reasons why our past professional practices were based upon the listener's observations of stuttering, and there are three major reasons why...
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!
Jul 19, 2023
Guest Blog - Acceptance of Stuttering: One Stutterer's Perspective
A guest blog post by Lee Reeves, DVM Years ago, an SLP friend of mine asked how I would define acceptance. My response to his request led to an article for Letting Go, the official newsletter of the National Stuttering Association. I have shared my thoughts regarding stuttering acceptance (or what I now refer to as “coming to terms with stuttering”) in keynote speeches, presentations...
May 24, 2023
Challenging Eligibility Criteria for Stuttering Services in the Schools
As our understanding of the speaker’s experience of stuttering increases via research evidence, patient evidence, and clinical practice, eligibility criteria for receiving stuttering services in the schools must be analyzed and challenged.
Jan 05, 2023
Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) appropriate for kids who stutter?
Coming to terms with stuttering is an important goal for adults and children alike, but it can be challenging. Fortunately, there are many therapy strategies that speech-language pathologists can use from the world of counseling psychology to help our clients achieve these important goals.
Oct 09, 2022
Is it true that prolonged speech is the best type of fluency therapy?
Prolonged speech is a strategy for helping people who stutter speak more fluently. Read this post by Dr. Yaruss to understand why it may not be the only strategy -- or even the best strategy -- that you need to learn.
