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From:
Date: 17 Oct 2012
Time: 07:16:46 -0500
Remote Name: 198.63.171.23
Ah, generalization. I'm not sure anything in a teen's life is completely generalized. What I do find is that having a tool that increases fluency in some circumstances tends to give them more confidence to use it (and other strategies) in other circumstances. Successful change (not stutter-free speech)reduces the feelings of helplessness, in my experience, and encourages some risk taking for disclosure, speaking more in class and social settings, etc. One of the ways I encourage transfer is to have the teen select one 15 to 20 minute time outside of therapy and school to use this technique. I suggest a time in which their parents are involved. This does two things 1) it gets practice outside the therapy setting and 2) it helps parents see that the teen can be responsible for his or her own speech without being "policed". Teens' biggest complaint is "nagging" by parents. Parents' biggest complaint it that they don't see changes in their teen's speech or participation--therefore they "remind" him or her. Teens see this as an intrusion or "nagging". I try to set up an agreement that there is no "nagging" at home. To maintain that agreement, teens choose five 15 minute time periods per week to implement a strategy--any strategy--that could mean self-advocacy "Please let me finish my sentence" or phrasing. The ride to and from school or activities can be a good time to do this. Parent is facing forward and not "watching" the teen. Parents tend to talk less (hopefully) since they are driving. This gives the teen some unrushed conversational time. It's interesting, parents often identify more practice times than the teen actually admits doing. I really encourage parents to let their teen own their own speech. I also ask parents to implement phrasing, too. This gives them a chance to 1) slow down their own rate of conversation and 2) to see how challenging it is to make changes in your habitual speaking pattern.