What might therapy look like?
I have been working as a Speech & Language Therapist with people of all ages who stammer for many years. Over time, my thoughts about the best ways to support and work with those who stammer in speech therapy sessions has changed as I’ve learnt more about stammering and research has moved on, increasing our understanding of stammering. I now believe the aim of speech & language therapy should be successful, confident communication. I see stammering as a different way of talking rather than wrong or bad, and no less valid than non-stammered speech. Successful communication is not the same as not stammering. I know plenty of people who stammer and are brilliant communicators, as well as many people who don’t stammer but whose communication skills are not so great!
As a Speech & Language Therapist my role is to both help people understand what stammering is and develop their skills and awareness of the communicative strengths they have, exploring what it means to them to be a confident and effective communicator.
For children
Working with children, the first step is often helping the child know it’s OK to talk about stammering and acknowledge it. My role is often to support parents, carers and other key adults in the child’s life to feel comfortable to do this with the child. Therapy may focus on building the child’s skills to become a well-rounded, confident and successful communicator, without worry about stammering getting in the way of this goal. Input may also work more specifically with adults in the child’s life, helping them to understand stammering and feel confident to support their child to be an effective communicator.
Every child is an individual with their own personal therapy needs. I will tailor input to your child’s specific needs and goals will be set in discussion with you and your child to make sure the focus of therapy fits with what is important to you.
Therapy will include games and fun activities ensuring it is enjoyable for your child. We all learn better when we’re having fun!
For adults
Adults who stammer often also benefit from the opportunity to talk openly about stammering and what stammering has meant for them in their life. Sometimes adults come to therapy without ever having had the chance to talk to someone openly about the impact stammering has had on their life and choices, or they may be wary of approaching speech therapy due to previous experiences which they haven’t found so helpful. During initial assessment it is possible to talk through your individual background and I will listen to what you are hoping to achieve by coming to therapy sessions so we can set agreed goals together. Although I don’t ever work with someone to ‘fix’ or ‘cure’ their stammer (as I don’t believe that stammering needs to be cured or fixed) if talking is a tense, painful experience for you due to the physical stress you experience when stammering, therapy can explore what’s going on within the moment of stammering for you, looking at ways to reduce the physical tension you experience when speaking so that stammering feels easier and is less of a struggle.
Speech and Language Therapy always starts with an assessment. Once we arrange a date and time for your (or your child’s) initial assessment I will send you a MSTeams link to access the session. If we have agreed an in-person assessment, I will come to your home address for the agreed time. The assessment will typically last 60-90 minutes. Therapy sessions are typically 45-60 minutes. You can find more information about sessions here and in the FAQs.
If you aren’t sure whether my approach to stammering therapy will work for you, please get in touch if you’d like to discuss things further.