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From: Gunars Neiders
Date: 21 Oct 2007
Time: 21:46:56 -0500
Remote Name: 67.171.0.68
To get a running start you could read Chapter 8 of the excellent book edited by Nan Bernstein Ratner and John Tetnowski (2006) "Current Issues in Stuttering Research and Practice" published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (and probably available through interlibrary loan in most public libraries). Amazon paperback price is $29.95…… Catherine S. Montgomery, American Institute for Stuttering presented about her intensive program in New York …….Her program is based on "melding of key features of Stuttering Modification, Fluency Shaping, as well as other areas: 1. Both works through the emotional layers and facilitates the learning and application of physical skills. 2. "Our role is to guide clients to move beyond the shame and helplessness; to facilitate their liberation." 3. "Concepts from many such as Van Riper, Sheehan, Breitenfeldt, Guitar, Murphy, Webster, Manning, DiGrande and a few non SLP mentors."……The only thing I found missing in her presentation is the AxB=>C of Cognitive Behavior Therapy in general and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy in particular. C-consequent emotions and actions (stuttering) are not the direct result of A-activating event (say a feared speaking situation) but it is the result of B-beliefs and self-talk about the A activation event. That is: Crooked thinking leads one to believe that disturbing C-consequent emotions such as shame and helplessness are a result of A-activating event stuttering…In Straight thinking, as has been shown by many psychological studies, C-consequent emotions of shame and helplessness are result of what we B-believe (say to ourselves) about Activating event, stuttering. For example, if we believe that a) we cannot change the way we talk, b) all stuttering regardless of severity is the same and c) we need constant improvement and perfect fluency instead of understanding that stuttering ebbs and flows as a stock value on a stock chart (daily variation in stuttering is not as important as a *positive* trend in diminishing the severity and frequency of stuttering) we will feel helpless.......... Similarly, if we tell ourselves at B-belief that "it is awful to stutter" that a person is somehow better if he does not stutter, we will feel at C-consequence ashamed……Habits, both mental and physical, are hard to change. American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) 3-week program Monday through Friday 8 hour per day may be necessary. However, in my dissertation I will outline a method that, I believe with proper focus on especially Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy will allow for a much more self-directed, more efficient change facilitation that would take one hour per day two to three times per week. From the onset the client and the therapist is in a collaborative relationship. The client more and more becomes his or her own therapist. The length of the formatl treatment would depend on the client......The rest of the "Current Issues in Stuttering Research and Practice" makes also for good reading. For example, Walt Manning, as always, is an interesting read....