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From: Charlet, MSU graduate student
Date: 10/7/03
Time: 11:54:19 AM
Remote Name: 204.248.119.30
Dear Mr. Tielens and Ms. Stewart: Your articles were of great interest to me. As I read about your success with metaphors as a therapy tool, I recalled the challenge I have had in helping a 10 year old client explain her stuttering in a way that is meaningful to her. The metaphor that I used to explain how silent blocks affect the smooth, forward flow of speech was that of a garden hose that has been bent in half to stop the flow of water . Although my client could “repeat” my metaphor, she had great difficulty explaining her stuttering in her own words. Your articles inspired me to try again with my client. I invited my client to a picture of her stuttering and what it felt like. She drew a picture of herself riding a bike with a punctured front tire that was filled with words. Beside the tire, she had drawn a large balloon filled with words that are difficult for her to say. My client explained that her mouth was like the tire on her bike with air and words trapped inside. When she is able to release the air, her words flow smoothly. Thank you for suggesting metaphors as a theraputic strategy! I gained valuable insight about my clients thought processes and covert stuttering through this activity.