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From: Peter Reitzes
Date: 11 Oct 2010
Time: 12:03:05 -0500
Remote Name: 76.15.239.95
Lauren, thanks for writing and the questions. You ask, “is it more ‘politically correct’ to avoid using the term fluency in therapy since it is so vague?” I think for some, the term “fluency” may be politically correct – I say this because it has been my experience that many people feel or assume that stuttering is a word that may offend or does offend. Some also believe that by using the word “stuttering” you may actually contribute to the problem or “make the problem worse.” Many colleagues and graduate students have asked me over the years if by using the term stuttering, wouldn’t one risk harming the client. The Diagnosogenic theory still seems to have a grip on how many people view issues related to stuttering and therapy. You ask, “Can you use the term fluency once you establish what fluency means to your client?” Sure, you can, but keep in mind that even after the word is defined, it may come to mean different things. So, if you do choose to establish, define and use the term “fluency” (and really any term), them I suggest checking in to make sure the definition isn’t changing. One of the questions I would ask yourself is this, “Why do you need the word ‘fluency’ in your work?”