[ Contents | Search | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Lynne Shields
Date: 08 Oct 2010
Time: 20:12:42 -0500
Remote Name: 76.215.118.209
You posed the question "if a client comes to you and has a stutter, but is comfortable with the stutter would you (the SLP) still continue therapy". My initial response is that I would talk with the client about the issues that they face related to their stuttering. If they believe that they are managing communication well, despite their stuttering, and are not bothered by the stuttering, then I would see no reason to encourage them to receive, or continue to receive, treatment. If they have some specific goal in mind that they want to address, even though they are comfortable with their stuttering, then I would be more than happy to work with them on the specific goal. I am not in the business of convincing people that they need a service. Going that route is often a dead end, since without motivation to change in some way, real change is unlikely. It wouldn't matter to me whether the person was a doctor, a lawyer, a brick layer or a student. While time may be an issue for a physician, the fact that he or she stutters does not necessarily mean that they do not communicate quite effectively. If they are able to talk with patients and give appropriate care, stuttering may not be a concern for them in their profession. If it is an issue, then the doctor who stutters might wish to seek treatment. So, in my mind, the decision to seek treatment or not resides with the person who stutters. I can serve to help them sort out the issues and then the person is the one who must ultimately make the choice. Hope this is helpful to you. Best regards, Lynne