Directed Self-Help Stuttering Therapy With A Motivated Teenage Boy

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Re: E-Mail question

From: Judy Butler
Date: 10/4/01
Time: 10:04:53 PM
Remote Name: 208.244.111.77

Comments

Hi there. Dr. J gave me permission to chime in here. I used e-mail quite a bit this year with families. I had enlightening conversations that otherwise would not have taken place because of problems trying to schedule face-to-face conferences. I tried e-mail with 2 teens this year and both responded very infrequently. However, I continued with informative and encouraging e-mail messages because my goal was just that...to act as a teacher and cheerleader. I did not expect much in the way of e-mail replies and I didn't get them. However, I did see these teens several times throughout the year and kept in close contact with their parents. My positive face-to-face experiences with them kept me motivated to continue sending mail. I am a much better listener and writer than I am a speaker and I found that I could offer these families a closer personal connection with e-mail. There came a time, however, when I had to admit that I could not be certain of what impact my mail had without more frequent/consistent replies from the teens themselves. It was time to let go. To my surprise, I needed help with this. So, I would say that e-mail can be a powerful piece of an SLP-teen relationship. But it's usefulness needs to be periodically assessed just as any other technique is. Therapy is certainly a story of changes. :)


Last changed: September 12, 2005