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From: Ellen-Marie Silverman
Date: 10/19/03
Time: 8:31:29 PM
Remote Name: 172.162.71.42
Hello, Julie,
Thank you for the attention you gave my paper.
I might introduce relaxation exercises, particulary progressive relaxation, into therapy sessions and speaking-related visualizations, too, but I do not include meditation practices in speech therapy sessions. For one thing, I am not a teacher of meditation, and I believe no one should teach meditation who has not been trained to do so. Also, as I practice meditation, it is neither visualization nor affirmation that I practice. It is an ancient form of mindfulness and concentration designed to help the practioner relate to his or her self and the larger world more directly, thoughtfully, and skillfully. It is not a technique to change a specific behavior or mind-set, although that may happen. Changes that accrue during a disciplined meditation practice do so slowly and almost imperceptibly at first (requiring patience and endurance), eventually leading to greater body awareness and ease, compassion, equanimity, and friendliness. I think an adult who stutters may want to investigate meditation as a way of calming the body and mind and experiencing an increased awareness of reality beyond habitual percpetions.
There are many forms of meditation. Almost all relligions traditions have developed meditation techniques to be introduced to those well-grounded in scripture. But none of them are practiced to "bliss out" or avoid all that is. Indeed, it is a practice to learn to notice, accept and deal successfully with all that life brings. You might like to take another look at the final paragraph of my paper where I refer to Pema Chodron's paper on "shempa," i.e., dealing with habitual urges that draw us into behavioral patterns instead of allowing us to experience the freshness of each moment. In fact, if you are interested in having a better idea of whether and when to recommend meditation as a life-enhancing tool to a client, you ought to experience the practice yourself first.
Painting is so refreshing for me because I love to interact visually with color, form, space, and texture using my arms and hands. And, just as importantly, I love to be free of words, those sticky little things I don't like very much! Hassidic Jews have a saying: Silence is better than speech! I come close to understanding what they mean when I paint and when I meditate.
Yes. Painting helped me reactivate my dormant and, possibly, dominant right hemisphere that my personal experiences, including graduate studies, had just about shut down. I have found working in and/or appreciating the various art forms is key not only to activating the right hemisphere but helping it work meaningfully with the left one. And, I think, this has helped me listen and relate more effectively, since more than 90% of oral communication is non-verbal.
Good luck with all you are doing.
Ellen-Marie Silverman