Things I Learned from Therapy

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Re: great article!

From: Pam
Date: 06 Oct 2009
Time: 20:23:24 -0500
Remote Name: 24.195.248.126

Comments

Hey Ari, thanks for the read and comments. You ask "How do I deal with therapy with students without experience on stuttering therapy?" I look at it as a partnership at this point. I attend therapy for the mutual benefit of learning more about my stuttering AND for the opportunity to teach student clinicians about what it is really like to live with stuttering. My stutter is not severe, although at times it is more severe than other times. It is those times when I get frustrated and appreciate that I have a place to go with people who "get it." And it is people like you and me who help clinicians, both brand new and seasoned, to get it. Without us, there is no way clinicians can just learn from textbooks and videos. Every time I enter into a new relationship with a student clinician, I ask her (it has always been a her!) if she has ever worked with someone who stutters. The answer is usually no, so we learn together. The key is I have to be honest and the clinician has to be open to the fact that therapy is for the client, not the clinician. I consider myself fortunate to be able to do this. I sepak to student SLPs and have been involved in presenting at workshops to professional SLPs. So if you get the chance, teach professionals about our stuttering. Even remotely is good - through Skype or some of the other communcation technologies. Thanks again, Ari. You have a lot to offer to the stuttering community. We are all part of it!


Last changed: 10/06/09