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From: Russ Hicks
Date: 17 Oct 2006
Time: 14:15:33 -0500
Remote Name: 71.123.208.188
Hi - again - Rhea, ..... My only formal therapy has been at that speech camp in the 1950's. It wasn't even called fluency shaping in those days, it was simply called "Speech Controls" which was really only a primitive form of fluency shaping. I believe that Ron Webster (?) coined the term "Precision Fluency Shaping" at Hollins much later. But nevertheless it has its roots in the old speech controls used in my youth. The fundamental objectives were to CONTROL the speech mechanisms with enough power to prevent stuttering altogether. I've seen too many failures from programs like that - but I also have seen a few successes. Go figure. We're all so different. ..... I never had any other form of speech therapy. By the time I got into the NSA in about 1984, I became surrounded by a bunch of experts in the stuttering community and got "therapy by osmosis" I guess you could say. The therapy that worked best FOR ME, was stuttering modification whereby you attacked both the top and bottom of the stuttering iceberg. See my paper on the Iceberg Analogy of Stuttering at http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad6/papers/hicks6.html Then another one is my paper on the Iceberg MATRIX of Stuttering at http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad8/papers/hicks8/hicks8.html which uses the iceberg analogy to suggest treatment for different forms of stuttering. And that paper will show you why the INTEGRATED approach individualized for each client, is the ideal way for treatment. ..... And I got myself OUT THERE by joining Toastmasters - which isn't a form of speech therapy at all, but it attacked the bottom of my iceberg like nothing else I have ever experienced. It may not be for everyone, but it was amazing for me. ..... There are other therapies around and almost ALL of them work for SOME people. The SpeechEasy device is one. The long term efficacy is highly suspect, but hey, if it works, more power to it. Various drugs and medications are currently under development and test and quite possibly hold some future promise. ..... Still other forms of therapy such as swinging your arms like metronome, tongue surgery, and other forms including witchcraft, frogs and bat wings are no doubt past their prime! Gasp! ..... Nevertheless you should read some of the stuff still going on in Africa! Those ISAD papers are well worth reading - and are VERY inspirational. You think WE in the United States have problems? You ain't seen nuthin' yet! Go read those papers. Really. ..... And therapy for CHILDREN is a completely different ball game. I'm really not qualified in this area at all but it involves family involvement and speech modeling. And part of the objective there is to KEEP the bottom of the stuttering iceberg from growing. ..... Bottom line is that for ADULT stutterers the best therapy is generally learning how to face life and still stutter. Stuttering does NOT have to affect your life unless you let it. It isn't easy, but it CAN be done. And your SLP can be the best cheerleader and coach in the world. ..... Did this answer your questions, Rhea? ..... Russ, my email is russhicks@mail.com