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From: George Shames
Date: 10 Oct 2006
Time: 16:17:36 -0500
Remote Name: 151.201.47.103
Thanks for your comments. They touch upon several significant issues. I hope that I can address them in a brief but approriate reply. The issue of feeling or attitude that stuttering is bad is one that does not carry any absolute truth. The stutterer should be given the opportunity to voice his feelings without judgments by the clinician. Rather the clinician should encourage the client to explore his feelings, their source and origins. It is not a matter of "good" or "bad". Find out what the stutterer wants to get out of therapy, in terms of changes in self concept, in way of talking, new self expectations, rather than to be told that he is right or wrong. He should also be given a chance to experience control of his speech, in diffrerent ways, including controlled stuttering, and speech that is free of stuttering . He should also be given a chance to deliberately experience different kinds of listener reactions, his own avoidance behavior and approach bhaviior. Eventually he should be encouraged to make choices for himself, his goals, regarding his way of life, his speaking, his social interactions. If the clinician does not agree, he should respect the choices that the stutterer makes for himself, and provide the therapeutic opportunity to experience all sides of the issue. But ultimately, the choice is his, and he should be given the opportunity to experience the success and failure of his choices, and make whatever revisions he thinks are appropriate.