Combining Intensive Treatment with Teletherapy

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Re: Teletherapy

From: Retz
Date: 14 Oct 2011
Time: 09:14:17 -0500
Remote Name: 76.230.229.4

Comments

Sharon - Thank you for reading our paper and leaving your comments and questions. You are right when you say there are some challenges in figuring out the particulars regarding reimbursement, licensure, and marketing, but I am confident Kevin and I will do so! We look forward to sharing our data after completing the 3-Day Intensive + teletherapy a few times. In our discussions with Teens Who Stutter and their parents at various self-help conferences and over internet contacts, Kevin and I have found a great need and desire of many TWS and their parents who are frustrated and have mostly given up on technique based therapies to address stuttering, the fear of stuttering, the fear of talking and the fear of interacting; the ultimate, chosen stuttering behavior of selected SILENCE has begun to occur for many TWS. Parents want to be educated and become active participants in order to end this type of therapy outcome for their teen. We believe our approach offers this very option. Participants in our 3-Day intensive + teletherapy will be strongly encouraged to support and learn from each other through SKYPE. Kevin and I have had inquiries from other professionals regarding training; we are still discussing how to go about this. Successfully helping TWS and their parents in addressing communication apprehension as it relates to the fear of stuttering, the fear of talking and the fear of interaction VS using techniques to stop or control stuttering is - to me - a MAJOR shift in the focus of therapy for TWS and their parents. To me, there is a tremendous lack of training in the professional ranks for the treatment of stuttering already, and our professional field - as a whole - has great difficulty in moving off stopping or controlling the "stutter". It has been my professional and personal experience that quite often techniques INCREASE communication apprehension and fear of talking, stuttering and interacting in TWS. Conversely, when techniques are dropped and no longer expected or required, and when communication apprehension related to fear of stuttering, talking and interacting is successfully addressed, great volumes of natural speech - which the teen who stutters already possesses - can be released. Parents need to be an active participant in the process for this to occur. (Whew -Hope I was clear in my response...) Perhaps Kenvin will chime in as well.


Last changed: 10/14/11