Nuggets - a request to Stutt-L on October 30, 1998, by Nan Bernstein-Ratner for people to post a single "message" or "nugget" that they would want all SLPs who treat stuttering (or the field) to know brought the following responses.
- Bob Q - If I'm limited to *only* one: You can often help your client more by listening to them by than by telling them things.
- Marty J - My nugget would be to teach clients to become effectve speakers rather than fluent speakers. When fluency is the goal, every block or repetition reinforces the client's sense of failure. Not that fluency isn't a good thing. But it's easier to achieve when you aren't always trying to achieve perfection.
- Vicki S - My "nugget" would be that there is no one-size-fits-all therapy for stuttering. Every stutterer you meet will respond differently to whatever kind of therapy you use, so taylor your therapy to fit the PERSON, not the textbook outline you learned in college.
- David M - Despite what your professor's may have told you, there is no cure. This is a multi-faceted disability that needs to be approached from many different angles, not just from a "physical" one of word lists and breathing exercises. Be creative and be patient.
- Bonnie W - SLP's need to look beyond fluency techniques and help the PWS to get past "emotions" re. stuttering.
- Gunars N - Treat stuttering syndrome not stuttering. Deal with the whole person. Since in the end the client will become his own therapist, do constructivistic type of therapy. Let the client in that you are an integrative therapist and can choose from fluency shaping, stuttering modification, as well as cognitive reconstruction"
- Jesse L - Any speech therapy should include
self-acceptance as a goal, otherwise every stutter and block becomes
another whack at the self-esteem tree, which in PWS has often been
whacked one too many times already. Gentleness, patience, and a
willingness to use creative approaches.
- Beth M - My "nugget" would be to listen, really listen, to the parents. The SLP may be the only person who can understand what they are going through. Allowing the parents to express their fears and frustrations, while modelling "good listening skills" may be very beneficial to the parents and the child who stutters.
I was born in 1938 in the mid-west. In grammer school, of what
I remember is hazy,but I do recall that I didn't like it. Now high
school that I do recall. I hated every day of it. I would get
"comments" and bust them one. In a public school it would be much more accepted, but I was in a catholic school. The treatment I mean. But people are people. After doing the school thing I had to a lot of self -evualation, and get over the wounded pride nonsense. I had to get "real" and learn to cope with "them" instead "them" coping with me. After all they were there first. People just have to develope a
philosophy that is unique to themselves without stepping on anyones
toes. I feel it's good withdraw into yourself [in a positive way of
course] You can't turn into a basket case. Just see what you'r doing
and what it's getting you into. I've worked many jobs, all low paying
but thats all right, living close to the belt builds character, teaches
one to live within ones means. I own my home [mobil trialer] paid for. Have many things. without worrying about tomarrow. I have found inner peace. I am a christian. I am part of the church that I attend. I am on the worship team, the sound end of it. I help set up the mics and help get the it to sound right. But I do have a problem with praying out loud, lack that kind of confidence. Some things you never lose, things do not need to ever overwhelm you. In other words maintain a positive control. Every thing can be reduced to playing "the game" . Everyone plays. Just remember the rules [PLAY NICE]. Noone needs to get hurt. Most of all YOU!!!
added November 26, 1998
Judy Kuster
Last updated, June 1, 2013
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