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From: Ellen-Marie Silverman
Date: 06 Oct 2008
Time: 17:36:00 -0500
Remote Name: 64.12.117.72
Hello, Judy. As I reflect on my experience helping people change, I am certain that to one degree or other, redefining oneself presents a necessary challenge to be faced by clients of all ages, which is a task we all face as we grow and evolve. By the time someone with a stuttering problem enters speech therapy, they will have established a portion of their personal identify as someone different from others, usually in limiting ways. So, the process of removing the problem generates the challenge of re-defining oneself, i.e., by substituting a usually broader self-concept for the generally limiting one cudrrently in place. That can be done at various levels depending on need and understanding of the existential question: Who Am I? Not to get too philosophical, here. . . >>> I think you raised well-stated questions about an essential element of treatment, i.e., the need for the client (and, possibly, those closely associated with the client) to expect and prepare for a broadened self-concept that incorporates many or all of the opportunities greater fluency brings. Thank you for doing this. Ellen-Marie Silverman