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From: Anders
Date: 10/10/03
Time: 10:08:38 AM
Remote Name: 134.29.3.133
Hello, Ed! I guess you don't have to remind me of our time in Kalamazoo. I remember it well, and before I met you I thought all Canadians could skate, learning hockey shortly after weaning. So I learned other things than stuttering there; also about Canadians. We have of course disagreed a lot during the years and we'd better since agreement is both boring and counter-productive to development and learning. But I do agree, sorry, with you on the views on the practical aspects of what is called Van Riper-therapy (lacking a better term) in terms of running through the whole program, as described in Treatment for instance for anybody I know. And of course this is the case with all therapeutical descriptions in steps and phases, also those I have written about. The solution of course is not to follow any rigid steps but to be listening and sensitive of how to best meet the needs of a person. After all, people are not supposed to change according to rules and prescriptions it is we at the other side of the clinical table how are responsible to change and move according to the needs (not just wants!!!) of the person seeking help. The art is to understand the needs and respect enough to see that we cannot do that in the fullest sense. We can only do this as good as we can. Therapy still is not technique but art (interestingly, the word "technique" means "art"), unfortunately. And it is unfortunate since it is there your fine ideas of a co-ordinated view still is far from reality, yet at least, as I see it. Either your idea takes a group in coordinated work with many specialists with outstandning abilities to communicate between themselves in the group or you will have to educate true stuttering/fluency specialists in which most areas for work needed for helping PWS are actual, active and with deep knowledge. A bunch of Van Ripers, that is. But, my friend, we still have 22 years to go to 2025, and we won't give up yet, will we? I will be 78 then... Still stuttering, we hope. Best regards! Anders